Mentoring through martial arts and holistic life change.

Perry R. Bakari, MA, LCADC, Sensei, Sports Performance Coach & Instructor: Teen Mentoring, Sports Performance Training, Judo, Boxing, & Mixed Martial Arts & Combatives.

Bakari is the Founder of African Echoes Counseling & Assessment Services Incorporated, has earned a Masters of Arts Degree from Rutgers University-Graduate School in Newark, a Bachelor of Science Degree at Jersey City State College (with Honors), an Associates Degree from Fullerton College in California, and a number of other professional licenses and certifications. He actively works in clinical substance abuse & mental health, juvenile justice, and prison reentry programs, where he continues to positively impact the lives of juveniles and adults. Bakari was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey and has trained and/or competed in Judo, Boxing, Kickboxing, Karate, Escrima, Jiu-Jitsu, Combatives and Law Enforcement Tactics. He also served as a Newark Police Officer and Juvenile Detective, before retiring due to an accumulation of job related injuries, that left him with a permanent disability.

Bakari considers himself a lifetime "student" of martial arts. A winner of multiple New Jersey State Judo Championship medals, AM-CAN International Judo Challenge medals, Liberty Bell Judo Championship medals, a National Masters Judo Champion and judo student.

Bakari started his judo training under the late Sensei Yoshisada "Yone" Yonezuka, at Cranford Judo. Bakari's judo and grappling style was molded over the years by the late Sensei John Bassano (New York Judo Institute-Staten Island, NY), whose practical, slick and crafty style earned Sensei Bassano the name "Junk Yard Dog", on the national and international judo tournament circuit. An influential dojo mate was Sensei Rey "Razor" Garcia (Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Combat Ju-Jitsu, Combatives & Law Enforcement Tactics), who is a Retired NY City Warrant Squad Detective, that has trained law enforcement and military personnel internationally.

In addition Perry R. Bakari has been Coached and mentored by many other legendary and Senior Judo Sensei's such as Odell Terry, Anthony Camal, Clyde Worthen, Mitch Santa Maria, Dr. Anthony Cantanese, Andy Ruggerio, Rey Garcia, Hugh Hall, and Todd Volyn to name a few. He has briefly trained with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Professors such as Edson Carvalho, and Paul Carnicella. Carnicella and Bakari actually graduated from the same class, in the Newark Police Academy (Newark, NJ). In addition Bakari has trained with a number of other Martial Arts Instructors & Sports Performance Coaches throughout the East Coast.

Among his early instructors who have "impacted" Bakari's life was the late World Karate Champion & Asitida Kevin "Shakil" Thompson, aka "Little KA," the founder of (Shakil's School of Martial Arts-formerly in Newark, NJ). Another early instructor and mentor of Bakari's is PhD & Asitida Leroy Hines Jr., formerly of (Goshi Shun Karate in Irvington, NJ), who later founded the (The American Self Defense Association & Afrijitsu System in Atlanta, GA). A brief martial arts business affiliate of Bakari, who has similar roots within that same Goshi Shun Karate Camp and neighborhood in Newark, NJ, was former Nationally Ranked Black Belt Karate Champion, Mike Gilliam (Gilliam Martial Arts formerly in Plainfield & Dunellen, NJ).

One of Bakari's very first instructors in the late 1970's was Sifu Richard Green formerly of (Green Dragon Studio which was located in East Orange, NJ). Bakari trained directly under Guro Dong Cuesta (Philippine Integrated Martial Arts-Jersey City, NJ), and along with the late Shihan Angel "Tiger" Muniz (Kickboxing Champion/Shotokan), who he met while training briefly under Shihan Jonas Nunez, in his Manhattan, NY Dojo. Bakari has also trained under Shihan Juan Perez originally (Muniz Bushido Kan in Paterson, NJ, now Juan Kan Karate & Kickboxing in Passaic, NJ). Former Professional Boxer Keith "Kareem" Corbitt (formerly of Newark, NJ), is credited with being the first person to ever expose Bakari to boxing training at the legendary Edmond's Boxing Gym (South 8th Street) formerly in Newark, NJ.

Respectfully there are others, who "are not listed", without their formal consent. Although Bakari has earned instructor certifications under respected Sensei's, Shihan's & Guro's he feels those titles he has earned are secondary to GOD, and being a life time "student", of the martial arts. Bakari is actively counseling, coaching, teaching, mentoring and training in North & Central, New Jersey, and maintains affiliates in New Jersey, New York and Southern states.

