Florendo Visitacion

Florendo M. Visitacion (7 June 1910-4 January 1999) was a martial arts instructor. Visitacion, commonly called 'Professor Vee', was born in Ilocos Norte, Philippines in 1910. He began informal Judo training with his brother and uncle at the age of ten. In 1928, he moved to Stockton, California where he studying Filipino martial arts from available sources.
After spending two years in the Hawaiian Islands in 1926, Visitacion arrived in America in 1928, then served in the Armed Forces during the Second World War. He arrived in New York City in July, 1946, graduated from high school at Boro Hall Academy in Brooklyn, then attended Long Island University for a year. He took a liberal arts course for a summer at Pace College of Business in Manhattan, but it was the martial arts that interested him most. An avid reader, Visitacion poured over hundreds of books, newspapers and magazines dealing with various forms of self defense.
Vee Jitsu
On September 5, 1955, he introduced Vee Jitsu. before that Visitacion went on a personal journey where he devoted many years to the study of different fighting styles. After studying several styles he realized that mastery of a particular system was not always necessary, what was essential was the ability to understand its useful principles and how to apply them effectively in a given situation. It was important for a student of the fighting arts to absorb only what was practical and tailor the art to his or her needs. It was by doing so, he felt, an individual could learn and choose from a variety of techniques, thereby improving one's fighting skills.
In 1950, he moved to New York. A year later, he trained under ex-marine Charles Nelson, also a World War II veteran and an expert in the art of Mongolian wrestling. Nelson was particularly adept in joint locking techniques, he later augmented his training by learning modern jujutsu under Kiyose Nakae, author of the book Jiu jitsu Complete. He also took up judo and the Indian art of Varmannie. In 1958, he studied under R. H. Sigward, the author of Modern Self-Defense.
In 1960, Visitacion joined the American Judo and Jujitsu Federation, He was appointed the director of its Northeast Division. During one trip to an AJJF conference in California, he met and began a life-long friendship with Wally Jay, the founder of Small Circle Jujutsu. He also befriended the late Raymond Tabosa, a noted master of the Filipino martial art, Kali.
Thanks to his Friendship with Tobosa his interest in Filipino martial arts was renewed, he began a ten-year study of Arnis Lanada under Amante Mariñas. He also learned additional techniques from Remy Presas of the school of Modern Arnisas well as training from Leo Gaje, a noted expert in Pekiti Tirsia, a Kali system. In 1978, the Arnis America Organization headed by Leo Gaje gave him the Datu award in recognition for his work in promoting Filipino martial arts. Five years later, he also received the prestigious instructor's rank from Amante Mariñas and the World Arnis Federation.
Teaching
Visitacion began his career as a martial arts instructor during the mid-1950s and for over three decades, he actively taught his art at different locations throughout the New York metropolitan area. Over the years, his system would produce a number of martial artists and instructors, some who founded their own fighting styles, these include Jose Velez, Uchi-Deshi of Professor Vee and founder of Ju Kido Kai Ryu School of Modern Vee Jitsu, Moses Powell, founder of Sanuces Ryu Jujutsu, and John Davis of Kumite-ryu Jujutsu.
He continued cross-training and researching other fighting systems including several different styles of Chinese kung fu including; Southern Praying Mantis, Yang style Tai Chi Chuan, Baqua Chang, and Wing Chun. He also studied basic karate techniques from Lou Angel. He continued to refine and make changes to his system. As it evolved, so did its name, at one point he renamed it Vee Jitsu Te, Vee Jitsu Ryu Jujutsu,Vee Arnis Jitsu, all to show the systems evolution.
Modern Vee Jitsu
The roots of the Vee Jitsu System of Systems rest with the development of Modern Vee Jitsu. Modern Vee Jitsu is the classical style of Vee Jitsu that was taught exclusively by Visitacion in the 1950s. After many years of research and application Visitacion developed the legendary fighting system, “One Thru Twenty Four” (1 thru 24). This (1 thru 24) fighting style of Modern Vee Jitsu is the progenitor of all the fighting systems developed by Visitacion to date. The 1 thru 24 fighting system has an internal and external component. The external styles condition the body, develop the physical power and take the outward manifestations of strength. The internal styles develop inward body functions such as breathing, intuitive response, concentration and strength of will; and outwardly appear yielding and flowing. The foundation of over 720 kicks and numerous hand movements in the form makes it an in depth training and fighting style.
