About Bill Ambrosia

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can't hit what the eyes can't see.
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When it comes to technique, work on it over and over again until you have mastered it.
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Fighting – think of it as you need 100 answers to one question.
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You can only fight the way you practice.
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You don't have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great.
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True martial arts is universal, simple, and practical
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About William R. Ambrosia

Bill Ambrosia-Cerio started training in the martial arts in March of 1973 with Nick Cerio and Nancy Cerio at the Cerio’s Academy of Martial Arts in Warwick, RI. Nancy and Nick are his mom and step-dad respectively.

Through the years, Bill competed actively in tournaments up and down the east coast, amassing quite a few trophies. As a youngster, the U.F.M.A recognized him as a Junior Forms and Sparring Champion. He was awarded the title of the 1976 Champion in each of these divisions.

In 1978, Nick and Nancy Cerio formulated the RI Amateur Kickboxing Union. This organization concentrated on promoting kick boxing matches in the New England area. Bill began his kickboxing training at age 12. He worked in a group of kickboxers aged 18 to 26 years of age, and held his own. During 1978 through 1980, Bill participated in exhibition bouts at some kickboxing events. The Kickboxing Union ran events on Friday evenings and called them “Friday night at the Fights”, a take-up on the ones that were broadcasted during the 1950s.

In 1983, Bill tested and passed his Shodan test. He was 17 years old at the time. Normally, the lowest age limit was 16. But because he was Nick Cerio & Nancy Cerio’s son, he was kept

back so that no one would say that he was “given” his belt because he was their son. It was July 29th, it was 95/outdoor, and we had no air conditioners at that time. Needless to say, it was an endurance struggle, and not one complaint from those testing that day.

Bill continued training and competing until he was involved in a serious auto accident (hit head-on by a drunk driver). The doctors said he would never be able to do martial arts again, as his right knee was shattered. After recuperation from the preliminary surgeries, he began working out and training harder, roping 1, 2 and 3 minute rounds on only one leg. After approximately 7 surgeries and extensive physical therapy, Bill recovered and proved the doctors wrong. Doctors rarely, if ever, seem to take into consideration the human factor!

Also, an IT specialist, Bill opened his own business, as well as worked for numerous well-known computer firms. In addition, he married in 1997 and began raising a family. He has 3 children, Hannah, Nick and Julia. Currently, Bill free-lances as an IT specialist and teaches martial arts at the Cerio Ambrosia Martial Arts Center in No. Kingstown, R.I., as well as traveling and teaching seminars.

Brief Summary

Began Kenpo training on March 1, 1973 with Nick Cerio in Warwick R.I. at 6 years of age.
Black Belt ranks in Kenpo:

(1) Shodan: July 29, 1983 At age 17 - Nick Cerio & Nancy Cerio - Nick Cerio’s Kenpo
Was required to wait an extra year so people wouldn’t say that he was “Given the rank because he was
Nick Cerio & Nancy Cerio’s son. Other students who trained from childhood and had the same material
were eligible at age 16 (to test for Shodan)
(2) Nidan: October 5, 1986 - Nick Cerio - UFMA - Nick Cerio’s Kenpo
(3) Sandan: August 1, 1993 - Nancy Cerio - Leedokan Kenpo - Nick Cerio’s Kenpo
(4) Yondan: September 13, 1996 - Nancy Cerio - Leedokan Kenpo
(5) Godan: September 26, 2001 - Nancy Cerio - Leedokan Kenpo - Kimo Ferreira, Kenpo Jutsu Kai Intl.
(6) Rokudan: June 17, 2010 - Nancy Cerio - Leedokan Kenpo
(7) Shichidan: April 27, 2012 - Nancy Cerio - Leedokan Kenpo - Kimo Ferreira, Kenpo Jutsu Kai Intl
(8) Hachidan: June 14, 2014 - Nancy Cerio - Leedokan Kenpo - Intl. Kenpo Council of Grandmasters
(9) Kudan: June 4, 2016 - Nancy Cerio - Leedokan Kenpo - Intl. Kenpo Council of Grandmasters
Other Training & Achievements

Kickboxing 1976 UFMA Competitor of the year Junior division
1978 Trained with Nick Cerio and Nancy Cerio starting at age 12. Performed in exhibition bouts at the
Knights of Columbus Hall Warwick RI, sanctioned by the R.I. Amateur Kickboxing Union.
1982 and 1983 Featured in Who’s Who in Karate as an under be lt
Seminar Instructors Attended Over the Years Listed By Frequency First

Edmond Parker, Tadashi Yamashita, Bill Wallace, Feliciano “Kimo” Ferreira, Leo Fong, Joe Lewis, Larry
Garron , George Pesare, Bill Mc Grath
The Gathering in California 2001 Bruce Jucknick Martial Arts Collective Society
Arts Studied

Kenpo, Nick Cerio’s Kenpo, Leedokan Kenpo, Kenpo Jutsu, Pikiti Tirsia, Blade Fighting, Kickboxing,
Stick fighting, Okinawan Bo, Nunchaku
Hall of Fame Awards

2004 Shoju kempo International HOF Instructor of the Year award Prof. L. Martin
2004 International Black Belt HOF For Dedication and Instruction of Martial Arts Rocky DiRico
2013 Inducted into the Hall of Fame for the MARTIAL ARTS HISTORY MUSEUM in California
Teaching Experience

Began assisting and teaching in 1983 at Nick Cerio’s Kenpo Studio in No. Kingstown, R.I.
1990-9 2 Assistant Defensive Tactics Instructor at the R.I. Municipal Police Academy in Lincoln , R.I.
1993 Assistant Defensive Tactics Instructor for Donald W. Wyatt Federal Detention Center in Central Falls, RI
Assisted and also ran many programs at the summer camps for the East Greenwich Recreation Dept. in E.G., R.I.
Currently: Organize and teaches the Kickboxing programs at the Cerio Ambrosia Martial Arts Center.
Presently the Chief instructor for at the Cerio Ambrosia Martial Arts Center, North Kingstown RI
Defensive Tactics Instructor for seminars for bail bondsmen and private investigators in Miami Fl.