Life Options: Find Balance For Your Life.

Judo: Kodokan Judo is an Olympic sport, a martial art, a method of self defense, a physical education and a way of life. Judo is a Japanese term meaning "the gentle way." It stresses the principles of maximum efficiency with minimum effort and mutual welfare and benefit. Judo encompasses a wide range of techniques including throws, pins, joint manipulations, chokes, traditional forms and break falls. Judo was derived from the more ancient martial art of Jujutsu. Professor Jigoro Kano, the founder of Kodokan Judo, developed a martial art that was more than just a conglomeration of techniques. It is a way of life.

Chiropractic Care and Holistic Counseling: Chiropractors, also known as doctors of chiropractic or chiropractic physicians, diagnose and treat patients whose health problems are associated with the body's muscular, nervous, and skeletal systems, especially the spine. Chiropractors believe that interference with these systems impairs the body's normal functions and lowers its resistance to disease. They also hold that spinal or vertebral dysfunction alters many important body functions by affecting the nervous system and that skeletal imbalance through joint or articular dysfunction, especially in the spine, can cause pain.

The chiropractic approach to health care is holistic, stressing the patient's overall health and wellness. It recognizes that many factors affect health, including exercise, diet, rest, environment, and heredity. Chiropractors provide natural, drugless, nonsurgical health treatments and rely on the body's inherent recuperative abilities. They also recommend changes in lifestyle, in eating, exercise, and sleeping habits, for example, to their patients. When appropriate, chiropractors consult with and refer patients to other health practitioners.

We teach Mixed Martial Arts Concepts & Combatives that combines the best of multiple fighting philosophies that supports the evidence of what works. This is accomplished by utilizing teaching methodologies, conditioning drills and fighting drills, from various Martial Arts Systems, such as, Boxing, Judo/Groundfighting, Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing, Escrima and Karate.

Proponents of this philosophical approach understand that, as fighters evolve, what is considered to be the most proficient Mixed Martial Arts Concepts, evolves also. But, a fighter must build a foundation in some groundfighting system of combat.

In the beginning of the "sports" mixed martial arts revolution, a background in a Groundfighting art, such as Judo, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, or Wrestling was considered the most critical factor. Practitioners of the MMA "Sports" have grown to learn that, a fighter must also know how to effectively kick, punch, knee and elbow, coupled with solid groundfighting skills. A pure Judo, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, or Wrestling practitioner cannot beat a fighter who has effective skill sets, consisting of striking and groundfighting. Such a fighter is more proficient at applying multiple combat sequences, under the pressure of an encounter, or during competition.

Center For Body And Soul believes that a student who has a proficient foundation in some ground fighting system of combat, will find Mixed Martial Arts Concepts a solid addition to their skill sets. A MMA fighter, who is exposed to our philosophy, will first come to understand that "sport" combat competition is different from a "real life" confrontation. This understanding brings our students to the "realization" that, during a violent encounter on a street filled with debris, with multiple attackers, or assailants with weapons, makes fighting on the ground an impractical solution. Unlike a "sports" combat competition, there are no winners stands or medals awarded on the street. Instead, the wrong decision will get you a few nice words in the obituary section of the newspaper!

Therefore, our Mixed Martial Arts Concepts is not just applicable to "sport" combat competitions, but the philosophy of "whatever works", also applies to protecting yourself in a real life violent encounter. So, we expose practitioners to concepts, drills and tactics, from multiple styles or schools of head to head fighting systems. Our students are conditioned and encouraged to challenge their skills in "sports" competitions. But, we also challenge our students physical and psychological conditioning in our training environment, for the shock of dealing with real life violent encounters. Subsequently, this develops a well rounded student, who has the ability to fight on the ground, standing with their hands, feet, knees, elbows and body, as well as, utilizing effective combat tactics.

In general, every martial arts has its strong and weak points, and each has something to offer to a practitioners arsenal of techniques. Coupled with that reality, our Concepts, focuses on building a solid and proficient foundation in Kodokan Judo, then we continue to build on top of that foundation, with proficiency in a range of "head to head" fighting concepts, drills, and methodologies that require minimum effort, but produce maximum efficiency, during an encounter. WE DON'T TEACH "MOVES", WE TEACH "MOVEMENT!" YOU MUST HAVE A FOUNDATION!