Instruction and Yang Style Legacy & Lineage

4th Degree Chief Instructor: Piero Piergentili

"I began my formal martial arts studies with 4th Degree Black Belt Kempo (or Kenpo) Chief Instructor Piero Piergentili, in Burlington MA, specializing in Shaolin Kung Fu Animal Forms.

Piero's teaching method was most inspiring. He was a big influence in my continuing study, practice and teaching of Kempo and various Shaolin Animal Forms.

It was a sad day for many of his students when Piero had to move away for a business venture and family move."

Training:

• Kempo Karate Training
• Shaolin Animal Forms

Master Robert Nohelty

"After Piero moved away, I (center in photo) studied for many years with Piero's instructor, Master Robert Nohelty (left in photo), working up to three black belt levels in Kempo Karate. After receiving my first black belt rank, as Chief Instructor, I opened a Kempo Karate school in Chelmsford/Lowell, MA for many years under the headship of Master Noehlty. Teaching hundreds of students was a big part of understanding the mechanics of what techniques work and when.

Although there's more to come about my Kempo (or Kenpo) and cross-style studies, I eventually ended up moving strictly to the Internal Martial Arts and continued to teach Taijiquan at the school under new ownership by my brother and student, William (Bill) West (right in photo). Even though Taijiquan became my passion, having this external training has added immensely to my internal martial art studies and teaching."

Training:

• Kempo Karate
• Shaolin Long Fist Form
• Shaolin Long Fist Staff Form
• Multiple Cross-Style Teachings
• Competition Point Sparring

Kenpo Master: Professor Nick Cerio

"Master Nohelty, and his partner, Master James Bryant, introduced myself, my students, and my fellow classmates to one of his instructors, Kenpo Master Nick Cerio. My son, Steven West and I attended the most gruesome, intensive Kenpo training seminar ever imaginable. Memorable experiences like this make the martial arts truly an exciting journey, remaining deep in my heart as a fond time spent with my son doing what we enjoyed together. My son was fairly young at the time and I don't think he knew the torture he would experience that day, nor did I.

This is an autographed picture given to myself and my son Steven. It's just a slice in time, but when you meet a legend like Professor Cerio, it's somthing to be remembered.

A funny anecdote during the seminar: Professor Cerio told a story about someone bragging that they held a low horse stance on every commercial break while watching TV. Professor Cerio replied with 'You should be taking your breaks during the commercials'.

Master Cerio exemplified the strength and hard-core aspects of the martial arts. Although a brief part of my direct training history, Master Cerio remained as the head instructor to Masters Nohelty and Bryant, continuing to pass on his teaching to their students, myself included, until his passing."

Aikido Master: Robert Liedke

"During my Kempo training and teaching days, Masters Noehlty and Bryant continued to introduce a several instructors from other styles. Master Robert Liedke of Connecticut became a recurring part of this exciting process, bringing many Aikido techniques into the school's training.

Aikido takes a lot of flak these days, being called ineffective, due to the popularity and intensity of mixed martial arts and street-style fighting. What is missed, as with any traditional martial art, is the understanding that it is an art form, like Tai Chi or Kung Fu, and only contains ideas and concepts that could possibly be used in the right circumstances. Being a martial artist doesn't make you a fighter. It could help you be an actor, fight scene choreographer, or even serve to proliferate a trained response in a real fight, but doesn't make you a fighter.

The Aikido teaching and training by Master Liedke are still part of my go-to repertoire when demonstrating Taijiquan applications today."

Training:

• Joint Manipulation
• Pressure Points
• Locks and Holds
• Aikido Self-Defense Sequences
• Understanding Ki

Karate and Kickboxing Champion: Superfoot Bill Wallace

"Again, encouraged by the two Masters' most fortunate belief in cross-training styles, my good friend, Dan Bernard (seen on right in the picture with Bill Wallace) and I attended an intensive training by Superfoot Bill Wallace in Woburn, MA, covering a myriad of sparring techniques, kicking, stretching, and practice of multiple front leg kicks (his specialty). Superfoot Wallace was an amazing teacher and an enjoyable, funny, down-to-earth character. This was another once-in-a-lifetime experience of being taught by a legend."

Training:

• Kicking Techniques
• Sparring Techniques
• Stretching
• Multiple Front Leg Kicks with Feints and Fakes

Kung Fu Master: Sifu Yao Li

"Towards the latter years of my Kempo training and teaching days, Master Nohelty introduced us to the teachings of Kung Fu Master Yao Li, and Instructor Joshua Grant (mentioned later), from Boston Kung Fu & Tai Chi. These studies included training in Shaolin Long Fist Staff and other Kung-fu and Tai Chi teachings. I continued my studies in Boston for quite some time through seminars, retreats, and private lessons at Boston Kung Fu & Tai Chi.

Funny Fact: Myself and Black-belt Greg Riddle (mentioned later) made arrangements to attend a retreat and training seminar at Waterville Valley in New Hampshire.

A big part of this retreat was training in the Shaolin Long Fist Staff form. Hindsight being what it is, we quickly realized that we failed to bring our own staves with us.

The school did not have any extras and it would have been impossible to continue without them. We had the bright idea to find a little patch of new trees on the grounds, with trees approximately the size of what we needed. One of us had a jackknife with us, so we proceeded to painstakingly cut down and carve the trees into usable staves for the seminar. It took some time, but we were successful. I still have my staff to this day (see photo)."

Training:

• Shaolin Long Fist Staff Form
• Tai Chi 24 Movement Form
• Kung Fu Workouts, Retreats and Seminars

Laoshi Joshua Grant

"I mention this seperate because most of the subsequent private training in Boston was under Joshua's teaching. Laoshi Grant is one of the most calm-natured people you could meet, however, a very intense and serious martial artist.

