As a published author, the Coach began his journey into the martial arts in 1968 by learning Tang Soo Do Korean Karate in Silver Spring, MD. After studying for nearly a year, he became intrigued by the display of techniques by Kato (played by Bruce Lee) of the televesion show, The Green Hornet. Because of that, Melvin sought out a kung-fu teacher and, one a year later, found Josiphus Colvin (Kungfu Joe), who was a student of Preying Mantis Master, Jin Foon Mark.

In early February 1970, while practicing and teaching at a local recreation center in Washington D. C., Joe accepted Melvin as a student. A few months later, he also introduced Melvin to a new kungfu school in the downtown area, where Melvin learned the powerful, Small Tiger form and other techniques of the Southern Jow Ga style headed by the late, Dean Chin and Hoy Lee. Melvin entered tournaments in the D. C., Maryland, Virginia area and won various trophies.

He taught basic kungfu techniques to a small group of practitioners in Landover, Maryland for a year before enlisting in the U. S. Army in 1971. There, he met and practiced with students of famous kungfu masters—like Sergio Pinion, a former student of Master Alan Lee of New York. Sergio helped the author to develop his deadly “Iron  Broom” sweep, a powerful defensive technique. Melvin taught Army recruits in basic kungfu exercises and techniques while stationed in Ft. Dix, New Jersey. During the time he was stationed in Ft. Benning, GA, he gave private lessons to a small group of soldiers.

Eventually, Melvin was stationed in Germany where he continued to practice and teach, producing top local competitors, such as James West, Alan Cunningham, Torrence Beasley and others. While in Europe, Melvin was awarded a 3rd degree black belt (certification #6-332-82) in 1982 from Colonel David Scott, founder of the Southwest Institute of Martial Arts, located in Lawton, OK.

Upon completion of his tour of duty, he returned home, taught a small group of students, competed in various East Coast tournaments and continued his Preying Mantis training under Kungfu Joe. Melvin became friends with and entered tournaments with other martial artists such as Dennis Brown and Tayari Casel, both well known martial arts masters on the East Coast.

Through an article published in Inside Kungfu Magazine, Melvin read about the famous Tai Chi and Ba Gua internal arts master, Yun-Chung Chiang. He decided to move to Los Angeles, and in 1978 began training in Universal Post  Standing Meditation, Northern Shaolin kungfu, and Tai Chi Chuan at master Chiang’s Wen Wu School. He practiced there along-side his elder martial arts brother, Prof. Dan Lee, former top student of Bruce Lee.

Over the years he worked out and/or compared martial techniques with West Coast martial artists such as Douglas and Carrie Wong, Eric Lee, Paulie Zink (Monkey Stylist), and became good friends of martial artists like Prof. Carl Totton, Kam Yuen and many others. He has studied under some of the best internal martial arts masters such as:

Coach Melvin commenced studies with Master Liang on December 23, 2000, and currently focuses 70% of his attention on the internal arts (Chi Kung & Tai Chi Chuan). He teaches a combined program of exercises and martial arts, including Quiet Standing (Standing Meditation) chi kung “Opening The Energy Gates.” The other 30% is used to teach Northern kungfu.