Professor Rick Riccardi
Professor Rick Riccardi |
Professor Rick Riccardi started his Ju Jitsu and Judo training in April of 1957 while stationed at the United States Naval Air Station in Jacksonville Florida. After his discharge from active service in 1960, he began his Judo training at Jerome Mackey's Judo Inc., under Sensei Kiyoshi Shiina and Sensei Hiroyuki Yamashita. Upon the departure of Sensei's Shiina and Yamashita, Prof. Riccardi returned to his Ju Jitsu studies.
Niseido Ju Jitsu and the Niseido Ju Jitsu Federation have their roots in the Vee Jitsu Ryu Ju Jitsu family. Prof. Rick Riccardi, the Grand Master and founder of Niseido Ju Jitsu and the Niseido Ju Jitsu Federation, Inc., first began studying Vee Jitsu Ryu Ju Jitsu under the Venerable Supreme Grand Master Professor Florendo M. Visitacion (Prof. Vee) in the early 1960's. Prof. Vee was at that time a 3rd Degree Black Belt.
Prof. Riccardi began teaching Vee Jitsu Ryu Ju Jitsu at Bay Ridge Dojo in 1968. He was the very first of Prof. Vee's students to teach the system exactly the way Prof. Vee taught him. It was at Bay Ridge Dojo where for the very first time Prof. Vee's picture was hung in a place of honor for all to pay homage as they entered and left the mat area.
In 1971, then Sensei Riccardi was awarded his Master certification in Vee Jitsu Ryu Ju Jitsu, and in 1976 Master Riccardi was promoted by his sensei Prof. Vee to 6th Dan, with the title of Professor.
In 1974 Prof. Vee encouraged Master Rick Riccardi to formulate his own self defense system and federation while still remaining under his personal instruction. So at Prof. Vee's urging, it was done, and thus what is now called Niseido Ju Jitsu was born.
While perfecting his own system of Ju Jitsu, Prof. Riccardi remained under the guidance of Prof. Vee, and in December of 1985 Prof. Vee promoted Prof. Riccardi to the rank of 10th Dan with the title of Grand Master.
Through the years Prof. Riccardi stayed with Prof. Vee and received all of his promotions from Ikyu to 10th Dan in Vee Jitsu Ryu Ju Jitsu directly from Prof. Vee. He is the longest and most tenured student of Prof. Vee.