Showing posts with label martial arts schools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label martial arts schools. Show all posts

Sunday, September 4, 2016

Welcome to Gilbert, Martial Arts Capital of Arizona

Welcome to Gilbert - once, the martial arts capital of Arizona, located in notorious Maricopa County where treasonous political officials stole the 2020 and 2022 elections. Prior to the plandemic, Gilbert, had many martial arts schools including one hombu. There were so many schools (dojo) almost one was found on nearly every corner strip mall. 

Because of the  plandemic, this is no longer so. Beginning in 2020, martial arts schools closed one after another due to the worst economy since the great depression. Unfortunately, the Hombu closed its doors on March 1, 2021 due to a loss of 50% membership in the Phoenix valley, and many large gyms suffered devastating losses. For instance, Gilbert Lifetime Fitness reported a loss 8,000+ members!  Few dared to wander far from home. This was compounded by riots in democrat-controlled cities in the US, the suspension of Constitutional rights in many states, and a pathetic rise is gasoline prices, that was just two years ago, was sufficient with known resources available for 500 years, minimum. And as any good geoscientist knows: with exploration, new deposits are found and resources would easily increase through time. Along with a plandemic, questionable elections there followed by absurd claims about climate change, a natural phenomenon that is part of our world and universe, and geological evidence provides examples of change on earth over the past 4.5 billion years, and likely throughout the universe for the past 13.8 billion years. It is an extremely complex event affected by dozens of phenomena - and many that remain undiscovered. There is little question the earth is warming slowly (there are no boiling oceans), but what is the real cause? Paying more taxes will do nothing other than make politicians richer.

Although the town was filled with sport martial arts schools, a few traditional dojo existed. Traditional schools do not take part in completion, but instead focus on historical and philosophical education in the 'way' of martial arts - known as budo and bujutsu.

The 2010 census reports Gilbert has a population of 208,453 (wikipedia). That's nearly half the population of Wyoming. Gilbert has public and private schools, churches, gymnasiums and a Community College - some which periodically include martial arts programs. There is also Freestone Community Center, McQueen Park and Gilbert Community Center. 

Some martial arts groups train at various gymnasiums, but essentially all of these closed.

To the novice, all martial arts may seem similar - but to the initiated, there are important differences. For example, we came across a discussion on the differences between traditional and sport karate that we recommend to read, as it should help decide if you want to learn traditional martial arts for self-defense, or train for trophies. Another site, an extensive blog, gives a lot of insight on choosing a martial arts school and instructor.

Things a martial artist needs to be aware of is State Laws on martial arts, such as deadly force. Then there is hand registration. Do you have to have your hands registered at the police department, etc? Of course not - but at one time, it was a common rumor passed around bars and schools.


Most traditional martial arts are taught by well-trained and certified martial artists, as are many sport martial arts. But, MMA and McDojo groups have questionable martial arts instructors and it is recommended that you check the background of the dojo and instructor by searching the internet and talking with people in the schools. It only takes a few minutes, and it may save you a lot of money and grief in the long run.

Schools, gyms and even churches that employ or rent time to a martial arts group should also be checked. Just because a martial arts instructor attends church doesn't mean that he doesn't have something to hide.

The City of Gilbert doesn't allow martial arts groups to rent and train in industrial buildings or centers. This is sad as most traditional martial artists do not offer contracts and do not teach kids making it difficult to pay rent. So, why don't they just start teaching kids? It has always been traditional to only teach martial arts to those 16 years old and older - kids are fragile and have growth platelets which can be damaged particularly in the throwing arts such as judo, jujutsu and aikido.

Sport martial arts and McDojos are primarily interested in contracts and look to sign a person to a 1 or 2 year contract - some even offer lifetime memberships. But remember, there is little to protect you from the school closing or relocating and sending out bill collectors to acquire the remaining contract even though the school may no longer exist, or may have moved to Las Vegas - read your contract!

Just watch the martial arts schools down the block from your home. Most have a lifetime expectancy of 3 years - this is because most lease agreements are 3-years. At the end of the 3-years, few survive (probably less than 20% survive) and move on. This is also true of gyms. A gym can move, or the martial arts class in the gym could move as most of these pay month to month rent.

