INTRODUCTION:
Reis Martial Arts is home to the self-defense system known as Reis-Ryu Aiki-Kempo (Reis system of Universal Harmony through Fist Law). The Aiki-Kempo system is primarily a strategy, utilizing a combination of self defense techniques taken from 6 primary martial arts systems: Kenpo, Kajukenbo, Aikido, Aiki-Jitsu, Brazilian and Japanese JuJitsu. This strategy was developed by Master Tomas Reis from his experiences in military training and combat as an EST Operator (Special Forces), his law enforcement experience in Northern CA., as a Patrol Officer, Gang Unit Officer and S.W.A.T., member, as well as, his street fighting and competition experience. As a continuing student in multiple disciplines, Master Reis is able to teach an ever evolving self defense strategy that takes into account the techniques he has used effectively in real world situations, as well as, his constant evaluation of applicable traditional and modern techniques alike. Everything we teach is based on Personal Interpretive Tactics (PIT) which means that each student learns the basic elements, learns the Aiki Kempo strategy components and applies them to their own movement, fitness and technical abilities. That's why we don't do “FORMS” or “Katas” EVER! It's too limiting, too rigid and too unrealistic.”
Reis Martial Arts is home to the self-defense system known as Reis-Ryu Aiki-Kempo (Reis system of Universal Harmony through Fist Law). The Aiki-Kempo system is primarily a strategy, utilizing a combination of self defense techniques taken from 6 primary martial arts systems: Kenpo, Kajukenbo, Aikido, Aiki-Jitsu, Brazilian and Japanese JuJitsu. This strategy was developed by Master Tomas Reis from his experiences in military training and combat as an EST Operator (Special Forces), his law enforcement experience in Northern CA., as a Patrol Officer, Gang Unit Officer and S.W.A.T., member, as well as, his street fighting and competition experience. As a continuing student in multiple disciplines, Master Reis is able to teach an ever evolving self defense strategy that takes into account the techniques he has used effectively in real world situations, as well as, his constant evaluation of applicable traditional and modern techniques alike. Everything we teach is based on Personal Interpretive Tactics (PIT) which means that each student learns the basic elements, learns the Aiki Kempo strategy components and applies them to their own movement, fitness and technical abilities. That's why we don't do “FORMS” or “Katas” EVER! It's too limiting, too rigid and too unrealistic.”
AIKI KEMPO HISTORY:
Reis-Ryu Aiki-Kempo became a named system in 1994 and was certified in 2008 by the International Combat Martial Arts Association as a legitimate form of self defense. Master Reis developed the system based on elements from his training in multiple styles of martial science, as well as, his experiences as a California Law Enforcement officer, his military service including combat experience, his competition experience and his street fighting experience. Although Aiki Kempo has its roots in multiple arts: Kempo (both Japanese and Chinese styles), Kajukenbo (Hawaiian Street Fighting), Japanese Jujitsu, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (including 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu elements) and Aikido/Aiki-Jitsu, its influences from Master Reis’ experiences allows it to continuously evolve. Aiki-Kempo must be flexible and evolutionary in its format, to allow each practitioner or Aiki-Kempo-ka (Aiki-Kempo Student), the ability to translate the technique into fluid interpretations. These interpretations are based on the strategies of its central themes - movement without thought, angles without lines, power through fluidity and energy conservation. Understanding the phrases: “under stress you will always react as you have trained;” “chance favors the prepared mind;” and “live into the next greatest version of the grandest vision ever you had of who you are,” are what training in the Aiki Kempo system will help you embody through its teaching format and elements. With each decade, an attacker utilizes the mainstream movements even without training, by emulation. What Aiki-Kempo does, is it allows the evolution of movement to surpass this threat, much like water finds a new path to flow when its original path is no longer available. With this in mind, the system has evolved to its most current format which is a practical self defense system. We don't look fancy, it's not made for Hollywood, we don't practice acrobatics and we are not limiting our training to match the rules of some competitive arena. We are all about excellence in our survival ability all while improving our character, life skills and integrity.
SPECIFICS ON REIS-RYU AIKI-KEMPO:
Aiki-Kempo has elements from multiple systems, combined into a flowing movement that prepares each student to deal with the 4 primary combat distances: long distance (kicks), intermediate distance (extended hand strikes), close distance (clinches, stand up grappling & close in strikes) and ground fighting (grappling). The Aiki-Kempo system also teaches defense against armed attacks, non-traditional weapons techniques and multiple attacker situations. Today's MMA fighters train for 3 areas of confrontation: striking, stand up grappling and ground fighting, all in a controlled environment that is 1 on 1 and with rules. Within this boundary, their conditioning is an important part of their training. However, the average student in the martial arts will not take themselves to the fitness levels of cage fighting professionals. With that in mind, Master Reis has developed a system based on the 15 second live or die goal in a multiple attacker scenario. Beyond 15 seconds, the defender would need to be at the same fitness level as an Olympic level athlete to survive the physiological, psychological and stamina requirements of a long term fight.
SELF DEFENSE OR COMPETITION:
Aiki Kempo is NOT a competition based system - it is a street wise self defense strategy with real world personal safety at its core. The elements we teach, from the various contributing martial arts systems, do not make you a master technician in those specific arts. In other words: training at Reis Martial Arts doesn't make you a Black Belt in Kenpo, Aikido, JuJitsu or any other traditional systems. However, you will have a solid understanding of what does and how to defend against skilled, as well as, unskilled attackers, who may or may not be armed and who may attack you or your loved ones in solo or multiple attacker situations. The strategy was developed to give you the familiarity with each arts strategy and foundations, allowing for a multitude of personal safety events to be dealt with effectively.
