It is unclear exactly where the first twelve punch combinations selected came from, however it is largely held that they were designed by Walter Godin and based again on KAJUKENBO.
Within the year, Nick Cerio began collaborating with early and original students on the East and West Coast. Armed with an extensive new amount of knowledge about his original system, he began to create. (with the help of George Pesare)
The result of this was what we now call Kata numbers 4, 5, & 6 and an additional 14 punch defenses for a total of twenty-six.
Many of the original 12 combinations were slightly changed and renamed in the Nick Cerio System.
Good examples of these are - Buckling Branch/Combination #7, Menacing Twirl/Combination #12, or Bending Tree/Combination #19.
As evidenced by the names of the "Nick Cerio techniques," the changes were made upon the advice of Kenpo Grandmaster Ed Parker
Walter Godin was born 3/21/1937. With the help of Victor Sonny Gascon(Born 3/6/1933), his brother-in-law, they developed the 1st Kata.
Gascon begins his training in Judo in 46 and begins teaching in 58...after learning Kajukenbo from John Leoning.
If we do the math.....they where both UNDER 30 years of age when creating 1 Kata. This is not to say they were not good martial artists.
👉 But, it seems hard to believe they were the all knowing-wise Masters, and that their creations were perfect and had no flaws.
Not to mention, which variation of the form is the same as the original???
I've been a judge many times and have never seen the exact same form executed.
So some simple insights are needed so they stand up to pressure testing in combat.