Professor Ray A. Fisher Biography Professor Ray Fisher, the Head Instructor at the Arizona Ch’uan Fa Society, began studying the internal martial arts in 1977. His studies at this time emphasized Taoist and Tibetan Chi Kung as well as learning different methods of meditation and developing his internal energy.

He began his studies of external martial arts (Kenpo karate) in February 1982 at Traco International under the direction of Peter Hill and Tom Connor. While studying under Tom Connor, Mr. Fisher’s training also included Boxing and Kickboxing. He achieved his Shodan (1st degree Black Belt) in Chinese Kenpo on June 28, 1990. His testing panel included Master Bill Packer of AKKA, Tom Connor Jr., Steve Hansen and Peter Hill. At the time of this publication (June 2011) he is currently ranked Rokudan (6th degree Black Belt) in this style of martial art.

During his studies at Arizona State University, Professor Fisher was introduced to Sensei John Takeji and the Japanese style of Aikido. After graduation from the University in 1985, he continued to branch out into other martial arts such as Tai Qi Ch’uan, Jujutsu, Hsing-I Ch’uan, Kajukenbo and Kyusho Jitsu. In April of 1992, he was recommended by two of his instructors (Richard Hurtado and Ben Lomeli) to attend a closed black belt seminar in Hsing-I and Kajukenbo hosted by Dr. Vincent Black.

At that time, he tested and was awarded the rank of Shodan by the United States Kajukenbo Association. His testing panel included two of the founding members of Kajukenbo: Adriano Emperado and Joseph Holke.

Professor Fisher was introduced to the principles of Kyusho Jitsu in mid-1990 at a seminar taught by Master Charlie Dean of Silsbee, Texas. He immediately recognized the value of this knowledge and saw that it was a missing answer to many of the questions he had in the martial arts. It was a link that would connect his various studies and it allowed him to deeper his understanding of martial arts.

Under the tutelage of Grand Masters Rick Moneymaker and Tom Muncy of Waynesboro, Virginia, Professor Fisher was able to blend together the various aspects of his past training with an emphasis towards the hidden art of Tuite. He was awarded his Shodan from the To-Ri Karate Institute on February 22, 1992.

On February 5, 1994, he received his Sandan degree from “The Masters” (Grand Masters George Dillman, Wally Jay, Remy Presas, Rick Moneymaker, and Tom Muncy) in Houston, Texas at a national seminar. Professor Fisher has continued his training in the art of Torite Jitsu underneath the direction of Grandmasters Muncy and Moneymaker. He was promoted to the rank of 5th degree Black Belt (Godan) in November 1999. He is one of only a dozen certified instructors in the world, in this art.

Professor Fisher has also trained in the Goju Shorei Weapons System under Grandmaster Dave McNeill. This system emphasizes a practical approach to weaponry. It is based upon legal carry weapons, specifically the cane, the knife, and Chinese War Fan.

Professor Fisher attained the rank of 7th Degree Black in November 2011 in this system. ACS was the first dojo outside of Grandmaster’s home dojo in Minden, Nevada in which you could be tested on site in this art.

Professor Fisher is the first long-distance student to achieve the rank of Black Belt from Grand Master McNeill. He is not only a certified core instructor who can put his personalized “stamp” on the system (influencing it in ways he feels is appropriate), he is also the Regional Director (Arizona and New Mexico) and is a member of the G.S.W.S. National Board of Directors. Professor Fisher is the highest ranked active student in the GSWS system in the world.