Who We Are

Heritage Arts, Inc. is a 501(c)3 tax exempt educational charity, EIN number 81-5406720.

Interested in who we are and where we came from?  Explore our origins.

Where we Started

Mixed martial arts rose to prominence in the 1990s, and by 2000 the “no holds barred” revolution had shattered time-honored assumptions about traditional martial arts.

In the spirit of these new discoveries, Robert Mitchell founded Richmond All Martial Arts Club (RAMAC) in 2001. Practitioners of various martial arts gathered at J. Sargent Reynolds Community College where they sparred and shared techniques.  Interest in RAMAC faded and the group folded.

A succession of groups followed, each new version cutting away failed concepts and building upon previous successes, but each one ultimately insufficient.

Heritage Arts, Inc. and it’s Rough ‘n’ Tumble program are the culmination of over three decades of seeking, experimentation, and research.

who we are

A martial art must contain sincere contact, fighting realism and real fitness in order to be effective.  Yet it must also involve the work of the spirit. 

Without a spiritual center, martial arts are at risk of becoming nothing more than dark arts that put pain and punishment on a pedestal.  

Our program is practical, pragmatic fusion of the fighting methods and lifeways of the colonial and indigenous peoples of North America, from the frontier period to the present day.

But the old-timers were also big on spiritual disciplines like contemplation, meditation, prayer, and sacred reading. So we are too.

We engage the hearts and minds of our members to promote a strong moral and ethical center.

Robert Mitchell, Founder of Heritage ARts, Inc.

Robert “Mitch” Mitchell Jr. has been a martial arts instructor since 1990, holding numerous teaching posts at the YMCA, City of Richmond Recs & Parks, etc.

In 2010 he was awarded the rank of Master by the Combat Martial Arts Practitioner’s Association and in 2019 became an affiliate coach in Mark Hatmaker’s Rough ‘n’ Tumble fighting arts system.

After 20+ years as a religious seeker practicing many faiths East and West, he returned to the Christian faith, entered seminary, and was ordained. After continued study and discernment, he relinquished his titles and joined the Catholic Church as a layperson.

He and his wife Karen are the proud parents of four children and five grandchildren.

Call Mitch at (804) 516-1224 or email him at mitch@heritageartsinc.com.