Shorin Kempo Karate
Shorin
Kempo is not really a style of martial art, but a method
of teaching. Most martial arts systems can be broken down
into internal vs external or hard vs soft styles. While
most complete styles have both in their curriculum, it is
our philosophy to begin with the hard and slowly gravitate
to the softer arts. This is the natural path that most people
take and that is the order we teach them in.
The
Shorin in Shorin Kempo stands for the Okinawan karate we
teach as our base style. Shorin Ryu has circular movements
like its parent art Chinese Kempo, but focuses on body power
and precise striking to render an opponent helpless. The
Chinese arts are a bit softer, and are effective when used
after a person has already developed body power.
There
for the path of the Shorin Kempo practitioner is to get
proficient in Okinawan Shorin Ryu and then later gravitate
to the softer Chinese arts to round out the training . Shorin
Kempo is about balancing the hard and soft, but starting
with the hard as a foundation.
Terry
Bryan began his Shorin Ryu training under James Fields who
was a 6th degree black belt under Shihan Toma of Seidokan.
He was promoted to 5th degree in Seidokan by Shihan Toma
and James Fields in 1983. In 1990, Mr. Bryan began studying
Seibukan Shorin Ryu under Kyoshi Dan Smith and Zempo Shimabukuryo.This
style comes directly from Zempo's father and his teacher
the legendary Chotokyu Kyan. For more history on this pure
Okinawan system, visit our library resources pages.
Our
school follows in the footsteps of Itosu and teaches all
beginners the Pinan kata that was developed for the school
system in the early 1900's. This foundation in Itosu's karate,
blended with modern self-defense training, takes a student
to probationary black belt where the Seibukan training begins.
Our
Chinese training began with Duk Rogers back in 1972 and
continues on today from several sources.The Wu Style Tai
Chi Chuan we teach came directly from China from Master
Gu Ping, Chief Instructor under Li Jing Wu, the most renowned
Wu Stylist in China today. We also emphasis the 18 postures
as taught by Fred Absher of the Kojosho fame, a style that
originated in the Fuzou area of China.
Our
Chief Instructor, Terry Bryan, maintains his credentials
both through Okinawa and China. We are the only school in
the entire region with those qualifications. If you are
looking to train in authentic classical martial arts, but
with an open mind when it comes to other arts, then this
is the dojo for you.