Aiki Kempo is NOT a competition based system - it is a street wise self defense strategy with real world personal safety at its core. The elements we teach, from the various contributing martial arts systems, do not make you a master technician in those specific arts. In other words: training at Reis Martial Arts doesn't make you a Black Belt in Kenpo, Aikido, JuJitsu or any other traditional systems. However, you will have a solid understanding of what does and how to defend against skilled, as well as, unskilled attackers, who may or may not be armed and who may attack you or your loved ones in solo or multiple attacker situations. The strategy was developed to give you the familiarity with each arts strategy and foundations, allowing for a multitude of personal safety events to be dealt with effectively.
CRITICS OF THE SYSTEM:
The critics of the Aiki Kempo strategy, typically are those who do not understand the reality of self defense, the traditions and teachings of the martial arts or the state of the world today. They hear terms like Kenpo, Aikido or Jiu-Jitsu and think that those are the systems that they will be learning, despite our continuous advisements of the reality of what we do. Those coming to us with the idea of being skilled competitors have all been advised that our system and strategies can be and has been, effective in the ring. However, the focus of competition based training is not the same as self defense based training. In competition based training you are already aware of the time limit, rules, location, weight class, skill level and generalized techniques developed for and effective in the competition arena. In other words, in competition based training, you train for the KNOWN. In real world self defense training, you have no pre-event information prior to the attack occuring, which means you train for the UNKNOWN.
The critics of the Aiki Kempo strategy, typically are those who do not understand the reality of self defense, the traditions and teachings of the martial arts or the state of the world today. They hear terms like Kenpo, Aikido or Jiu-Jitsu and think that those are the systems that they will be learning, despite our continuous advisements of the reality of what we do. Those coming to us with the idea of being skilled competitors have all been advised that our system and strategies can be and has been, effective in the ring. However, the focus of competition based training is not the same as self defense based training. In competition based training you are already aware of the time limit, rules, location, weight class, skill level and generalized techniques developed for and effective in the competition arena. In other words, in competition based training, you train for the KNOWN. In real world self defense training, you have no pre-event information prior to the attack occuring, which means you train for the UNKNOWN.
MASTER REIS:
Tomas Reis was born in Portugal but came to the USA when he was young and was raised in the San Jose area of Northern California. He got into the martial arts by accident (or fate) at the age of 12 (1974). From age 10 he was involved in a youth gang and was getting into trouble as is usually the case for troubled youths. Staying out of his abusive step fathers way was the catalyst that prompted Tomas to get into the gang. However, at age 12, Tomas was stopped driving a stolen car. The officer, Joe Williams, gave Tomas a choice – go to jail or come to his Japanese JuJitsu class taught through the Police Activities League, and learn how to make better choices in life. JuJitsu class came with strict rules: stop hanging out with the other gang kids, stop wearing the clothes and stop getting into trouble. Tomas had to bring his homework every day and get it done before stepping onto the mat. He had to take class, learn and live by the code of honor (code of the Samurai), build integrity and become a better human being. Do this for 1 year Joe said, and you won’t have to go to jail. Tomas agreed but the other gang kids took exception. Tomas was getting beaten up everyday walking home through the old neighborhood after class, so Joe started teaching Tomas more advanced techniques to help fend off these attacks more effectively. The extra worked helped, as the attacks lessened in intensity and frequency. Tomas was now able to injure some of the attackers which over time got the old gang members to finally leave him alone. At the end of the 1 year period Tomas’ family ended up moving out of the old neighborhood. However, Tomas continued his training in the martial arts through multiple disciplines which to date span nearly 4 decades with multiple black belts.
After high school, Tomas went into the USAF and eventually became an operator with the Air Force Emergency Services Teams, a Special Forces unit developed in 1979 to deal with increasing terrorist threats. Tomas’ experience as an EST operator included multiple combat situations and deployments. After the Air Force, Tomas was recruited onto the Solano Sheriff’s Dept. as a patrol deputy and S.W.A.T. team member. He graduated the Santa Rosa Police Academy as class president, taking honors in fitness and defensive tactics before attending the FBI S.W.A.T. School at Camp Parks CA. As a Patrol and S.W.A.T. Deputy, Tomas used his martial arts experience often as the county had 6 deputies patrolling 837 square miles, where backup took a while when called. Tomas was also involved in multiple S.W.A.T. call outs including 14 high risk drug lab raids in 2 years. Later, Tomas moved to the Alameda Police Dept. and got involved with youth gang investigations after attending the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept. Gang School. Tomas ended his distinguished law enforcement career at Vallejo Police Dept. in 1994 when an on duty injury prompted Tomas to retire. Tomas then opened his first of 3 martial arts schools and got involved in the IT industry; where he opened his own IT consulting company for clients in Southern California. Today, Tomas is a full time martial arts teacher and business owner and he lives in Bismarck North Dakota with his wife.
“My focus now is on spreading my unique strategies, experiences and techniques of self defense worldwide, all while insuring that our next generations have the life skills, social tools and integrity to help make the world a better place for all.”
Tomas Reis
Master Reis was given the title of Kyoshi (beginner Professorship) in 2011 along with the rank of 7th degree black belt. Master Reis was also inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Hall of Heroes in 2011 for his work as a teacher, innovator and competitive coach. Although Master Reis is no longer coaching competitors, he is available as a speaker and guest instructor on a great many subjects. If you are interested in having Master Reis speak or teach your group or event, please contact the Aiki Kempo Kai (Association) at: info@aikikempokai.com.
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