Cartwill Viola – winning one cart wheel kick at a time

The Cartwheel Kick

The cartwheel kick became a Western Pennsylvania phenomenon thanks to Billy Blanks, the martial artist and Tae Bo pioneer, who dazzled crowds at Bill Viola Sr.’s karate tournaments in the early 1980s. Blanks’ acrobatics and explosive power left a lasting mark on a young Bill Viola Jr., who quickly saw the magic in combining speed, agility, and raw strength. By the height of the NBL (National Black Belt League), the cartwheel kick was a crowd favorite, executed with precision by team kumite standouts Billy Leader, Sara Russell, and Sammy Pietrick. The legacy didn’t stop there—Will Viola made his mark at just four years old, landing his first point with a cartwheel kick, and he hasn’t looked back since.

That passion for the cartwheel kick in now passed down to Will Viola.  He has taken the technique to a whole new level. Through years of dedicated training, Will has become not only exceptionally precise and powerful with the cartwheel kick, but also widely recognized for it—earning the nickname “Cartwill.” His skill has even inspired a dedicated Instagram account showcasing his impressive cartwheel kicks, where fans can follow his acrobatic feats and creative variations of this iconic move. His accuracy is amazing, scoring approximability 80% of the time.

The cartwheel kick itself is a striking combination of agility, timing, and balance. The practitioner launches into a cartwheel motion, often supporting the body on one hand while delivering a powerful kick from the elevated leg mid-rotation. What sets Will Viola apart is his exceptional speed, control, and accuracy, allowing him to land the kick consistently in both demonstrations and competitive settings. Unlike many who treat it as a flashy trick, Will executes the move with the precision of a combat athlete, making it both a show-stopping display of athleticism and a highly technical martial arts maneuver.

Will Viola’s mastery of the cartwheel kick represents more than just athleticism—it’s a continuation of a family legacy of martial arts innovation, blending performance, precision, and showmanship in a way that honors both his father and grandfather’s influence.

 

The Cart Wheel Kick

Mechanics:

• Launching into a cartwheel or inverted motion — often supported on one hand — while delivering a kick from the elevated leg during the inverted phase.

• The movement creates momentum and deception: the kick can strike in an unexpected direction (downward or forward) as the body rotates.

• In competitive formats like WAKO Musical Forms (which include kata and creative striking sequences), acrobatic techniques such as cartwheels or modified kicks can be shown if they are incorporated safely and artistically. However, some rule sets count pure cartwheels as gymnastic rather than martial movements unless paired with a clear kick.

Meet CartWill Viola @cartwillkarate

Will Viola, aka William Viola IV, is a third‑generation martial artist from the Viola family that has operated Allegheny Shotokan “Viola” Karate since 1969. His grandfather, Bill Viola Sr., founded the dojo and helped shape early mixed martial arts history in the United States, while his father, Bill Viola Jr., is a prominent martial arts instructor, coach, author, and promoter.

Martial Arts Achievements

Will has already competed at a high level in sport karate and kickboxing: He is a member of WAKO Team USA winning National team trials at the Kumite Classic / Arnold Schwarzenegger Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio and WKC Team USA winning team trials in Detroit, Michigan.

He is recognized as an ICO (International Combat Organization) World Champion in kickboxing/karate. This world title reflects his technical skill in forms (kata) and represents a continuation of his family’s competitive tradition in martial arts. Will represents the third generation of Viola martial artists, training and competing under the Viola Karate banner. His success on the international stage adds to a long legacy of regional, national, and world champions produced by the family’s dojo. Like other Viola family members, he exemplifies the family ethos: discipline, hard work, focus, and martial arts as a vehicle for personal development.

4-5 YEAR OLD  HIGHLIGHTS:

• Will began karate at age 2 years olf

• Performed his first kata at 3 years old

• Fought in competition at 4 years old

Viola Karate Legacy

Viola Family Martial Arts Lineage