Hello, I originally started martial arts in 1984 at the Fred Villari's Studios of Self Defense at Chapel Four Corners in Cumberland, RI under William Gregory and then Mark Sheeley, earning my 3rd Brown. That school no longer teaches the Villari style, but rather a mixture of Cerio and Shotokan from what I understand.
I am very thankful for those three years of my training. Looking back, although I hated standing in a horse stance just doing basics at pretty much full force, I am so grateful that that school focused so heavily on basics. Granted they weren't teaching you to flow like a Jeff Speakman, and the techniques at the time didn't come close to Parker's Kenpo, but standing in a flamingo stance facing the wall for the duration of my brown belt test which was well over two hours when not actively demonstrating, certainly was to my advantage. I learned balance and power.
After seeing the Perfect Weapon, I did some research and found that they were teaching that style at Family Karate Center in Woonsocket. So in 2003, I contacted them because I wanted to learn that style using more than videos in a regular dojo environment, and I knew that I needed to get my heart and lungs back in shape after making bad decisions regarding my health as a young person.
After talking to Mr. Ed Wilson on the phone, I came in, and he demonstrated delayed sword, five swords, and a walk-along armlock that was quite uncomfortable. I was definately thrilled to have found a school that taught the Parker style.
Ed Wilson is an 8th degree black belt. From what I know, he taught the Villari Style until the late 80s or early 90s. He definately has been in the martial arts for 30 years or so, but not all of them in the Parker style.
I will be honest in saying he is the owner, but he really doesn't teach class other than blackbelt privates or once in a while, he would pop in. That was somewhat disappointing because I wanted to learn from the master himself. My instruction was from one of his 3rd degree black belts. She was very knowledgeable and pleasant.
I am really happy to have trained there. It got me back in the martial arts groove. The workout was great. We did this kicking drill that was also awesome. Three people would get air shields, and one would be in front, one in back, and one on the side. So we would front-kick, back-kick, and side-kick the targets ten times for a total of thirty kicks per leg. Every class had multiple kick, bag work in some form or another. There was a lot of reaction drilling. Someone would be behind you and attack requiring you to react to counter whatever choke, grab, hold, etc. Another favorite was to have an opponent infront and an opponent behind. The person infront would grab your lapel. You would do delayed sword. Then you would counter a left punch with sword of destruction. The person behind you would bear hug you then grab your right shoulder, then you would counter with captured twigs and sword and hammer. It was nonstop, one tech after another, teaching you to instinctively react rather than someone just punching in on que and doing combination number 6 or whatever. They stressed automatic reaction rather than responding to the instructors yell of "move."
My only concern is that they don't require the full kenpo syllabis to gain rank. The reqs for yellow are: delay sword, sword of dest, capt. twigs, and sword and hammer. The reqs for orange are: triggered salute, lone kimono, five swords, and grip of death. The reqs for purple are: thrusting salute, obscure elbow, buckling branch, and raining claw. Forms are also required. For some students, I guess it is better to master 4 techs per belt than be overwhelmed by 24 per belt. For what it's worth, I thought it was a wonderful school. Because I am perfectionistic and can be an overachiever, I personally would have liked to learn at more ambitious pace, but then again, it is called Family Karate Center. Sometimes though, there were days that I longed for those 2 hour belt tests that I could be proud of enduring like at my former "Cobra Kai-style dojo."
Once again, I was thankful that they exposed me to an awesome style.
Chris Magnano
