Dr. Ron Chapél is the foremost authority on Advanced American Kenpo Concepts, and Sub-Level Four. which he began working on Advanced American Kenpo Concepts with his teacher as part of a book and video series.

Dr. Chapél, through Mr. Parker’s teachings over the years, and his volume of personal notes, continues to develop the Legacy of Mr. Parker. Advanced Concepts explores the side of Kenpo that few have seen. The Advanced Concepts curriculum includes Sub-Level Four Concepts, Control Manipulation Theory, and Cavity Presses (Nerve Strikes) with Destructive Sequencing. These are the elements of American Kenpo that were explored with him by Mr. Parker throughout their almost thirty year relationship.

Functioning as the parent of an educational institution, the Ed Parker's Institute, requires teacher certifications over and above belt rankings of its University instructors. No one has teaching or promotion authority without specific certifications, and no one person may promote anyone. Only the University Board of Credentials grants rank and degrees, as any other academic institution. All Black Belt ranks are considered Honorary or Emeritus. The University also requires completion of specific Course work curriculum, and awards degrees accordingly. The Institute is the "Kenpo School" of the millennium. Their growth is slow because the standards are high, uncompromising, and are not driven by a need for numbers or money.

Dr. Chapél has lived in Southern California since childhood. He has been in the martial arts since he was a young boy. He began his training along side Douglas Wong and his uncle Ark Wong, Grandmaster of the Five Animal System of Kung-Fu Style. He holds Black Belt rankings or equivalent in various arts. In 1963, Ron Chapél met Ed Parker at a local tournament, and shortly afterwards became a friend and subsequent student. Quickly, their close friendship over shadowed the student teacher relationship.

Several years before Ed Parker's death, Dr. Chapél was awarded his 7th degree Black Belt Diploma after completing an assigned thesis project examining the rank structure of the IKKA. Since the passing of Professor Parker, Dr. Chapél has been awarded his 8th, and 9th ranking by the prestigious American Teachers Association of the Martial Arts, (ATAMA) founded by Shaolin Kenpo Grandmaster Ralph Castro. He has been awarded a 9th degree from Dan-San Ryu Jiu-Jitsu, a 9th degree from the World Federation of Karate-Do, and a 9th degree from the Universal Martial Arts Society. He was awarded the position of 10th degree from the University and ATAMA with Ed Parker Jr. sitting on the Credentials Committee. He also has an Instructor ranking in W.A.R. (within arms reach) and a Black Belt in Shoto-Kan. He has studied Goju-Ryu, Shorin Ryu, Hap-Ki-Do and more. Dr. Chapél has been recognized and awarded a proclamation by the City of Los Angeles City Council as a “Martial Arts Pioneer” and as the “founder of a Martial Arts Institution” in Southern California. Further, the University is the only American Kenpo school in the world certified by the World Federation of Karate-Do.

In addition to Dr. Chapél 's extensive martial arts training, he has nearly thirty years of law enforcement experience. He has worked in law enforcement as a uniformed street cop, and as a California State Police Officer. He has been assigned to Protective Services protecting the Governor and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California, and most recently in “Witness Protection” and Judicial Security as a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal,

Dr. Chapél became keenly aware of the need to be able to control the level of destruction in arrest and control situations. With Mr. Parker, Dr. Chapél developed the principles of Sub-Level Four, to assist law enforcement, and for a proposed book and video series project.

Sub-level Four is a component of the Advanced aspect of Kenpo that gives a student an effective alternative in subduing an opponent not found in “motion kenpo.” Dr. Chapél specifically implemented these principles in his Law Enforcement training seminars and created the "Universal Arrest and Control System" and taught it in several police academies. Dr. Chapél continues to teach his system to police officers everywhere.

Dr. Chapél has not only earned his Ph.D. in Anatomical Physics, but has lectured and taught credit courses on college campuses, as well. Dr. Chapél was featured (along with Mr. Parker) in the very first and second Inside Kung-Fu Magazines, and has also been featured many times in Black Belt Magazine. Most recently he has been in Black Belt Magazine with his friend and student Ed Parker Jr.

Dr. Chapél is considered by many, to be one of the foremost teachers of Ed Parker's Kenpo because of the depth of his knowledge and his continued examination and innovation of the Ed Parker System. Dr. Chapél proves that American Kenpo is a dynamic, highly functional art, even with the passing of its Creator and only Grandmaster Ed Parker Sr.