There is so much respect when it comes to talking about martial arts legends, and for me, it is always a nervous time when I talk with or meet Sifu Mark Gerry.
I met Mark last year when I was invited to the Grand Masters Hall of Fame in Bangkok that Mark has founded and been running for a great many years. To let you know more about Mark please read on. Please note that the writing and photos below have been provided by Mark’s own Facebook:
Sifu Mark Gerry trains in and teaches Martial Arts at seminars all over the world.
He started his training in 1969 at 8 years old. In 1976 he started training in Kajukenbo under Robert Gaylord. Sifu has trained under GM Hemenes,GM CH Gaylord, GM Eric Lee, and many other Kajukenbo Teachers. Sifu Gerry holds the rank of 8th-degree Professor in Kajukenbo.
He was promoted by Kajukenbo Founder Great Grandmaster Sijo Adriano Emperado(RIP) in 2004 to 7th degree and by Great Grandmaster Al Novak and 10 other Kajukenbo Grand Masters on July 4, 2011, to Professor 8th Degree. Sifu Mark is the highest-ranking Ryukyu Kenpo black belt on the west coast of the USA with the formal title of Grandmaster and the rank of 9th Degree Black Belt with over 35 years of training and teaching in RK.
He was promoted Sept 1, 2006, inside Shaolin Temple in China to 8th and was promoted to 9th Degree Black Belt on Nov 17, 2012. Sifu also has a 7th degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and ran TKD schools in the east bay. Mark has been in Martial Arts films and TV Shows including, “Death Fighter”- “White Tiger” Filmed in Thailand 2012 with Don Wilson, Cynthia Rothrock ,Matt Mullins, Joe Lewis and a Great cast and crew, Sci-Fighter Filmed in Hollywood starring Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson, Cynthia Rothrock and Lorenzo Lamas, Martial Medicine, Chasing the Dragon and Combat Mortal all filmed in the USA, and a host of other Films.
As far as TV Sifu Mark Gerry has Been featured in a host of TV News and Talk Shows World Wide. He Worked on “Fight Quest ” a television show on the Discovery Channel that had a preview episode air on December 28, 2007, and began airing weekly on January 4, 2008. The show followed Jimmy Smith and Doug Anderson as they travel around the world learning different styles of martial arts, spending five days training with notable masters of the styles they are studying, before exhibiting what they have learned in a final demonstration and/or fight.
Mark helped with casting, locations, Fights, and Training, He was A big part of Episode10″Kajukenbo” that filmed in San Francisco Bay Area and went on the work as Manager of the Stars of the Show, Jimmy Smith and Doug Anderson. He has been chronically documented in dozens of martial arts related text and history books written by authors that specialize in martial arts publications and has been a featured inclusion in virtually every martial arts magazine in the world including Black Belt Magazine, Kung Fu Magazine, Tae Kwon Do Times and newspapers Word Wide.
Mark has performed and taught at some of the biggest Martial Arts Events in the world including demonstration at the top of the Great Wall, inside the Forbidden City, London Hall of Fame, inside the Shaolin Temple in China, for the Royal family of Kuwait, in Moscow with Steven Seagal and Samuel Kwok and for over 15 years for Ernie Reyes and the West Coast World Martial Arts, Boot Camps and Black Belt classes and many other countless Great Events.
Sifu Gerry has been traveling world wide Teaching and Training many “World Champions” and VIPs. Sifu Gerry is an Expert in Nerve Point Fighting (“REAL” Pressure Point Fighting and knock out techniques)
Sifu Mark Gerry developed Advanced Nerve Strike Fighting from a combination of Muay Thai punches, kicks and elbows, Kung fu and Wing Chun high-speed hand strikes, jiu-jitsu locks, brakes and chokes, Kajukenbo street fighting technique and the full spectrum of traditional and non-traditional Pressure point fighting and Western Nerve Strike Fighting.
The concept of most martial arts is the use of blunt trauma, joint manipulation & Pain and chokes causing air or blood constriction. Although these can be used in the system the main focus is to concentrate strikes, locks, and chokes on Nerve Centers of the body sending direct pain and unconsciousness to the brain. I have studied pressure point/Nerve Point fighting and nerve strikes for over 30 years and I hold the rank of 9th-degree red belt in Ryukyu Kempo.
I have been training in the mixed martial art of Kajukenbo for over 40 years and hold the rank and title of Professor 8th degree black belt.
I have Taught and demonstrated Advanced Nerve strikes worldwide in seminars and boot camps. I have had the honor to teach and share Advanced nerve strike fighting to some of the most famous and talented Grand Master, Masters, professors, instructors and professional fighters in the world.
Advanced nerve strike fighting is a system that teaches how to strike extremely fast, Hard and Accurate in the most effective areas at what angle, direction, force and speed instead of just striking on muscle tissue, tendons, fat and Bone. Advanced nerve strike fighting limits collateral damage caused by the use of blunt-force trauma helping to avoid lawsuits and criminal charges that can arise from the use of FORCE.
