At first

 

Yellow gi tops

 I think it is probably a good thing the "yellow gi tops" never caught on.

Grandmaster Nick Cerio's Kenpo - (old school kenpo)

Some old school kenpo with Grandmaster Cerio. 

First Grandmaster Cerio shows part of his physical workout, then he works on some hard hitting forms, then to finish the video we see Grandmaster Cerio working on a few techniques with a partner. 

One can only imagine the damage even one solid punch from GM Cerio would cause.

USSD launches new website

(from the USSD Facebook page)

Dear USSD Students, Friends, and Family,

United Studios of Self Defense is proud to announce the launch of our new corporate website, USSD.com. This marks an exciting milestone in our mission to unite and elevate our brand. Designed to empower local dojos and inspire current and future students, the website brings our "Stronger Together" philosophy to life. It reflects our commitment to growth, community, and excellence.

The new USSD website is built to grow and support existing dojos and motivate future students. It highlights the unique sense of community and belonging at every dojo. By showcasing our brand and values, this new website strengthens connections across the USSD network. This is more than a website—it’s a step forward for all of us.

We invite you to explore USSD.com and celebrate this exciting milestone. Share the news with your friends and family to help spread the word. Together, we’re building a brighter future for our art and dojo communities. Let’s grow, inspire, and stay "Stronger Together!"

https://www.ussd.com/

Why no "kiai" in kenpo forms?

(from a recent conversation on Facebook)

"Kiai" is a conceptually Japanese philosophy, whereas the Chinese philosophy is more about "correct breathing." As said, "the teapot versus kettle" analogy comes to mind in the Parker Lineage. Western boxers adhere closer to the Chinese Concept as well. Kiai is associated with Japanese Kata, not the Chinese Roots of Kenpo in the Parker Lineage. - Dr. Ron Chapél

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(Fighting Dynamics - Maximizing Power Through Internal Breathing - By Don Smith)

Internal breathing is like a tea kettle that is building up steam. As the pressure in the kettle increases, there will be a slow release of pressure though a small hole in the spout. There will always be near constant pressure within.

The lungs take on a similar function with internal breathing methods. There is a release of small bursts of air when delivering each strike.

With a rapid series of strikes, there will either be a release of several short bursts of air, or a release of a continuous stream of air out of the lungs. At the same time there will be air pressure maintained within the lungs, much like the tea kettle.

This turbo-charged type of breathing allows for incredible hand speed combinations that is unmatched by any other means.

The diaphragm and muscles in the body must tense properly to get the most benefit from internal breathing.

The best way to experience this is to exhale and form the mouth as to create a hiss. There should be muscle tension low in the diaphragm and abdomen. This obtains maximum compression of the oxygen in the lungs and controls the amount of air that leaves the body.

There are other specialized internal breathing techniques that can produce phenomenal results.

World breaking champion Shawn Jewell is an advocate of breathing to develop internal energy. He emphasizes the importance of the diaphragm in the progression of motion that develops this awesome force.

Unlike most other breathing methods, this type of breathing requires precise timing within a sequence of events.

As the nervous system fires muscles independently, these muscles contract in sequence to produce a wave of motion through the body.

The diaphragm must contract at the proper instant to continue this flow of motion. If there is a break in the sequence, a loss of energy will result. These precision breathing methods are useful in many aspects of martial arts training, including grappling and joint manipulation techniques.

For general practice I find it helpful to focus more on the exhale and let the timing of the inhale come naturally.

You can hyperventilate if your breathing becomes too erratic. Breathing must flow with the motion with intermittent bursts of energy when needed.

Exhale when delivering a strike or kick, and train yourself to exhale and tighten the muscles when receiving a blow. This prevents the air from being knocked out of you and prepares your body to absorb the impact.

Proper breathing can improve balance and mobility as well. Inhaling while in motion creates buoyancy for greater foot speed, while exhaling when settling your body weight into a strike aids in better force and fusion upon impact to a target.

