Traditional Shorin-Ryu Karate & Kobudo In Mesa and Gilbert, Arizona

Traditional Martial Arts are quite different from sport karate or sport taekwondo. Traditional martial arts focus on the progress of the martial artist as a person rather than accumulation of trophies.  As stated by the great Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate Master, Gichin Funakoshi,

“Karate begins and ends with courtesy”. 

Traditional karate also focuses on self-defense rather than points. Who could forget the wonderful conversations between Mr. Miyagi and Daniel San in the classic movie the Karate Kid? 


Daniel San “All right, so what are the rules here?”
Miyagi “Don't know. First time you, first time me”.
Daniel San “Well, I figured you knew about this stuff. I figured you went to these before. Oh great, I'm dead. I am dead. You told me you fought a lot”.
Miyagi “For life, not for points”.

It is these kind of philosophies that we teach our students to ensure that they progress as positive members of society.

Okinawan Scholar Teijunsoku wrote:

‘No matter how you excel in the art of te (karate) and in your scholastic endeavors, nothing is more important than your behavior and your humanity as observed in daily life’.

 

Shoshin Nagamine (1907-1997), Grandmaster of Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu wrote,

"if there is no kata, there is no karate, just kicking & punching"

And possibly nothing more succinctly describes the purpose of karate than another statement by Gichin Funakoshi,
 

"The purpose of Karate Lies not in defeat or victory, but in the perfection of its participants"

Yokosu - 'Welcome' to the Arizona Hombu - the world headquarters of Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai. We focus on training adults and some families and we look forward to introducing you to traditional martial arts.

Join us on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings as we train in the traditions of Shorin-Ryu Karate, Kobudo (weapons), Samurai arts and Self-Defense at 60 W. Baseline Road at the border of Mesa with Gilbert. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sensei Paula restrains Shihan Adam at a May 2013 traditional martial arts clinic at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate on the border of Gilbert with Mesa and Chandler (Photo courtesy of NemecPhotos).

Respect is a very important part of the traditional martial arts (photo courtesy of Nemec Photography, May, 2013)