Kenpo in Massachusetts

[Stuarto]

Greetings everyone. My name is Stu, and I have recently started training in Professor Cerio's Kenpo in Massachusetts. I have done some reading on the history and lineage of the art. So far, I am enjoying it greatly. I am looking to get some feedback from others who train in this style. In the past I have done some Aikido (off and on) but began being drawn towards Kenpo a year ago. I have always thought of martial arts my whole life and finally found the right time to get serious. I would love to hear the story of your journey in Kenpo and also any advice you might have. Thanks!

Respectfully,
Stu Young

 

[Buka]

Welcome to Martial Talk, Stu.

Nick Cerio was was a good man. I trained in a lot of Kenpo schools in New England, learned a lot and enjoyed it the entire time.

 

[Stuarto]

Welcome to Martial Talk, Stu.

Nick Cerio was was a good man. I trained in a lot of Kenpo schools in New England, learned a lot and enjoyed it the entire time.

Thanks Buka, I've heard great things about Professor Cerio and I'm enjoying the curriculum. Do you still train in New England? How long have you been in martial arts?

 

[Buka]

Thanks Buka, I've heard great things about Professor Cerio and I'm enjoying the curriculum. Do you still train in New England? How long have you been in martial arts?

I currently live on Maui. Hopefully going back to Massachusetts in the near future.

I’ve been trying to learn Martial Arts for fifty years. Maybe someday I’ll catch on.

 

[Stuarto]

I currently live on Maui. Hopefully going back to Massachusetts in the near future.

I’ve been trying to learn Martial Arts for fifty years. Maybe someday I’ll catch on.

I've never been to Maui myself, but I have visited a number of other places. I was born and raised in MA but bounced around for a few years. My time in martial arts has been sporadic and spread out. I am finally at a good time in my life where I can stick with it for the long haul. 50 years is a long time, I imagine you have learned quite a bit.

 

[Buka]

I've never been to Maui myself, but I have visited a number of other places. I was born and raised in MA but bounced around for a few years. My time in martial arts has been sporadic and spread out. I am finally at a good time in my life where I can stick with it for the long haul. 50 years is a long time, I imagine you have learned quite a bit.

The more I learn about Martial Arts the more I realize I don’t know squat. Still trying, though.

Where in Massachusetts are you?

 

[Stuarto]

The more I learn about Martial Arts the more I realize I don’t know squat. Still trying, though.

Where in Massachusetts are you?

I feel like that is a very good way of thinking when you are studying/training in a subject. I realized just how little I knew on my first day of training. I am in central MA, Leominster area.

 

[Buka]

I feel like that is a very good way of thinking when you are studying/training in a subject. I realized just how little I knew on my first day of training. I am in central MA, Leominster area.

My cousins lived on South Street in Leominster. I spent a lot of time there when I was a kid. I have great memories of Leominster.

 

[Stuarto]

My cousins lived on South Street in Leominster. I spent a lot of time there when I was a kid. I have great memories of Leominster.

I also spent a lot of time in Leominster, often visiting the Searstown Mall as a child. I grew up in Shirley and lived there for all of my childhood. It's a nice area!

 

[Buka]

I also spent a lot of time in Leominster, often visiting the Searstown Mall as a child. I grew up in Shirley and lived there for all of my childhood. It's a nice area!

As they say, it’s a small world. They sure weren’t kidding.

 

[Stuarto]

As they say, it’s a small world. They sure weren’t kidding.

That's a true statement indeed. How long have you lived in Maui?

 

[Buka]

Lived here from 94 to 03, went back to Boston to be a cop again, came back here 2016.

 

[Stuarto]

Lived here from 94 to 03, went back to Boston to be a cop again, came back here 2016.

I work as a CO and have done so for 10 years. That is part of the reason why I have gotten serious about getting into martial arts.

 

[Buka]

I work as a CO and have done so for 10 years. That is part of the reason why I have gotten serious about getting into martial arts.

Some of my students and friends are/were COs. It’s a tough job.

 

[Stuarto]

Some of my students and friends are/were COs. It’s a tough job.

It certainly can be. Tough on the body and the mind. Whenever I leave work, I forget the place exists until it's time to come back. I make a point to separate my work life from my home life. I also find things to help me stay fulfilled outside the job. How long have you worked as cop? Boston must have kept you busy.

 

[Xue Sheng]

What I learned about Boston PD, back in the days I lived in Massachusetts and hung out with nefarious characters and bikers....don't mess with Boston PD.

Heard of Nick Cerio back when I was in Massachusetts, (Got there in the early 60s, left in the early 80s,) but never new where he was or that he even was Kenpo. I was Jiujutsu and TKD way back then.

 

[Buka]

It certainly can be. Tough on the body and the mind. Whenever I leave work, I forget the place exists until it's time to come back. I make a point to separate my work life from my home life. I also find things to help me stay fulfilled outside the job. How long have you worked as cop? Boston must have kept you busy.

I started working at the Boston Police Academy as a civilian contractor teaching Defensive Tactics. Four different students of mine, Boston cops, taught DT at the academy covering a period of about fifteen years. They all moved up and onward, eventually becoming superintendents, chief and Commissioner. (The boys done good)

I was running a full time dojo at the time. All first responders trained for free, as well as almost everyone else. I had to go get a real job to eat. I found work as a Federal Police Officer teaching DT full time to a 74 man law enforcement unit attached to the Federal Reserve. It was a lot of fun, they actually paid you, gave you great benefits and a gold shield that let you go anywhere you wanted.

I never took advantage of that, I was in Fenway Park and Patriot Stadium on business. Yeah, that’s the ticket, business.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I started working at the Boston Police Academy as a civilian contractor teaching Defensive Tactics. Four different students of mine, Boston cops, taught DT at the academy covering a period of about fifteen years. They all moved up and onward, eventually becoming superintendents, chief and Commissioner. (The boys done good)

I was running a full time dojo at the time. All first responders trained for free, as well as almost everyone else. I had to go get a real job to eat. I found work as a Federal Police Officer teaching DT full time to a 74 man law enforcement unit attached to the Federal Reserve. It was a lot of fun, they actually paid you, gave you great benefits and a gold shield that let you go anywhere you wanted.

I never took advantage of that, I was in Fenway Park and Patriot Stadium on business. Yeah, that’s the ticket, business.

with any luck you get back to Mass about the time I move to Maine and we can finally meet up

 

[Buka]

It certainly can be. Tough on the body and the mind. Whenever I leave work, I forget the place exists until it's time to come back. I make a point to separate my work life from my home life. I also find things to help me stay fulfilled outside the job. How long have you worked as cop? Boston must have kept you busy.

You’re a wise man to forget the place exists until time to go back to work. They should teach that on day one to all officers of any kind.

 

[Buka]

with any luck you get back to Mass about the time I move to Maine and we can finally meet up

I’d like that. I have some close friends in Maine.

I’m also writing a horror novel that takes place in Northern Maine. I’ve been doing so much research about Maine the last couple years I know more about it than I do about Massachusetts or Hawaii. Maine rocks.