kungfulee

Here's some history, from what I can remember, and I dug up my old rank certificates, which may help establish when some "events" occurred. First, I misstated when I started in martial arts. I might have said 1977, but it was actually earlier - 1975. I found some of my old certificates of rank, which provide some answers that my memory does not. They give a better clue as to when the name changed from USSD to Villari's and the style went from being called Kenpo to Shaolin Kempo. I received my 2nd degree brown rank in November 1979. That certificate says United Studios of Self Defense - Kenpo Karate. I earned 1st degree brown in April 1980. THAT certificate says USSD, but now SHAOLIN KEMPO. So the style name change occurred in early 1980 I made 1st degree black belt in December 1980. The certificate still reads United Studios. But, my certificate for 2nd degree black is from Fred Villari's. Not real specific, but the change in name apparently occurred in 1981 or 1982. From the time I started, Villari was the guy running the system. I don't know when I first heard Mattera's name, but if he (or anyone else) was a partner, it wasn't visible to anyone. In the beginning, we would start classes bowing to pictures of "the masters". There was one of Villari, and one of William Chow. Eventually, Chow's picture was gone. If Mattera was partner, it was not obvious. I find it interesting to read stuff about Villari and Cerio being partners. I'd never heard of Cerio until I started reading these forums recently. I've not heard the name Rudy Horn. That doesn't mean much, as I was not a dojo owner. I was mainly just a student. But I was around for quite a few years, and remember a few names of the "big names" in the organization. Some of the folks who were prominent in the organization when I was there are on my rank certificates. Most of my early certificates have a signature (a reproduction on the pre-black belt ones) by Villari as "President", and are hand-signed by Art Singer, as "Director". A couple are signed by Gerald Swanson, as "Director". I may have heard his name before this, but Mattera first appears on my rank certificates when I got to black. Both black belt certificates are signed by Villari as "Grandmaster 10th Degree Black Belt" and "Chairman of the Promotion Board". My 1st degree certificate is signed by Lawrence Mangone - 5th degree, as "Director". It is also signed by Charles Mattera - 6th degree, as "Senior Instructor". Also signed by a 3rd degree "Witness", though I can't quite make out the name. My 2nd degree black certificate is signed again by Villari, Fred Bagley - 6th Dan as "Director", and again by Mattera - 6th Dan as "Senior Instructor". It is also witnessed by John Fritz - 5th Dan. About the only other thing I can say about Mattera back then is we all heard he drove a Maserati. Hope this "history" is of some interest... So fred bagley was ahead of mattera? DId bagley pass mattera in rank?

Too true.Iam going to start off small and build my school up before I get a a large space. As for advertising I know how ussd did it. So I'll make alot more money because the money will go in my pocket(not theirs). If you market well and dont charge as much as your cometitors price you should be alright. As you grow ask your stundents about once a month if they want to become instructors. And dont charge them a ton. In a year of hard work it will payoff ninjamac. Treat everyone good and you will have all the help you will need. Treat people bad and people will leave you and open their own dojo. Your right kungfufist. People will open their own dojo if you dont treat them right. Hey why did mattera split from villaris?

Only 7!!!!!!!!! Thats where it all started. I wonder why they left ussd or damasco?

Too true.Iam going to start off small and build my school up before I get a a large space. As for advertising I know how ussd did it. So I'll make alot more money because the money will go in my pocket(not theirs). If you market well and dont charge as much as your cometitors price you should be alright. As you grow ask your stundents about once a month if they want to become instructors. And dont charge them a ton.

That makes alot more sense then paying some outrageous franchise fee.

Who is master dave leynton? What school did he run?

That's way more reasonable then most Mc dojo's. That $150 and up crap has got to go.

That is not a bad idea If they held an open seminar to all instructors they would bank.

I agree. Mixed martial arts is the best. Studing one style is to limited. A mix of jeet kune do I think is one of the best mixed martial arts out there.

I would check it out. It is over seen by 5th dan master.

If he is not their in 2 months then I will beleave it.

Is there any wushu schools in the united states?

You are so right on that one KFF3. we should check out a school's history before we enroll or enroll one of are kids. Man they have alot of violation's. I totally agree with you.

Bruce was the best

The problem with the "deadly strikes in WC" argument is that yes, muay thai do not practice these things. Neither does WC, at least not against a fully resisting opponent where you can execute these techniques with proper power, accuracy, and contact. Most WC schools (I say this from first hand experience) do point of contact drills where they stop strikes like the bil jee before hitting their partner's eye. The way you train is the way you fight. They train this way, with incorrect distance, timing, and without practice of true target accuracty, that is the way they will execute them. In fact, the practice of this can potentially lead to such bad distance/accuracy habits that perhaps a MT fighter who HASN'T done drills like this may do them better in a real confrontation than a WC fighter who has practiced jabbing the air in front of their partner's eyes. On the flip side, I have heard of WC schools putting on goggles and jabbing eyes for real, which is far better than the alternative of striking air, but these are few and far in between. the eye gouge is one of the few strikes you cant use on an unprotected face of your partner/friend, however, WC has a lot of strikes to the body, the face is mostly used as a distraction. With some good training, a WC guy could be able to stand up(I did say stand up, I did not say beat- that depends on the person) to a MT guy. Remember it is not all about power, accuracy and speed is better by far- its not the same to kick someone's upper arm as kicking someone's elbow - TOO TRUE.

WOW So demasaco left? What does that say about your organization when your number two guy leaves you and opens his own chain? What do you think caused the break up of him and charles mattera? Do you think it's a sign of problems within the organization or that it's collapsing?

I 'd like to learn the leopards angles and speed training.

I would like to train in real shaolin kung fu not some watered down version. Are there any temples in the us?

This is disgusting I 've read on other forums about ussd and they are not to postive. Check out martial talk.

Hi goldeneyes, How long ago did you attend villaris? Why did you quit? thanks greg

Nope.

Do you have a school