Traditional Karate, Kobudo, Samurai Arts & Self Defense Training, East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona

Traditional karate and kobudo - training in kamajutsu
at the Arizona Hombu dojo in Mesa.

At the Arizona School of Traditional Karate (aka the Arizona Hombu), students and instructors continued training in traditional karate in Mesa, Arizona. Classes were conducted in traditional Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate, Kobudo (Okinawan weapons), Samurai Arts (including katana, naginata, tanto, yari, hanbo, hojojutsu & jujutsu), practical self-defense, and a few other unusual martial arts including shitai kori (body hardening).

Members of the Arizona Hombu dojo also trained together with members of the Utah Shorin-Kai at the annual Spring Shorin-Ryu clinic in Mesa, Arizona. During these annual clinics, attendees focused on hanbo techniques, one several martial arts taught by Grandmaster Hausel of Gilbert. Hanbo translates as half-bo (3-foot baton) that has been used more than a century by law enforcement officials in Japan because of its effectiveness. So effective, the hanbo was actually used during the Menji Restoration (1868) to disarm samurai armed with swords.

The Utah martial artists trained with Arizona martial artists and the entire group learned kata and kata bunkai (self-defense applications). Kata are forms that teach muscle memory referred to as mushin in martial arts. If used properly, one can learn to develop incredible power, speed and self defense abilities just by practicing these forms. But if done improperly, the opposite can happen. So these mysterious forms must be learned the way they were intended.

Kata bunkai are the self-defense applications hidden in kata. These were developed by various Okinawan Karate masters over the past from pragmatic self-defense used in actual combat. Thus, they are tried and tested.

Sensei Paula Borea applies hiza ude garuma (arm bar) to
Shihan Neal Adam at the Arizona-Utah
 clinic (photo courtesy of Nemec Photography).

Jeff from Utah is on the receiving end of empi uchi (elbow strike) from his father Kim
during the Arizona - Utah Clinic (photo courtesy of Nemec Photography).

Arizona martial artists who train at these clinics drive from Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Phoenix, Tempe, Apache Junction and Scottsdale. After these clinics, classes resumed to normal schedules. In other annual Shorin-Ryu clinics over the years, members trained in many different aspect of the martial arts including jujutsu, advanced kata and bunkai, gun defense, tekko (Okinawan knuckle dusters), bojutsu, 

samurai arts, etc. 

Gifts presented to Soke Hausel (Mesa, Arizona) by Hanshi Watson (Utah) at the end of the Arizona-
Utah clinic (Photo courtesy of Nemec Photography)

In the summer, members of the Arizona dojo typically travel to New Braunfels, Texas to train at the Juko Kai Hombu. Soke has been doing this for nearly 30 years, since he was a Professor of Budo (martial arts) and Research Geologist at the University of Wyoming. During the years, some of Soke Hausel's students have been treated to these traditional Okinawan martial arts clinics held at various locations in Texas, Florida, West Virginia, Maine, Kentucky, and even at the University of Wyoming in 1996. 

In 2013, some Shorin-Ryu karate students from Gillette Wyoming traveled to New Braunfels, Texas with a few members from the Phoenix valley to train at the Juko Kai International clinic. Ryan Nemec from Mesa, Arizona was awarded "Outstanding Male Martial Arts Student of the Year", Soke Hausel was awarded "Meijin Wa Jutsu" and menkyo certifications in Juko Ryu Kijutsu were awarded to Kyoshi Neal Adam (Phoenix, Arizona), Shihan Kyle Gewecke (Gillette, Wyoming), Chase Cassidy (Gillette, Wyoming), Brandon Brown (Gillette, Wyoming) and Nick Jarvis (Gillette, Wyoming). These awards and ranks were presented by Dai-Soke Sacharnoski.

Arizona and Wyoming Seiyo Shorin-Ryu martial artists pose with
Soke Hausel (Arizona) and Hanshi Ron Smith (Virginia) in Texas  

Kobudo is part of Karate in the traditional Shorin-Ryu Arts. This photo shows Soke Hausel with traditional kuwa (hoe).

 In early August, Soke Hausel travels to the East Canyon Resort near Park City Utah to teach martial arts at the annual Gasshuku (adverse training) clinic sponsored by the Utah Shorin-Kai.

Attendees of the Utah Shorin-Ryu Gasshuku at the East Canyon Resort in the Wasatch Mountains, Utah.

Other clinics held at the Arizona Hombu in the past include training for members of the Police DAV Karate Team from India, Self-Defense for Chandler Librarians, Self-Defense for Girl Scouts, Self-Defense for the Tea Party, Sansetsukon, Tekkojutsu, Nicho Nunchaku, and others.

Those interested in traditional Okinawan martial arts are seldom bored at the Arizona Hombu because they are constantly treated to a variety of martial arts.

East Canyon Resort, Utah, 2018

East Canyon Resort, 2018

East Canyon Resort, 2007

East Canyon resort, Utah 2010

Annual Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Clinic, Mesa, Arizona, 2019