Myself and black-belt teacher Greg Riddle, now head of Premier Martial Arts, attended private lessons in Boston for the Yang Style Sword, 24 Movement Tai Chi, and some other studies, while still maintaining classes at our school in Chelmsford, MA."

Training:

• Yang Style Sword
• Two Person Sword Training
• Beijing 24 Movement Tai Chi Form
• Praying Mantis Form
• Competition Taiji Push Hands (Tuishou)

Sifu Ron Mathews

"This is where the timeline really gets skewed a bit, as it weaves in and out of my Kempo days and beyond. It was while I was still a brown belt in Kempo Karate that I met Sifu Ron Mathews (student of Grandmaster James Keenan) through a summer-long Tai Chi class he was teaching at Harvard Pilgrim in Chelmsford, MA. This photo is from that class. I didn't know much about Tai Chi at the time but signed up for the class to get more insight. It was fortunate that he was teaching the class, and not the typical instructor profile for these types of courses.

At the time he was teaching the Zheng Man Qing sequence of the form, but with a large frame, more expansive approach. Though I had to put up with the bashing of my Kempo studies (smile), as Ron was great at that, he turned out to be one of my most influential teachers and opened the door to real Taijiquan principles and studies. I continued to study off and on with Sifu Masters throughout the following years at his home and another student's home.

Sifu Mathews was an incredibly gifted instructor, to whom I attribute much of my current practice and teaching principles. Sifu Mathews focused heavily on the intricacies and internal details of the Yang Style Tai Chi form, making sure that each movement was strong and structurally sound. Sifu Mathews had a way of teaching that would scare you half-to-death during class. In many ways, I learned how "not to teach" from him. I say that in a good way meaning, that what worked for him, would never work for my personality, but I'm glad I was taught that way.

There was also other internal martial arts training that I received during my studies with Sifu Mathews, including Baguazhang and Xingyiquan principles, and the Shisan Taibao-Gong (13 Grand Preservers) Qigong or Chi Kung. Having the foundational teachings that Sifu Mathews provided, all future Tai Chi training was greatly enhanced and far better discerned."

Training:

• Yang Style Taijiquan Form
• Shisan Taibao-Gong Qigong
• Internal Martial Arts Principles
• Taiji Push Hands (Tuishou)

YMAA Instructor: Peter Picone

"This tidbit of my training was when I just happened upon a class being taught in a small church in Wilmington, Massachusetts that I attended at the time.

Much to my pleasant surprise, I walked in on a Tai Chi lesson being taught by YMAA instructor Peter Picone. I later signed up for the class, where we covered the entire Yang Jwing-Ming style of the Classical Yang hand and sword forms.

Though different in many ways from the typical, traditional Yang Family forms, there were some interesting aspects to glean from that teaching."

Training:

• Classical Yang Style Long Form
• Classical Yang Style Tai Chi Sword Form

Sifu John Loupos with Grandmaster: Wei Lun Huang

"Growing up as a kid, I would always notice, with intrigue, this Kung Fu school nestled in the back of a building in Cohasset, Massachusetts (see image). When I would visit my aunt and uncle for vacations in Scituate, I would see the school not far from the Chinese restaurant (Koko Island) where we ordered food. It was almost a dream to someday go into the school, even just to see what it looked like.

So, we skip ahead many years, well into my Tai Chi studies, I came upon an advertisement for a seminar at the Jade Forest Kung Fu - Tai Chi - Internal Arts school in Cohasset, MA, the very place I always dreamed about visiting.

Taking advantage of that, I signed up for the one or two-day seminar which included some very intense study with Grandmaster Wei Lun Huang and personal study with Sifu John Loupos. There we went over some detailed Yang Style Tai Chi form principles, as well as intensive push hands (Tuishou) training. If I lived closer I probably would have continued study there. I hope to go back and visit in the future. From my experience, Sifu Loupos was a pleasant man and a great instructor."

Training:

• Yang Style Tai Chi Form
• Push Hands (Tuishou)

Laoshi Michael Coulon

"Having already learned and still practicing the Yang Style forms, searching for some continued study, I came across the Yang Family Tai Chi Association via a class taught by Laoshi Michael Coulon, in Manchester, New Hampshire. Michael is a very pleasant instructor who teaches the Yang Family forms and postures with precision. Though I only studied the beginning section of the hand form with Michael, it opened the door to teachings and seminars by Master Yang Jun, as well as the concept of really identifying the postures and transitions of the form in a strict, memorable way.

Having previously learned from very detailed Yang Style instructors, this new approach is what I needed to clearly document the form sequences and structure of each posture. Based on Michael's (and Yang Jun's) teaching methods, I now teach with the shape of the form first, emphasizing good posture and technique, and then move to the more intricate details applied within those shapes. I am a member of the Yang Family Tai Chi Association and continually look to attend seminars they sponsor."

Training:

• 103 Movement Yang Family Tai Chi Form (1st Section Studies)
• Push Hands (Tuishou)

5th Generation Yang Family Master: Yang Jun

"As previously mentioned, getting involved with the Yang Family Tai Chi Association has provided many benefits. Training directly with Master Yang Jun on the 3rd section of the Yang Family Tai Chi form has provided the foundation for the entire form from his perspective, as most of the moves are repeated in other sections. I will continue to join as many sessions with Master Yang Jun as possible. I have purchased all of Master Jun's videos and other material to clearly document his version of the Yang Style forms."

Training:

• 103 Movement Yang Family Tai Chi Form (3rd Section), March 8 & 9, 2008, Manchester, NH
• Upcoming Training: Yang Family Tai Chi Sword, July 15 & 16, 2024, Danbury, CT