Mr. Llanos, a long-time student of the martial arts, received his first degree black belt in Shaolin Kempo Karate from Master Anthony Russo at the Adojo Shaolin Kempo Karate Center. He began his kempo training in 2000 under the tutelage of Shihan Nick Bruno in Franklin Square, New York. While training in Franklin Square, he attended several key workshops dedicated to the proliferation of kempo.

Prior to training in kempo, Mr. Llanos trained in several other martial arts disciplines that included Daito-Ryu Aikijujitsu, Doce Pares Escrima, Uyeshiba-Style Aikido, and several forms of karate and kung fu. He focused on aikijujitsu and the aikido arts for several years becoming proficient with the various wrist and elbow locks that are featured in these arts. Later, he added escrima (Filipino stick and knife fighting) to his growing skill set. Noting the similarities in philosophies between escrima and kempo, he continues his practice of escrima. Since his beginnings in martial arts training, he recognized that he had a natural ability and love of stretching and kicking. He dedicated a large part of his training to developing exceptional flexibility and kicking skills.

Though, his training focus has never been geared toward competition, he nonetheless entered into competition in 1997. The event was the East Chester High School Tae Kwon Do Championships. He placed first in both forms and sparring in the Men’s Under Black Belt division.

For Mr. Llanos, Shaolin Kempo Karate has become his preferred system of martial arts for total fitness and personal safety. The development of kempo is well documented and therefore lends credence to its awesome power as a health and self defense art form. He has dedicated himself to the art and to the Adojo Kempo Karate Center. As a natural progression to his continued development in kempo, he teaches regularly at Adojo. One noteworthy mention; at the request of teachers at the Briarwood Early Childhood Learning Center in Briarwood, New York, Mr. Llanos taught a basic kempo class to a group of 30 youngsters who were thrilled to learn “karate.”