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Ricciuti Promoted to Fourth Degree Black Belt at Green Hill Martial Arts

Edward R. Ricciuti, 78, president of Green Hill Martial Arts, has been promoted to the rank of Fourth Dan (fourth degree) Black Belt by Grandmaster John Pellegrini of the International Combat Hapkido Federation (ICHF). Ricciuti earned his promotion by passing a test in Combat, or Chon Tu Kwan, Hapkido, a modernized, versatile system of Hapkido focused on self-defense that includes striking, arms, throws, joint locks, trapping, choking, and the use of pressure points.

Licensed by the ICHF as a senior instructor, Ricciuti teaches Chon Tu Kwan Hapkido to adults, as well as Youth Hapkido, a specialized version designed for youngsters to children. A student of combat arts since he was introduced to judo in the early 1950s, Ricciuti was a three-time boxing champion and voted the Best Boxer of 1957 at the University of Notre Dame, where he later trained boxers and taught ring skills to football players. He also trained boxers at amateur and professional levels and was licensed as a professional second in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Ricciuti has studied several martial arts and, besides training in Hapkido, he is a student of Black Dragon Kung Fu and Tai Chi Chuan under Stephen Watson of Someday Farm, also in Killingworth.

Green Hill Martial Arts is a family-centered martial arts school that teaches self-defense under instructors certified in Chon Tu Kwan Hapkido and Jeet Kune Do--the martial art developed by the legendary Bruce Lee--which combines techniques from Wing Chun, Kung Fu, fencing, and western boxing. The school is based in the historic Old Town Hall on the grounds of the Killingworth Congregational Church on Rt. 81.