I started my martial arts at the age of nine, inspired by the martial arts TV show "Kung Fu". My parents brought me to a local school that taught Kenpo Karate in Hicksville, NY. At the age of 14, I had started teaching private and group classes as a First Degree Brown Belt. That same year, on April 12th 1986, I received my Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt,) in Tracy's Kenpo Karate. On March 1994 I became the owner and operator of the same school I walked into as a White Belt when I was nine. In April 1994, I received my Third Degree Black Belt in Lexington, Kentucky from Grand Master Al Tracy. That year I started my studies in Shootfighting® (an art that combines Thai Boxing and Submission Wrestling) under the Heavyweight Champion, Bart Vale.  I then became an instructor and the only authorized school in New York to teach Shootfighting®. I have appeared in the book, "The Ultimate Martial Art: Shootfighting®," and the Shootfighting® video series, "Beginner to Advanced." In April 2002, I appeared with Bart Vale in Black Belt Magazine.

In the year 1999 I met Sifu James Ibrao at the first Gathering of the Eagles in Las Vegas. In December 2000 I moved my school from an area of 1100 square feet to a 3500 square foot studio in Plainview, New York (2 miles away from my previous location) with two full workout rooms and incorporating a fitness program that majors in Spinning® and other cardiovascular classes. In the year 2001, at the second Gathering of the Eagles, I presented my credentials in front of the Yudanshakai (the senior board of Kenpo/Kempo practitioners) that included Al Tracy, Sifu James Ibrao, Al Novak, Larry Tatum, Bart Vale, Ralph Chinnick, Sonny Gascon, John McSweeney, Eric Lee, Richard Lee, and Al Dacascos. The Board recognized my Fifth Degree Black Belt, which I received on May 15, 2000, and they presented me with a certificate that stated so.

I have trained students from the age of 3 to 75. I have trained men and women in Kenpo karate from white belt to advanced degrees of black belt, as well as in No-Holds-Barred matches, grappling matches, point fighting competitions, and a children's competition team that includes self-defense, weapons, sparring, and kata. I have been studying Sifu Ibrao's forms and methods and received the first ever Distance Learning Black Belt from Sifu Ibrao in Pasadena, California in August 2002, as well as the title of "sifu" or teacher in his system. I run a full-time professional studio that incorporates the Jun Bao Five Forms to Black System. I welcome men, women, and children to try our program. We offer private lessons with group instruction. I can be contacted at (516) 822-4785 or through the web at NYKenpo.Com, or written to John Busto, 1139 Old Country Road, Plainview, NY 11803.