The head of our style, Master
Yamashita, grew up, trained, and lived in Asia, becoming a 7th
degree black belt in Okinawa before he moved to the US in the
early 1970’s where he has trained students for the past
30+ years. Budo therefore has a living direct link back to the
traditional higher-level black belt training in Asia. Sensei Dombeck’s
instructor, O’Sensei Dan Schroeder, is Master Yamashita’s
senior-most student and is presently an 8th Dan. Students of East-West
Kara-Te are given the opportunity to augment their training through
special seminars with both O'Sensei Schroeder and Master Yamashita
several times a year. The depth of long-term knowledge
and advanced training available through Budo, therefore, has few
(if any) equals in the Twin Cities area. This is why
many of our students came to Budo after years of training in other
schools. You can experience the difference too. Check out ...The Budo Difference
In
the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) area, there are also a
number of “traditional” dojos. Most of these dojos
have head instructors who hold high black belt ranks in various
Asian martial arts styles. Unfortunately, many of these instructors
received much of their training while stationed abroad for a short
number of years, oftentimes becoming a “black belt”
while in Asia, then returning to the USA where they started teaching.
Most of their subsequent training was done with infrequent visits
either back to their teacher or when their teacher came to the
US. This is unfortunate because “black belt” is when
one only first becomes a true student of the art.
In Asia, significant training occurs as
one moves up through the various black belt ranks. Most of the heads
of these “traditional” styles did not experience these
higher levels of training in the traditional way. Instead,
being the most skilled in an unskilled country, these individuals
started teaching as if they were masters. And although many of these
individuals became very skilled martial artists, their higher level
training did not receive all of the benefits of the methods and
knowledge passed down for generations.
Being
the most skilled in an unskilled country, some individuals
started teaching as if they were masters.
Budo has
a direct living link back to the traditional higher-level
black belt training in Asia.
Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do
at Budo