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).

Wax On, Wax Off, Traditional Okinawa Karate in Mesa

"Wax On, Wax Off" - Mr. Miyagi

Who can forget that wonderful scene in the Karate Kid?  Mr. Miyagi took Daniel San to clean his old, classic car and at the same time taught him to block by waxing a car. But does this make sense?

Respect is paramount in karate. This is shown in many
ways in the traditional karate school. One notable way
is that of bowing.

It does! Karate is about muscle memory, about rote and what we refer to as mushin. Mushin is a method of repetition to teach a student how to react without thinking. This is why Okinawa karate has been such an effective form of self-defense for hundreds of years.

As one progresses in martial arts, they start with no rank, known as mukyu in Japanese and wear a white belt to hold up their pants. But with each major step in karate training, they advance through the mudansha martial arts ranks (color belts). Hopefully, one day, after a few years of training, they will rise from mudansha (one without dan rank) to yudansha (one with dan rank) and put on the coveted black belt sought by all martial arts students.

Karate is about building life-long goals that also teach us to defend ourselves and at the same time teach us to grow as people. Respect and consideration of others is most important in this type of training in martial arts. We recognize this at our martial arts hombu dojo in the East Valley of Phoenix.

O'Sensei Bill Borea prepares to practice kata (karate forms) in Mesa.
O'Sensei is a retired air force pilot who spent time training in karate in
Japan with his wife - Sensei Paula Borea.

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.







Arizona Samurai Celebrates Birthday

Sensei Paula (samurai)

(photo by Bill Borea).

Just before Christmas of 2011, the Hombu Dojo student body celebrated the birthday of our Staff Samurai. Sensei Paula Borea spent her early years in the 'Land of the Sun' and returned to Japan later in life with her husband Bill (retired Air Force pilot). While in Japan they found information showing that Paula has samurai lineage - no wonder why all of the guys at the dojo fear her! On her birthday, and at the Hombu Christmas party, Sensei Paula showed up in one of her kimono and then dissected her birthday cake with katana (刀) (日本刀 samurai sword). For some reason, no one wanted to lick the icing from the katana?

Bill and Paula are two very important members of our martial arts group in Mesa, Arizona. We all take great pride in practicing traditional Okinawan-Japanese-American martial arts and being members of a Ryu (流) (family).

 Our Arizona members of our Mesa martial arts school include a wide variety of professionals such as geoscientists, biologists, university professors, teachers, engineers, nutritionists, retired military, secretaries, accountants, house wives, students, computer techs, librarians, cooks, etc. In our international organization (Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai) we also have members who include doctors, chemists, lawyers, law enforcement agents, counsellors, biochemists, priests, janitors, etc.  



A birthday cake fit for a samurai!

Shorin-Ryu Karate Classes in Mesa & Gilbert, East Valley Phoenix

Karate on the Rocks - Hall of Fame martial artist, Soke Hausel
demonstrates side kick on 1.4 billion year old Sherman Granite
west of Cheyenne, Wyoming.

A member of more than a dozen Halls of Fame, our grandmaster is also a Who's Who in the World and taught martial arts classes and clinics at Arizona State University, University of New Mexico, University of Utah and 30 years at the University of Wyoming. 

Not only do you learn traditional (non-sport) martial arts, you will learn philosophy, history, some Japanese and most important, we will guide you on your 'way' or path through martial arts. 

University of Wyoming Campus Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo Club- Soke Hausel (6th from
left in front row).

Kata training at the dojo in Mesa and Gilbert

 

Our dojo was recently invaded by a 'Nerdja'
silicon valley's answer to the 'Ninja'. Here, Dr. Neal
Adam (5th dan) from Grand Canyon University
stands next to Dan Graffius (2nd dan) after
demonstrating common every day weapons carried
by professors (i.e., lap tops, pens, glasses, belt, high-
water pants, etc.