CW Post College
In the spring of 1979 after over a decade of training, and traveling with Visitacion, Ken Brown was given permission by the Visitacion to establish the Modern Vee Jitsu Club. The Club was founded as the C.W. Post College Long Island University (Greenvale Center). Brown integrated more than two decades of Jiu-Jitsu knowledge with the principals of human anatomy and formed the foundation of the Modern Veejitsu academic curriculum. Brown taught a comprehensive training program of lethal and non-lethal application of force and how and when it may be used. The present Modern Vee Jitsu instructional course was established on these principles. The course was taught 3hrs per day five days a week for 4 years. Visitacion and Brown established a training course utilizing the 1 thru 24 training system. This course included: Anatomical Resistance Maneuvers (A.R.M.). This aspect of the curriculum taught stabilization of the combatant with the use of wrist, arm, and shoulder control techniques. These techniques are non lethal but very effective in close quarters. The second part of the course Digital Anatomic Manipulation (D.A.M.) involved controlling an adversary using pressure on finger joints. The strategy is unique for defense against larger opponents. The final aspect of the course prior to graduation was Multiple Attack Defenses (M.A.D.). This was an advanced course that stressed the lethal use and application of Vee Jitsu techniques, no holds barred. This course also included the use of all the Modern Vee Jitsu weapons disciplines, firearms, knife, and stick techniques. Over the next Twenty-six years the Modern Vee Jitsu Club has expanded it’s teaching (under the direct tutelage of Visitacion) to include several of the Vee Jitsu System of Systems martial arts, Vee Jitsu - Ju Jitsu, Vee Jitsu Te, and Vee Arnis Jitsu.
Year 2000
The Modern Vee Jitsu Membership consists of over 500 members and supporters in five different states. The members consist of medical professionals, law enforcement officials, attorneys, and teachers. Over the last two decades the Modern Vee Jitsu club has developed into a martial arts powerhouse and an intellectual learning center. The president of the Modern Vee Jitsu Club is Robert Evans, a . Evans has 26 years of Vee Jitsu training under the direct guidance of Visitacion and Brown. He is an original member of the C.W. Post College Modern Vee Jitsu Club (1979). The Visitacion presently ranks Evans as Tenth Degree Black Belt, and the appointed Heir of the Modern Vee Jitsu System. Evans (also known and Professor Evans) has played an interaqual role in the development of the Modern Vee Jitsu System in its present scientific form. “The Modern Vee Jitsu Fighting System is geared towards the anatomical destruction and malfunction of the human anatomy,” says, Evans. We follow the true and unadulterated philosophy of the Visitacion. We read what he has read, and we teach what he has taught. Variations to his teaching are not necessary: it will take another hundred years before we need to consider any changes. Vee Jitsu is not mixed martial arts. It’s an intensely studied scientifically refined system, states Evans.
Death and heirs
Florendo Visitacion died on January 4, 1999 in New York City. His martial art continues under the five heirs listed below.
In his last Will and Testament, Visitacion left his system to the following Grandmasters:
*Roberto Torres: Visitacion Kuntao - Arnis (NOTE: Roberto Torres was named the sole heir to Visitacion Kuntao-Arnis in 1988)
*Professor Mahaliel-Sha Bethea : Fight Back Martial Arts
*Robert Evans: Modern Vee Jitsu 55
*Frank Edwards Sr. and Frank "Cowboy" Edwards Jr.: Vee Jitsu 75 & Vee Arnis Jitsu 75
*David James: Vee Arnis Jitsu
*Danny Paulo: Vee Do Kwan
Also, Rick Riccardi (Niseido), James Powers, Robert J. Cooper (Cooper Ryu Vee Jitsu) and Jose A. Velez Sr (Ju Kido Kai Ryu Modern Vee Jitsu) consider Visitacion their principal instructor / mentor, having all achieved the rank of Ju-Dan under his tutelage.

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