Our Story

Growing up in the Bruce Lee generation, Roots founder Vali Majd was influenced by the Shaolin tradition, the ancient Iranian martial culture of Pahlavani, and his family's military background. His father practised Taekwondo, while his uncle Francis, an internal Tai Chi practitioner, was particularly influential in his early training. Another important influence was Daniel Videau, a French-Vietnamese former French Foreign Legion officer.

Vali's own martial journey began, like many others, with Judo. What followed was a lifelong exploration of martial arts, one that continues to this day.

Over 30 years ago, while living in Toronto, Vali met Vladimir Vasiliev, beginning a lifelong journey with Systema. Over the years, he trained and worked with Vladimir, Mikhail Ryabko, Konstantin Komarov, and many other prominent instructors within the international Systema community, several of whom became colleagues and friends.

Vali's journey through martial arts, professional security, and emergency response has taken him across different cultures, disciplines, and demanding environments. Much of that experience, and the philosophy that emerged from it, continues to shape Roots today.

The dojo grew quite literally from the ground up. For years, training took place outdoors, in all weather conditions. With the dedication, initiative, and generosity of students, a simple training platform gradually acquired walls, a roof, insulation, and eventually became the forest dojo that stands today. Much of what Roots has become was made possible by the students themselves, who contributed not only their time and resources but also their vision and enthusiasm.

Over the years, Roots has welcomed students from diverse backgrounds and hosted regular classes, seminars, and intensive training programs.

A Dojo Unlike Any Other

Tucked away in the forests of Denman Island, Roots is a rather unusual place. Few martial arts schools anywhere in the world offer quite the same combination of environment, curriculum, and approach to training.

Rooted in Systema but drawing on a lifetime of experience, the school explores far more than conventional martial arts. From self-preservation, weapons, and close-quarters conflict to breathing, health, survival, adaptability, and the development of human character, the curriculum is as diverse as it is unconventional.

Training moves freely between the dojo and the surrounding forest, combining physical challenges, practical exploration, and a healthy disregard for unnecessary convention.

There are no belts to chase, trophies to collect, or rigid formulas to follow. The emphasis is on understanding principles, developing capabilities, and discovering what works.

Roots is not simply a place to learn martial arts. It is a place to explore what it means to be human.

And after all these years, it remains what it was always intended to be.

A dojo in the forest.