Our Instructors & Staff Members

Phil Beatty   (Director/Chief Instructor)  Mr. Beatty is a 3rd degree Black Belt in karate with over 25 years martial arts experience, a certified Level III F.A.S.T. Defense™ instructor, certified F.A.S.T. Defense For Children™ instructor, and has served six years of honorable U.S. Military service. He has over 25 years experience as a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor and is currently an international fitness and martial arts continuing education presenter. Mr. Beatty is also an instructor for All Children's Hospital KidShapers™, a weight management and fitness program where he currently teaches goal setting and fitness motivation to children and their families. He is also a loving father of three children. Martial Arts, Self-Defense and Combat Training History Phil Beatty started his formal martial arts training at USA Karate of St. Petersburg on January 6, 1985, under John Graden and achieved his Black Belt on March 23, 1989. USA Karate was also the training facility of the Legendary Joe Lewis, the man Black Belt Magazine named as "The Greatest Fighter of All Time." The Joe Lewis Fighting System taught to Beatty is a combination of the most effective strategic full-contact karate and hand-to-hand combat available. The focus of Mr. Beatty's training and specialized studies is in reality self-defense and empty-hand combat. Mr. Beatty is certified by internationally known combat and self-defense expert Bill Kipp, the chief instructor and creator of F.A.S.T. Defense™ (Fear Adrenal Stress Training). Mr. Beatty is a certified instructor in F.A.S.T. Defense™ for Level I (Stand-Up Aggression), Level II (Ground Aggression), Level III (Weapons Disarming), and F.A.S.T Defense For Children™ (stranger abduction and bullying prevention and self-defense).

Eduardo de Lima   (Director, Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo de Lima started practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at 19 after being invited to Gracie Barra by his friend, Renzo Gracie. He trained under Jean-Jacques Machado for two years and received his blue and purple belts before Jean-Jacques moved to America. Eduardo began training under Master Carlos Gracie, Jr. In 1997, after 8 years of hard training, Eduardo earned his Black Belt under Master Gracie. In 2000, Eduardo left Brazil to follow his passion and teach Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in America. Mr. de Lima has competed in the prestigious Pan American Jiu-Jitsu tournament every year since 1997 and has achieved an impressive record of 3 Gold Medals, 1 Silver Medal and 5 Bronze Medals.

Roger Patrizzi   (Muay Thai and Mixed Martial Arts Instructor) Mr. Patrizzi has over 20 years martial arts experience and is a certified Muay Thai Instructor, 2nd degree Black Belt in American Kenpo, and holds high belt ranks in various martial arts including Japanese Ju-Jitsu. Mr. Patrizzi has also served six years in the United States Marine Corps. While serving as a Close Combat Instructor in the Marine Corps, he was a competition fighter for the Marine Corps Muay Thai/NHB Team, with a NHB/Vale tudo record of 12 Wins 2 losses, and an Amateur Muay Thai Record of 10 wins and 3 losses. Mr. Patrizzi has been stationed all over the world and has fought in both Thailand and Japan. He currently teaches and trains competition Muay Thai and Mixed Martial Arts Fighters.

Kim Cox   (Black Belt Club and Tactical Training Instructor) Ms. Cox is a 3rd degree Black Belt in karate with over 30 years martial arts experience, a certified LRT™ (Last Resort Tactics) Master Tactical Instructor, a Certified CDT™ (Compliance-Direction-Takedown) Master Tactical Instructor, and a F.A.S.T. Defense™ Coach. Some of Kim's other tactical and combat training accomplishments include being co-author of "Beat the Odds," a training manual used by the FBI, and serving as an instructor on the Empty Hand Confrontational Tactical Training Team for the U.S. Marshal's Office in 2003. Kim's fitness and athletic training talents include being a Certified Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, and she has over 30 years experience in gymnastics and acrobatics. In the 1980s Kim was one of the top ranked females in tournament martial arts in America. In 2000 she also won 1st place in women's forms and 1st place in women's fighting in the nation's largest martial arts tournament, the U.S. Open Karate Championships, after not competing for 12 years.

