My Martial Arts lineage
Through my years of study I've come to realize there is no superior style or technique in the combative arts, only driven practitioners who are focused on achieving knowledge and understanding to make each technique his own.
practical application and theory are the difference between martial art and the combative art that lies within.
The names listed are but a few of the people I attribute to many of my successes, knowledge, life lessons and pleasurable experiences as a student of combative arts.
Grandmaster Vincent Shorty Mills - shorei goju ryu
Sensei Terrion Johnson - judo
Master Jerry Bell - Kyokoshinkai
Sensei Earle Parker - kenpo karate
Sibak Darryl Jones - kenpo karate
Sensi Rita King - kenpo karate
Sensi Malik Muhammad El - Jiu-Jitsu
Sensi Ron Muhammad - kenpo karate
Sensei Keith Hardine - Aikido
Master Rick Minter - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Sifu/Kiyoshi Bilal Al’amin
Sensei/Coach Ahmad Reese - submission wrestling
Hanshi Dr. Vincent "Shorty" Mills
A gentle giant who was an influential part of my high school years, his guidance and training gave me confidence and encouragement through the rough drug and gang wars that began to grow increasingly violent during the early 80's in Chicago.
One of the most celebrated martial artists in the US and internationally, Hanshi Shorty Mills is a Martial Arts icon. Grand Master Mills is a 10th Degree black belt and head of the Pagoda Ryu style.
The system is comprised of four styles: Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Karate, and Kenpo Jujutsu.
Terrion Johnson was a contender for the olympic Judo team who I not only worked with as a security officer but had the pleasure of training with for his pre-trials, an unfortunate injury prevented him from competing for a slot on the Olympic team.
Master Rick Minter
Master Minter has trained in Martial Arts since 1962. He has also trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since 1986, and studied under both of the famous names, the Gracie and Machado families. He received his black belt under Rigan Machado. Master Minter is a two-time Pan-American Jiu-Jitsu champion and and is a certified instructor of Jeet Kune Do (Bruce Lee's fighting philosophy) under Danny Insanto. He also holds black belts in Gojo-ryu and Shorin-ryu Karate.
Grand Master Jerry Bell
Born June 6, 1951. Martial Arts training began at age ten. On his sixteenth birthday, he moved to Japan and his Karate-Do studying began with the Japan Karate Association (J.K.A.) in Tokyo under the teachings of Master Masatoshi Nakayama. Also while living in Tokyo, he began training in Kyokushinkai Karate under the Great Master, Masutatsu Oyama. Moving from Tokyo to Osaka, Japan, Master Bell studied under Master Yojiro Ishikawa at the Osaka Shinto Karate Dojo for seven years. Learning Karate, Judo, Kendo Iaido Aikido and Shorinji Kempo. His other Master teachers are Master Hidetaka Nishiyama, Teruyuki Okazaki, Muramasa Kudo. In 1987, Master Bell won the World Karate Championships held in Tokyo, Japan and then again, in 1988. Master Bell now holds the ranking of the Ninth Dan Black Belt.
My BKF Family @ The Academy of Martial arts Los Angeles
renewed my passion for the martial arts and solidified my drive to achieve a better understanding of my abilities.
Sibak Darryl Jones
Sibak Jones formally began his study of Kenpo in 1972 under the guidance of Steve (Sanders) Muhammad, the Grandmaster of the Black Karate Federation. Grandmaster Muhammad had received his training from Ed Parker, Chuck Sullivan, Dan Inosanto and the United States Marine Corps to name a few.
However, Sibak Jones was receiving impromptu training prior to Grandmaster Muhammad from early BKF champions during their prime such as Ernest Russell, Richard Heath, Ricky Emanuel and Christopher Bowdin. Sibak Jones would later go on to train with such BKF notables as Samuel Pace, Lenny Ferguson, Al Harvey, Gary Goodman, Carl Scott, Craiguar Smith and Frank Wilson.
The holder of a Seventh Dan ranking, Sibak Jones is one of few BKF members still active that appeared in Bruce Lee’s legendary film, Enter the Dragon.With an extensive law enforcement career working high risk and undercover assignments for or in conjunction with local, State and federal agencies, Sibak Jones has taught self defense, personal security and police defense tactics at various locations throughout Southern California and the US.
Sensei Rita King has earned the rank of 6th Degree Black Belt from her instructor, Sijo Steve Muhammad.
In 1998, Rita King was inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame in Baltimore, MD. Additionally in 1999 she headed a 5-page article titled, “Makings of a Female Master” which was published in the very first edition of the BKF Magazine. This 1999 publication distributed over 80,000 copies worldwide. She and Sifu Bilal Al’amin have also been featured in Ebony Magazine.
Sifu/Kiyoshi Bilal Al’amin
Sifu Al’amin is a Buddhist whose Dharma name is Kyo Yuk, which means the educator and has studied martial arts for 36 years. Studying Goju Ryu under Grandmaster Charles Dixon of Shinjimasu Karate Association out of El Paso Texas, Ten years later Sifu Al’amin began his study of Tai Chi Chuan under the late Marshall Ho in New York. Sifu Al’amin formed a partnership with young master Toshie Ikene of Pearl City Hawaii, head instructor of the Temple Exercise Gung-Fu school in Pearl city. (Sifu Ikene teaches the Da Mo method of Shaolin Gung-fu). Sifu Al’amin Simultaneously studied Wushu and Bagua under Zhou Zhang of Beijing china. Sifu Al’amin currently teaches a combination of Shaolin Gung-Fu, Yang Taiji, and Chin na as well as Okinawan Goju Ryu.
Coach Ahmad Reese
Ahmad began training at the age of 5 and developed an immediate passion for the martial arts. Although he didn’t get to continue his early years training he made up for it later on in his high school years. This was the introduction to Combat ShoJuKenBo Karate through Sensei Andre Lewis. He then moved to B.K.F. Kenpo Karate under the instruction of Grand Master Steve Muhammad. It was here that he began to understand the mathematics of martial science.
Understanding that stand up (striking) styles had a definite weakness he moved to a submission grappling system called Forced Anti-assault Survival Tactics (military hand to hand combat) under the instruction of Mitch Cox. During this time he also began to train in various other arts like Boxing, Muay Thai kick boxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Freestyle Sambo,Wrestling (Freestyle & Greco Roman). All this led him into the world of Mixed Martial Arts competition (caged fighting). In this sport he defeated some well known and reputable names and earned 2 World Championship belts.
Sensei Earle Parker
Much thanks goes to Sensei Earle Parker for introducing me to the BKF system, he has always been a supporter of my efforts and I consider him not only an instructor but a friend and comrade as we have worked together on several security details and been thru our various personal struggles, through it all he has been an open ear and insightful voice of reason.
