Zurriane (Mr. Z) Bennett is the creator of the acclaimed Positive Self Defense (PSD) program — a revolutionary yet simple approach to one of humanity’s most basic needs: self-defense and personal development. He is a dynamic, interactive, informative, and purpose-driven speaker known for blending real-world experience with powerful, practical teaching.
Self-defense, as Mr. Bennett teaches it, is not a martial art, a sport, or a style.
It is a tactical response to violence — one designed to be simple, effective, and easy to learn. True self-defense should never take years to understand or apply. It should work for real people in real life.

always Keep it simple
Meet Zurriane
Trust your intuition and success will follow. You are without question your greatest asset.
Zurriane Bennett
TEDx Speaker
Entrepreneur, teacher, father, author, inventor, husband, and motivational "Driven" speaker
Mr. Bennett’s system is shaped by decades of insights gained from the U.S. Marine Corps, law enforcement operations, and the civilian business world. With over 30 years of experience, multiple martial arts black belts, and extensive holistic medical training, he delivers a complete mind–body approach to personal growth, confidence, protection, and leadership.
Positive Personal Protection & Leadership Accelerator
A 6-week transformation program for men and women ages 38–68
Built for individuals seeking meaningful, practical, life-changing progress in six key areas:
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Security awareness
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Mental and emotional strength
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Confidence and self-belief
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Personal leadership
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Positive, resilient mindset
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Life stability and clarity
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Safer homes, workplaces, and churches
This course integrates Mr. Z’s Positive Self Defense principles with modern personal leadership strategies to deliver fast, lasting improvement.
My Core Message: One Problem, One Promise, One Transformation
Problem:
“People in midlife feel unsafe, uncertain, and overwhelmed.”
Promise:
“I help you feel safer, stronger, and more in control — in just 6 weeks.”
Transformation:
“Clarity, confidence, protection, leadership, and calm.”
As a U.S. Marine and then a law enforcement officer, he has come face to face many times with real criminals and serious threats. Through these often-dangerous experiences, he honed his knowledge and application of realistic methods for protection and survival.
In a variety of real-world situations, Mr. Bennett has successfully helped others to reach various levels of success and shown them how to protect themselves mentally. This also too extends helping others against attackers who were often physically bigger and stronger than them. His ways of communicating with people are the real reason for his repeated success.
He has also had many years in the business world as a program manager, project manager, project supervisor, quality assurance professional, management & program analyst, fire safety officer, occupational safety officer, subject matter expert, bouncer, instructor, creator, skip tracer, and entrepreneur. He has managed several multi-million-dollar contracts and lead people.
His life’s work began as a journey of personal empowerment to overcome his obstacles. He began martial arts training as a child, and his skills would save him numerous times.
Born into poverty against the backdrop of racial tensions, Mr. Bennett has frequently witnessed crime, death, and everyday negativity during his upbringing and life. At one point his son was kidnapped at the age of 3, this was during the time when he was a single parent working two full-time jobs and going to school. He not only found and recovered his child he raised him into manhood.
What could have been a story of surrender or destruction instead became life lessons and guided him to his vision of positive self-defense. His practical approach to overcoming the ugliness, negativity, and dangers we can encounter in life.
Now happily married, and retired from active-duty military service, Mr. Bennett is continuing his passion for helping, serving, protecting others through his teaching and training.
All of his life experiences have led to PSD and his mission of helping others to stay positive and to protect themselves. As a mentor, self-defense expert and martial arts instructor with black belts in karate and jiu-jitsu, he has successfully trained people of all ages.
He has helped thousands of people civilians, military, and law enforcement personnel with focus, motivation, communications, leadership, confidence, government contract, goal setting, belief, and tactics. He has worked with business executives, on multiple areas like staffing concerns, safety, teamwork, motivation, networking, growth, etc. Plus, martial artists in refining techniques, children on resisting aggression, men on empowerment, and women in rape defense, among other areas.
He holds a Doctor of Philosophy.
His work and experiences have led to him writing 16 published books, interviews, speaking events. He has been heard on radio, seen on television, and podcasts, in magazines, in books, social media, and best of all, he has countless success stories.
List of Professional Experience
Real-life self-defense, martial arts, management, business, teaching, and leadership experiences have been at the foundation of Bennett’s work, which is geared toward success in his many occupations in his career.
Please see the list below for his professional history.
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United States Marine Corps, Chief Warrant Officer retired
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Law Enforcement Officer (NYC and Northern VA) - Former
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Instructor of Karate 4 styles (highest sixth-degree black belt)
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Instructor of Ju-Jutsu (black belts in three styles)
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Black Belt, in Judo, by the United States Judo Association (USJA)
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Sexual Assaults Victims Advocacy Service Volunteer Instructor
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Occupational Safety & Health Officer (NYC) Dept of Corrections)
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Defensive Tactics Instructor - Civilian/Law Enforcement
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Personal Protection Trainer - Multiple organizations
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Transportation Supervisor (Library of Congress)
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Aircraft Fire Rescue & Fire Fighter (USMC)
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Marine Expeditionary Officer (USMC)
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Emergency Services Officer (USMC)
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Contracting Office Representative II
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Student Mugai Ryu Japanese Sword
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Professional Martial Arts Instructor
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Certified GSA Vehicle Fleet Manager
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Force Protection Officer (USMC)
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Management & Program Analyst
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Certified NLP Master Practitioner
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Certified Personal Life Coach
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DOD Financial Management
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Certified Strategic Life Coach
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Personal Development Coach
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Certified Holistic Practitioner
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Subject Matter Expert (SME)
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Program & Project Manager
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TEDx Speaker & Presenter
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Quality Assurance Officer
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Martial Arts School Owner
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Personal Fitness Instructor
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Self Defense Instructor
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Fire Safety Officer
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Bylaws Chairman
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Sargent at Arms
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Content Creator
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Driven Speaker
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U.S. Marine
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Skip Tracer
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Mediator
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Inventor
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Bouncer
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Author

Mr. Bennett, sensei of the SYBCG, school, and his students have also preformed demonstrations for the annual National Asian Heritage Festival in Washington D.C. for 4 years straight in a roll.
He also did demonstrations at the annual Asian Festival in Washington D.C. and in Vienna Virginia for 3 years. He and his school are one of only 2 schools that have been asked repeatedly to be a part of these amazing cultural events.
He and his students have done martial arts and self-defense demonstrations of thousands at these events.