Just for Kicks

Photo courtesy of Hanshi Andy Finley, Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo, Casper, Wyoming, who
recently returned from Okinawa after training with Soke Tadashi Yamashita.

Shorin-Ryu Karate & Kobudo are traditional martial arts. The Chinese ideographs (kanji) used to write Shorin-Ryu translate in Japanese as "Pine Forest Style". In Chinese, they translate as "Shaolin Style" indicating the unique Okinawa martial art ties to the Shaolin warrior monks.

In traditional karate classes, students learn a variety
of martial arts including basics, many forms (kata),
applications, self-defense, meditation, history,
some Japanese language, body hardening, and many martial
arts weapons. Here, our students and faculty train
with Okinawa sickles known as kama.

Karate was developed as a combat art designed for self-defense as well as self-improvement. In Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo KaiTM, students have the opportunity to learn karate, kobudo (nunchaku, sai, kama, tonfa, bo, sansetsukon, kuwa, eku, ra-ke, tsue) self-defense, samurai arts (iaido, naginata, sojutsu, jujutsu, hanbo, kuboton, kibo), kote kitae (body hardening) all for one price.

Soke Hausel, world head of Seiyo Kai Shorin-Ryu
Karate demonstrates white crane techniques at
Chinese New Year celebration at the University of Wyoming

Our classes include training in jujutsu and self-defense

Kobudo is an extension of karate. Sensei Paula demonstrates kuwa with Sensei Bill at
the Hombu in Mesa. So, don't ever be caught off guard while gardening again
(let alone shopping, jogging, etc).

Martial Arts Instruction, Mesa, Arizona

Dr. Florence Teule, 1st degree black belt from France (formerly professor at the University 
of Wyoming and Utah State University) and currently at Casper College, trains in 
martial arts bunkai (applications) with Dan Graffius, 2nd degree black belt 
and Mesa engineer.

Visitors to our Mesa School in the East Valley of Phoenix are often pleasantly surprised by what they see. Our martial arts school impressed FOX 10 NEWS so much, that they did a special report in the fall of 2011 on our dojo and its instructors. It included a 3-minute news clip on TV as well as on their website for months following their visit.

While visiting the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa, Richard Saenz from FOX watched one class demonstrate tonfa (sometimes referred to as a side-handle baton). Then the martial arts training moved to self-defense against the Japanese knife (tanto). 

Self-Defense training on Wednesday evenings with Katherina and Lacy.

The Fox team also interviewed Hall-of-Fame martial artist and Karate Grandmaster Hausel who introduced two of his extraordinary karate students and teachers: both grandparents from Gilbert. Both were recently promoted to nidan black belt (二段) (2nd degree black belt) and presented title of Sensei (先生) (martial arts teacher). These two grandparents earned their second degree black belts and instructor's certificates after training for years in Japan and now in Mesa, Arizona.

A few things that really stand out in this Mesa martial arts school is its traditional Okinawan karate decor and its instructors. Students travel from Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, Scottsdale, Phoenix and all over Mesa to learn karate from Grandmaster Hausel. The martial arts school also does not take part in sport competition which is the tradition of Okinawa Karate created centuries ago. There is no effort to promote trophies instead the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa focuses on pragmatic self-defense and training in a large variety of martial arts. All students work with each other in a very positive manner.

Dr. Neal Adam, master instructor of martial arts and professor at
Grand Canyon University blocks strike by Rich Mendolia's bo
using a tonfa during traditional martial arts weapons training.

Students at this traditional martial arts school are from all walks of life. Adult karate students include retired air force pilots, retired geologists, geological consultants, hall-of-fame martial artists, hall-of-fame geoscientists, university professors, teachers, secretaries, librarians, computer specialists, engineers, accountants, nutritionists, foreign exchange students, several pilots, scientists, authors, artists, astronomers and physicists. Members of the international martial arts association include many university professors, students, priests, teachers, law enforcement officials, military personnel, lawyers, social scientists, doctors, etc. Overall, this martial arts association has a group of highly educated individuals due to Soke Hausel's past associations teaching martial arts at 4 universities.