Author Bill Viola Jr. of North Huntingdon urges readers to 'earn black belt in life'

From inception to completion, Bill Viola Jr.’s latest book, “Common Sensei: How To Earn a Blackbelt in Life” didn’t necessarily have a core audience.

Sure, the martial arts crowd was interested because of their vast knowledge of the collective and awareness of influential people in the business, such as Viola.

But the book looked to have a longer reach, a wider appeal even. Initial sales surely double-stamped that impression.

It was an instant best seller.

Viola’s paperback rose to No. 1 in Amazon book sales in the education and teaching category in its first weekend. It was introduced at the “Summer Shiai” event at Pitt-Greensburg, Viola’s alma mater.

He called it a “labor of love” inspired by years of working with young people. His mission is to help people with self-confidence.

“What I’ve noticed over time is that kids aren’t taught basic life skills in school anymore,” he said. “We live in a generation where standardized test scores are more important than common sense. I decided that the world needed a ‘Common Sensei.’ But make no mistake, this isn’t a martial arts book. It is a motivational work that uses karate imagery to help people develop a samurai mindset that can fit in any lifestyle.”

Sensai Viola was a senior at UPG in 1999 when he set up and hosted the inaugural Kumite Classic event at the gymnasium inside Chambers Hall.

“I wanted to embrace some nostalgia for this release,” he said. “and the timing to go to back to my roots was perfect.”

The show grew into one of the top martial arts shows in Pittsburgh, eventually landing at the Monroeville Convention Center.

The owner of Allegheny Shotokan Karate in North Huntingdon, Viola said he established the “Legacy Awards” for those who supported his first event in 2000.

“Those folks believed in me, and together we changed karate forever in this region,” he said.

People from nine states and two countries across 50 karate schools registered for the event.

The book follows Viola’s CommonSensei self-help series, with readers earning different colored “belts” as they advance through chapters.

“We start with the white belt basics and learn how to set goals, build routines and take action,” Viola said. “Becoming a black belt in life is taking inspired ownership of your God-given potential and pushing the limits of those abilities beyond measure. I coined the phrase “ZENtensity” decades ago when someone recognizes potential, then surpasses it.”

Bonus training methods in the book involve Netflix and iTunes — “Kickin’ Flicks” and karaoke.

After college, Viola moved to Studio City, Calif. to chase his filmmaking dream, joining the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio.

That led to him forming Kumite Classic Entertainment, his personal production company.

Viola also is known for his “Black Belt in Life” program for personal growth.

Viola has given back to his sport in a number of ways. The former USA Karate Federation National Champion, All-American Athlete and World Champion martial artist has worked closely with Olympians and pro athletes.

He published the story of his father, Bill’s, journey into mixed martial arts 10 years before the rise of the Ultimate Fighting Championships — “Godfathers of MMA.”

The elder Viola is credited for being a co-founder of MMA.

Godfathers also reached No. 1 on Amazon’s sports-related charts. It inspired Showtime’s documentary film “Tough Guys” in 2017. Viola was an associate producer on that project and made a cameo.

Viola also helped to establish the “Birth of MMA” exhibit at Heinz History Center.

The book is available on Amazon for $8.64. Why the arbitrary price point?

“Common Sensei teaches you how to change your mind set in just 864 seconds a day,” Viola said. “864 seconds is 1% of 24 hours, so its release was set at a symbolic $8.64.”