Mark Graden   (Kickboxing Sparring Instructor) Mr. Graden is truly one of the most talented instructors and competitive fighters in the world today. With over 30 years martial arts experience, he holds a 6th Degree Black Belt in American Kickboxing under the Great Joe Lewis, a 4th Degree Black Belt in American Tae Kwon Do, and was trained by four world kickboxing champions. Mr. Graden is the current "World Association of Kickboxing Organizations" WAKO Pro Super Heavyweight World Kickboxing Champion with a fight record of 31 wins - 4 losses, and is undefeated on American soil. He is also a 3 time WAKO National Champion, 2 time IASKA National Champion, 3 time U.S. Open Champion, 5 time member of the United States National Karate Team, and 2 time recipient of the "Pound for Pound Fighter of the Year" award from the Joe Lewis Fighting Systems. Mr. Graden also acts as the Director of Martial Arts Education Curriculum for the National Association of Professional Martial Artists.

Glenn LaPlante   (Kickboxing Sparring & MMA Instructor) Mr. LaPlante is a 3rd Degree Black Belt in karate and a Brown Belt in judo with over 18 years martial arts experience. Glenn started his training in 1989 at John Graden's USA Karate and achieved his Black Belt in a school record time of 1 year and 10 months. He entered his first full-contact kickboxing competition in 1991 and went on to be the 2 time National Kickboxing Champion with a full contact record of 9 wins-0 losses (7 wins by knockout). In 2000 Glenn became a professional boxer and has a pro record of 9 wins-3 losses-1 draw (6 wins by knockout). Glenn has also trained with martial arts greats Joe Lewis, Bill Wallace and Dan Inosanto. In 1994 Glenn was also awarded "Hall of Fame" Children's Instructor of the Year.

Denise Griffin   (Women's Jui-Jitsu Instructor) Dr. Griffin is a Florida State Athletic Commission licensed Fight Doctor and has been a martial artist herself for over 16 years. She is a 1st Degree Black Belt in Japanese Shotokan Karate and a Purple Belt in Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Denise began studying Shotokan Karate during her undergraduate training at the University of South Florida. She continued her Shotokan training for the next 12 years during college, medical school, and her physician residency. Once Dr. Griffin's medical practice became established, she started training in Bruce Lee's Jeet Kun Do system. Jeet Kun Do is known as one of the first mixed martial arts styles created and includes training in Muay Thai, Kali, Arnis, Savate and Jun Fan. Denise studied JKD for 3 years and then decided to seek out expert Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training after admiring the fighting skills of UFC legend Royce Gracie, who could defeat opponents who were much larger and physically stronger than himself. After much research she found the expert level of instruction she was seeking at Elite Training Center with the world-renowned Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Professor from Brazil, Eduardo de Lima, of the Carlos Gracie, Jr., Gracie Barra organization. Denise currently enjoys training with Professor de Lima at Elite Training Center in St. Petersburg, Florida. When she's not rolling on the mat, she further indulges her love of the combat arts by serving as a ringside physician for professional Boxing, Muay Thai, Grappling, and Mixed Martial Arts matches throughout the state of Florida.

Craig Pittman   (Submission Grappling Instructor) Craig Pittman has 36 years experience and is truly one of the greatest wrestling and submission grappling instructors and practitioners in the world. Mr. Pittman honorably served in the United States Marine Corps for 15 years. While serving in the Corps he actively competed in wrestling and is a five time World Champion as well as a two time U.S. Men’s Heavy Weight Greco Roman wrestling champion. Mr. Pittman also has a strong, successful fight record fighting professionally in the ‘90s at the prestigious Japan Open Vale Tudo tournaments. The Japan Open Vale Tudo tournaments boasted such stars as Mr. Pittman, Rickson Gracie and Frank Shamrock. The matches were no-holds-barred, had no time limit, and could only be won by knockout or submission. Due to Mr. Pittman’s well-decorated fighting background, he was also able to experience a seven-year career in the WWE entertainment style wrestling league as Craig “The Sarge” Pittman, wearing his trademark Marine Drill Instructor hat and Marine Corps colors. Mr. Pittman is currently a Deputy for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department with five years law enforcement experience. In his spare time he coaches high school and college wrestling clinics as well as teaching submission grappling for the Elite Training Center Mixed Martial Arts Program. He is also currently following his burning passion to compete and at age 50 is looking to again climb back in the mixed martial arts cage. So watch out, heavyweights, here comes Craig “The Pit Bull” Pittman”!

For more information about the Elite Training Center staff or training programs, please contact us at (727) 576-2100 or by clicking here.