Arizona Karate & Kobudo

June 12th and 13th, 2009. The Arizona Shorin-Ryu Hombu was visited by Kyle Linton from Wellington, Colorado, Glenn Polk and Kevin Vance from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Neal Adam from Phoenix, Arizona. Our visitors trained in nunchuku, tanto, hanbojutsu, Seiyo budo and Shorin-Ryu Karate.

Congratulations - Kyle (3rd dan) received certification as Sensei and was certified in Seiyo hanbojutsu. Glenn and Neal were promoted to 4th dan and received certifications in hanbo and appointments as Shihan-Dai. Kevin Vance was promoted to 5th dan and received certification in hanbo and an appointment as Shihan. All tested in front of Soke (Grandmaster) Hausel, 10th dan.

See more at: http://www.Hombu.webs.com and http://www.Seiyo-ShorinRyu.org.

Konnichi Wa!

I just returned from the Juko Kai International clinic in Dallas. Although I was a little under the weather & barely made my flight after interviewing with the Gilbert police due to a break in of my truck at my residence (yes, they got my stereo!), I made it to another fabulous clinic in Dallas. JKI is run by (in my opinion) the greatest living martial artist in the world - Dai Soke Sacharnoski.

We trained in Juko-Ryu strikes, throws, wrist locks & learned part of a jujutsu wrist lock kata. While at the clinic we also practiced Okinawan nunchuku. We were treated to some devastating tanto (knife) training and as always, all of the techiques at the clinic were incredibly powerful.

Soke Sacharnoski and Hanshi Kirby Roy discussed the fight science episode on Juko-Ryu Kijutsu, where they found some 280 pound, 6'8" mixed martial artist to strike Kirby. The shuto to his throat was measured at >600 pounds of pressure (this would have killed 99.99% of all other martial artists). The kick to the groin was measured at 1,100 pound of pressure and the MMA practitioner actually hurt his shin kicking kirby in the groin. If you saw this on TV, you had to be impressed. Kirby was not moved in the least bit!

At the end of the clinic, Dai-Soke presented me with certificates for Professor of Bujutsu, Shihan in Juko-Ryu Aiki Inyo Bujutsu, an Honor Award, and Shodai Soke appointment for Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Budo/Bujutsu Kai. This goes well with my appointment as Sokeshodai of Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai in 1999.

This was a great way to kick off my 45th anniversary in martial arts and 40th anniversary in teaching of martial arts.

See more at http://www.Hombu.webs.com

and http://www.Seiyo-ShorinRyu.org

As a final note, I would like to welcome Sensei Lenny Martin and the reorganized UW club into our martial arts family.