Gilbert Arizona requires martial arts schools to lease commercial buildings rather than industrial buildings, which can be 2 to 4 times greater in rent thus making it almost impossible for any martial arts group to survive. But this is not the same for a gymnasium! But, "Dojo" is a Japanese word that translates as "GYM". Yet, the Gilbert city government doesn't regulate basketball or volleyball gyms to commercial buildings. So, why should it require karate or jujutsu gyms to pay high rent? Ask you representative as to why they are over-regulating the martial arts industry in Gilbert and in the state? Give them a call.




Friday, September 30, 2011

GILBERT ARIZONA KARATE and KOBUDO

Sensei Paula Borea punches her way to being
a successful grandmother.
It's our path to train in martial arts such as karate-do, kobudo, self-defense and samurai arts. And the path of some of of Gilbert's martial artists led to the School of Traditional Karate in the East Valley of Phoenix. 

The head instructor of the school, has been a top-rated instructor for years. He has nearly 5 decades of martial arts of experience, and is a former professor of martial arts at 4 universities. Stop in our traditional dojo (martial arts school) and you will be greeted as a friend and have the opportunity to meet our students one on one. We're more like a family than a martial arts school.

Training at the martial arts school on the border of Gilbert and Mesa is available for members of Seiyo Kai International as well as for members of the general public. 
Take That!  Dr. Teule (1st degree black belt) from France practices Shorin-Ryu karate
with Dan from Mesa (2nd degree black belt)

Nunchaku kata practice at Arizona Hombu Dojo in Mesa.


A Hombu is the headquarters of Seiyo no Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai. It is occupied by the world head (Soke) of Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Karate. Our Grandmaster is a judan (10th degree black belt) in Shorin-Ryu karate and kobudo. This is unique, as many styles of karate have their hombu in Japan. We are also affiliated with JKI. Our school is the Hombu of Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo SeiyoKai. 

Shorin-Ryu Karate has several branches, and our Shorin-Ryu is just one of several. Shorin-Ryu Seiyo Kai was developed over many years and officially recognized and certified by Zen Kokusai Soke Budo Bugei Renmei in 1999. 

Prior to moving to Arizona in 2006, Soke Hausel was a research geologist and Professor of Martial Arts at the University of Wyoming for 3 decades, where he taught classes, clinics, seminars and university clubs karate, kobudo, samurai arts, jujutsu and self-defense. He was elected to Halls of Fame and Who's Who compendiums for martial arts, teaching, geological sciences, and writing and also awarded national and international awards. When he moved to Arizona, he taught classes for a year at Arizona State University in karate, then moved from ASU to open a private school on the border of Gilbert and Mesa.

Soke Hausel demonstrates knife defense with Shihan
Gewecke at University of Wyoming clinic in 2010.



Tonfa training. Sarah (2nd degree black belt)
defends with down block using tonfa against attack with the
bo staff by Amber.
 

We have an unique method for trimming pumpkins at Halloween at the Gilbert
Karate School on Baseline.


Use of hanbo (3-foot stick) for self defense. Ryan employs kubi nage (neck throw).

Bill attacks Paula with his bo while Paula defends with her garden hoe (kuwa).



Last April (2011), members of the Utah Shorin-Kai traveled to Mesa to learn an advanced kata known as gojushiho (54 steps) and its bunkai with members of the Mesa dojo.

Professor Hausel demonstrates kijutsu at
University of Wyoming half-time entertainment.
Shitai Kori like this requires special training
with no protection!
Some evenings, we train in shitai kori (body hardening). We realize that kote kitae is not for everyone, so only those interested in learning this part of Shorin-Ryu Karate are taught this unusual art which is restricted to adults.

Okinawan body hardening is a method that teaches one to harden their muscles so they can accept strikes to many vital points in the body. 

Our dojo was recently invaded by a 'Nerdja'
the silicon valley's analogy of a 'Ninja'.


Patrick Scofield attacks Dave Hargreaves during kobudo practice. Our students learn to
use more than 2 dozen kobudo weapons in kata, bunkai, self-defense and kumite.