50 Years of Martial Arts
I learned to be an artist —on the mats. For nearly 50 years I attended —and then taught —martial arts classes. I owned a number of schools, worked as a business and curriculum consultant to the international martial arts community, competed regionally, nationally, and internationally, wrote millions of words about teaching and training, recorded 1000’s of videos about school management and training tactics, was a member of an internationally famous demonstrations team, and worked in the entertainment industry in TV and films.
It was a magnificent way to live —and to make a living, but my serious training ended after I had my 4th hip replacement. I simply wore my body out. Fortunately, I had an equal love for ART, in general. So I retired from the kind of practice that stood a chance of putting me in a wheelchair —retired from consulting (30 years of helping the martial arts community was a good long run), and picked up my art tools to start taking my work off the mats —and into my art studio. I am one lucky human being.
Below, some of my career, in photos.
A shot taken at one of my two schools in Reno, Nevada in the 1990's. At the school's peak, my staff and I taught more than 800 students each week.
On the set of the New Line Cinemas film Surf Ninjas, featuring Ernie Reyes, Jr., Leslie Nielson, Tone Loc, and Rob Schneider.
With my classmate and friend Gary Nakahama on the day I won 4th place at The Battle of Atlanta.
With my teacher Great Grand Master Ernie Reyes, Sr. and classmates for our 5th degree black belt test.
With my former student UFC fighter BJ Penn --and family, in Hilo, Hawaii.
With "The Ultimate Black Belt Test" as we constructed a house in Alabama for a man who needed one; I organized 15 years of charity projects there, raising a quarter of a million dollars in donations --and 40,000 man-hours of volunteer labor.
Kicking, after my 1st degree black belt test, in December of 1979.
From my work as a business and curriculum consultant to the martial arts community.
I was The Cat Burglar in the premier of the ABC TV series "Sidekicks." That's my friend and classmate Ernie Reyes, Jr. giving me the what for.
I loved to kick.
With my friend Gary Nakahama and comedian Rob Schneider on the set of the film, "Surf Ninjas."
With my son Keenan Cornelius, one of the Jiu-Jitsu community's most talented athletes.
Photo by friend Zdenek Mlika on my 48th birthday.
With martial arts legend and hero Rickson Gracie.
Kicking with Ernie Reyes, Jr. Photo by Gary DeCapua of Reno.
My hips! And the 3rd place I was awarded at the Sr. Master Worlds (The Masters) for Jiu-Jitsu. That was one year to the day from the spiral fracture of my femur in practice.
From my company "Flying Foot Press" --a collaboration with Bruce Lee's widow, Linda Lee, and my friend Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee. Sold 600 copies, signed by the three of us.
My favorite photo --as a brown belt in jiu-jitsu.
At age 19 and and at age 59. I had some big fun.
Kicking at my first black belt student, Jeff Zaugg. Sometime in the 80's.
From photo shoot just after my 1st degree black belt test in 1979, age 19.
Breaking boards on my 5th degree black belt test. San Jose, CA
Kicking in my school in the 80's.
How many hundreds of seminars did I teach, all over the world.
With 2 fine friends, Dave Kovar and Elliot Kelly. The day I earned my brown belt in BJJ.
Teaching in Spain.
The UBBT was my way of showing how black belt tests could be run. It's fair to say this program changed / altered the methods of 1000's of schools.
On the podium in 2016. My last competition.
Hamming it up with my black belt and friend, Paul Reyes of Reno, NV.
One of the lecture flashcards I made for teachers.
Fighting in California, in the 80's.
The day I was gifted by black belt in Jiu-Jitsu.
With some of my staff, in Reno, in the 90's.
Breaking things.
With my dear friend, now gone, GM Jhoon Rhee --and Seana Callos, 1990's.
With my beloved teacher, GGM Ernie Reyes, Sr. and his son, Ernie Reyes, Jr. on the top floor of an unfinished high-rise in LA filming the 1st episode of the ABC TV Series "Sidekicks."
With Ernie Reyes, Jr. on the set of the Disney Series "Secret Bodyguard." The call sheet listed my part as "The Ugly Hood."
With friends in Los Angeles: Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, Diana Inosanto, her husband Ron Balicki, and Simon Rhee. Photo by my best friend Fariborz Azhakh at his school in Woodland Hills.
Kick, kick, kick (and kick again). That was my life.
What are friends for? Kicking and punching with West Coast Demo Team members Gary Nakahama and Soo Gin Lee in Reno in the 90's.
Under the Golden Gate Bridge doing a beach clean-up I organized for the Ultimate Black Belt Test. That's author Dan Millman and I doing our chores.
With actor Keye Luke on the set of Sidekicks in LA.
Back when I had an enviable vertical jump. Photo taken in Reno, NV in the 80's.
Kicking at my instructor, Ernie Reyes, Sr. In the 1980's, photo by Gary Decapua of Reno.
Me teaching young people at my school in Hilo, Hawaii. I taught 1000's of children --and then I shared what I knew with 1000's of school owners around the world, via video, written articles, and seminars.
Tournament fighting in the 1970's. Fighting Mark Foster in Reno.
Posing with Mr. Norris. I mean, after all, he's CHUCK NORRIS!