Valadez Kenpo Blackbelt via e-bay review!

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 2/06/2009 6:59pm

OK, so I've been looking at this Valadez Kenpo Association. I have seen the website and all of the certifications that you can get. Their website is here:

http://www.valadezkenpo.net/index.html

On there website they allege that you can:

"Earn a legitimate Black Belt entirely through distance study!

If you are looking for no nonsense, real life, down to earth, nuts and bolts, life saving defensive tactics program, then you have found the right place.

This is a free style Kenpo Combat system where you will not be required to learn forms. You will learn to defend yourself from the dangers found in our streets and walk in confidence while at the same time earning ranking within a martial arts system."

They allege that there is a testing system and that belts are only given out after proper testing:

"These ranks are earned and no promotion to the next level will be given without successfully demonstrating proficiency at the level testing for. If you are looking for an easy way to become a Certified Black Belt you will not find it at the Valadez Kenpo Association. Contact Sensei Valadez with questions."

They also allege that there will be testing fees for each belt:

"TESTING FEES
Includes Belt and Rank Certificate
Yellow Belt $50.00
Orange Belt $50.00
Purple Belt $50.00
Blue Belt $50.00
Green Belt $50.00
Red Belt $50.00
Brown Belt $50.00
Black Belt 1st DAN $100.00
Instructor Certification $50.00
Black Belt 2nd & 3rd DAN $125.00 for each DAN Rank"

The testing process is further broken down into required years or months of practice that must be completed before you can test for certain belts.

There is also an instructor certification which allows you to open you own school. There is also allegedly a 50 dollar fee for that certification.

All of this sounds like it could be a nice little distance learning course where you could earn credit and rank through video instruction and the demonstration of the techniques. However, one issue comes up repeatedly. You can find this Valadez Kenpo system for sale on e-bay for around 40 dollars. The ebay account is under the user name "valadezkenpoassociation".

On the e-bay site you can buy the entire package or versions of the package for between 25 and 150 dollars depending on the package. When you purchase these packages, you receive the videos that are advertised on the Valadez website. You receive certificates for all belt levels up through 1st Dan Blackbelt. You also receive the Instructor certification. With the videos you receive a CD that has manuals on it and another one with testing information.

You do not have to take any tests, you don't send in videos, you don't contact them with your qualifications. All you do is pay the amount on e-bay and you are an instant blackbelt.

I actually bought this package and took pictures that I will include into this thread for verification of what you receive. I took the time to watch some of the videos to find out what kind of quality video they are putting out. I have to tell you that the information couldn't have been any worse. The instructor was stuttering and trying to find his words through the whole thing. The techiques taught were basic at best. Most of them had flaws in the technique. The video quality was very bad. It looks like it was shot on a home video recorder and then dubbed onto a DVD.

There was a weopons defense video in the package. The techniques taught in the video would get you killed in any environment.

So basically what you have here is a website that alleges quality distance learning. It appears to me that the website is just a nice little advertising tool for people who are trying to put off their certifications as legitimate. You could point someone to the website and say that you went through all of the testing.

In reality all you did was order the whole program off e-bay. So I would say that anyone who is claiming a blackbelt in Valdez Kenpo or any of his programs are Bullshido.

If anyone has any quesitons about this program, let me know as I am now a certified black belt and certified instructor in their system.

**danniboi07** · Posted On: 2/06/2009 8:07pm

Have you contacted Mr Valadez to see if the ebay account was authorized by the Valadez Kenpo Association? I'm just curious if they know there's a huge loophole in their program.

Oh, and how would I defend myself against someone choking me with one outstretched arm?

**BaronVonDingDong** · Posted On: 2/06/2009 8:07pm

What's most astonishing to me is that they actually go to the trouble of providing you with all those dvds and certificates.

I mean, it's obviously the world's shittiest scam, so wouldn't it be smarter and more efficient just to downright steal your money?

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 2/06/2009 8:26pm

Yeah, I thought it was interesting how they don't put any dates on the lower level certificates. As if they know someone will ask about it.

And yes, I contacted Mr. Valadez through e-mail to ask him about the shipping date. I will look and see if I saved that e-mail.

I just checked and I did save the e-mail. I can post it if needed but I won't for now because it has personal info on it. But just so you know, it is an e-mail about the order shipping, and it came from the same address that is listed on the website.

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 2/06/2009 8:40pm

Originally Posted by BaronVonDingDong

What's most astonishing to me is that they actually go to the trouble of providing you with all those dvds and certificates.

I mean, it's obviously the world's shittiest scam, so wouldn't it be smarter and more efficient just to downright steal your money?

Then he would violate the e-bay terms and conditions. And if you go and look at his profile, you will see that he has sold a crap load of these packages.

**7thSamurai** · Posted On: 2/06/2009 8:55pm

Great work, Diesel. Check PM.

**lilbrawler187** · Posted On: 2/06/2009 9:54pm

Thanks Diesel...Im going to ask about this Nubreeds lil Certification when I go back to training lol

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 2/07/2009 7:17am

Yeah, the combination of his Valadez certs and his Mike O certs, should show you where he is coming from. This stuff is running pretty rampant on the internet. But the good thing is that we have this site where people can go to and try to weed out the fakes.

The only distance learning program that I have seen that was legitimate is the JJ Machado program. Of course, they don't rank you...I think that is the key.

**jplesperance** · Posted On: 5/02/2010 6:53pm

The American Kenpo Legacy Association has a valid home study program. It is run by the Lamkin Brother's who studied under Al Tracy.

They have some pretty strict standards on how to test and what skills you must posess to pass the test, they also very much encourage testing via an associated school or certified instructor

arnis.org

**riki3** · Posted On: 5/15/2010 6:15am

Valandes and Carter Hargrave are on the same "world martial arts hall of fame" too,same distance learning scam sort of thing seems to be the run with afew of the guys on this board, I wonder if all the other soke's / Grand Marsters on the board with them are fakes aswell, same pattern of having mulitply blackbelts, being World Leaders in there arts, all the arts seem to sound close to legit organisations just with a key word added in the title somewhere, im in the wrong business ....sounds like the more **** they say the more money they get , money been the key word.