Fusion is the moment when the joints of the body lock in position as to allow the entire weight of the body to be behind the strike. Ed Parker was a master at this. Those who have also been at the receiving end of one of Parker's strikes know what I mean.

Mr. Bryan Hawkins - a kenpo legend

Why no high kicks in kenpo?

Mr. Parker taught that if you want to kick someone in the head, kick them in the groin first. Then it will be easier to kick the head.

(from a recent discussion on Facebook)

Mr. Parker told me, "It makes as much sense to kick a guy in the head standing up, as it does to bend down and punch him in the foot." It was prompted by an impromptu demo by Mitose at Pasadena in the early sixties when he tried to convince Mr. Parker to "join him" in an enterprise to create a "church" to make money. Mr. Parker declined the offer, and a "saying" was born. - Dr. Ron Chapél

(Legend has it Huk Planas and Dave Hebler were there too and witnessed the punch to the foot.)

Mr. Chuck Sullivan talks about the early days when Mr. Parker lost his advanced class to Jimmy Woo

(from an interview with Mr. Sullivan on the Art of One Dojo YouTube page)

We have two techniques that I got from Jimmy Woo. Because I don't know if you know about what happened with Ed Parker during the early days when he lost his entire advanced class. I can tell you about this, I was there, there's not many people around today who were there. 

Ed Parker was writing his second book, the Secrets of Chinese Karate and he was visiting San Francisco picking the minds of some of the Chinese elders up there and he ran into Jimmy Woo who was nine years his senior. 

Ed thought it would be a good idea to have him collaborate with him on the book so he invited him to come down to southern California and stay with him at his house. So he supported him, I mean he just supported the man at his stay there. So they were collaborating on the book. 

Well, Jimmy Woo obviously looked at what Ed Parker had, and looked at what he had, and there was no comparison. And then Ed Parker made a very serious tactical mistake. He put Jimmy in charge of the class whenever he couldn't make it, and he couldn't make it more often as time went on. So Jimmy Woo got to teach the class and learn, and get acquainted with all of the guys and start "wooing" them, pun intended, away from Ed and onto his own thing. 

And one of the things he told, that he sold the guys on, because I stayed in contact with one of the guys that went with him after he was there. So I got to know what they were doing, and how they were doing it, a little further down the line. Not much but a little further. And one of the things, I asked Leonard, this friend of mine, I said how did he get these guys? Because he didn't get me. I wasn't as close to the hierarchy of that class, I was kind of on the lower end, I had just joined the class as a brown belt. I was expected to be part of the move. Because he got every single person in the advanced class except me, I was the only one. But I didn't care for some of the things he was doing as he was doing it. I mean how do you expect somebody that lies in the corner with a cigarette in his mouth and teaches your class. 

Yeah, yeah, just smoking while we were working out!

There were just things about the man that, that I just couldn't get behind. Some of the things I liked, some of the stuff I liked. But I didn't like it as an entire system. I liked little bits of it. So I stole 'em, we have them in the system today, they're wonderful.

Anyhow, so that all happened, and they split. One of the thing he sold them on was, he said Ed Parker has taught you everything he knows. Come with me and I'll teach you the real thing. Well, he didn't have the real thing to begin with. And he said another thing is Ed Parker is moving too slow, meaning that he should be, his schools should be all over the country. You should be in charge of the East Coast, this guy should be in charge of the North East, this guy should be in charge of the Mid-West, this guy should be in charge of the South. That didn't happen at all, that never happened, the furthest they ever got was the crappy end of Hollywood Blvd. That's where the dojo lived, and stayed, and died, and whatever.

Anyhow, Jimmy Woo had some really good stuff, but selectively, not as an entire system. As an entire system it was horribly lacking. But the thing he impressed upon these guys was Ed Parker taught them everything he knew. 

So Ed Parker obviously said to himself at that time, you want more?, I'll give you more. I'll give you so much you can't handle it. 

And that's what happened. 

Keeping the kenpo flame alive

artwork by Felix Capibara

It's 2025, let's pad up and shin kick some groins! See you in the dojo.