Richard Ryan is one of the nation's leading authorities on martial arts, self-defense and defensive tactics. His programs represent a lifetime of research and development, with the singular focus on practical application in real-life situations. A pioneer of the scientific approach to self-defense, his methods are realistic, effective and easy to learn and apply. Ryan's long martial arts career began in early childhood. His father and grandfather were national champion boxers and wrestlers. His grandfather was a police captain who taught defensive tactics for the FBI. At the age of eight, Ryan became interested in the combative arts and through the influence of his father and grandfather soon became fascinated with all aspects of martial arts and police science. He began the study of Korean Tae Kwon-do and Chinese Kenpo Karate in his early teens. In 1976, he took up the art of Wing Chun Kung Fu, the same art Bruce Lee formally studied. Within a few years he achieved a Third Degree Black Sash (3rd Degree Black Belt) in the art and became one of its most proficient instructors and proponents. He went on to study numerous traditional fighting arts with a personal emphasis on learning the most practical and realistic methods they had to offer.

Having taken the traditional route, Ryan began to explore other possibilities. Over the years that followed, he devoted himself to the full time study of the science of combat with one goal in mind — develop a pure, reality based combative fighting system that was second to none. The result was Dynamic Combat™ an innovative, exceedingly effective hard-core martial arts system that Ryan continued to refine over two decades. Through Dynamic Combat™, Ryan developed unique insights into the realm of human conflict and personal combat. Dynamic Combat™ forms the foundation for his teaching and has earned a reputation as one of the most scientific and practical fighting arts ever conceived. A comprehensive personal survival system, Dynamic Combat™ addresses all aspects of violent confrontation, from verbal self defense and behavioral psychology to in-depth study of all aspects of physical combat and weaponcraft.

A former professional bodyguard, U.S. Marksmanship Academy Instructor and Gunsite Firearms Center Instructor, Ryan is the designer of the Tactical Edged Weapons™ programs taught at Gunsite and throughout the country. In 1985, Ryan utilized his knowledge and experience to create his highly acclaimed Tactical Defense Training™ system (TDT) — a reality based tactical survival system specifically designed to integrate armed and unarmed defensive tactics for law enforcement. Since then, Ryan designed and implemented unique tactical programs for numerous SWAT, Special Operations teams, law enforcement and government agencies. He was the "use of force" and Technical Training Advisor for the AZPOST (Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training) board and a member of the Subject Matter Expert Committee on Defensive Tactics — all law enforcement agencies in Arizona adopted his TDT system. Ryan is also a certified court appointed expert witness on edged weapons and defensive tactics and has testified in court on the use of force for law enforcement.

A gifted athlete, artist and author, Ryan developed a reputation as an innovator and expert in all areas of hand-to-hand and weapons combat, and is renowned for his comprehensive knowledge of martial arts, firearms and self-defense. His exceptional teaching skills are appreciated by his many longtime students, law enforcement and government operatives, and thousands of people who have attended his schools and seminars over the years. His dedicated and meticulous search for the fundamental truths of self-defense is an integral part of providing insights into an area of human experience that is often shrouded in mystery and misconception.

Ryan and his company, Ryan Defense Systems, Inc.® offer a wide variety of services to government agencies, law enforcement and qualified civilians. The success of his programs can be attributed to his scientific and sensible approach to the use of force and individual personal safety. His presentations, books and videos are brutally honest, direct and highly enlightening, and continue to provide answers for those touched by violence or in the line of fire.