Looking Back

Recently I had a discussion with a few former dojo mates of mine that also trained with my father. We had a nice conversation about what it was that my father taught each of us after we started.

My father began learning karate in 1967 at the Jundokan of Indiana/Anderson Gojuryu Club, shortly thereafter named the Komakai Academy of Karate. My father’s sole karate teacher since that time has been Mr. Glenn Keeney. While enlisted in the U.S. Army, my father studied aikido with Tomiki Kenji Sensei.  Over the years my father attended seminars and training camps with several well-known sensei, other than Mr. Keeney’s dojo, my father only trained regularly at the dojos of Mr. Phillip Koeppel and Mr. Mike Awad, back then both were Shuri-ryu stylists.

In his dojo, my father taught a combination of Gojuryu and Shuri (Shorei) ryu Karate, along with some Aikido.  When I started karate training my father said he was teaching me Gojuryu, in the 1980s, he started teaching me Shuriryu, and shortly after that came the Aikido.

My friend told me that during his time at the dojo he learned; Gekisai Dai Ichi, Gekisai Dai Ni, Saifa, Seiunchin, Shisochin, Empi Sho, Bassai Dai, Nifunchin, Dan Enn Sho, Sanchin, Sanseru, Go Pei Sho, Tuse Sho No Kon, Sai Jutsu Ichi, Chatan Yara No Sai , along with 27 two person formal exercises. Another student told me that he learned the same thing in the same order. A third student told me that he did not learn as much as the other two that he only learned Gekisai Dai Ichi, Gekisai Dai Ni, Saifa, Seiunchin, Shisochin, Sanchin, Sanseru, Seipai, Empi Sho, Nifunchin, Tuse Sho No Kon, Sai Jutsu Ichi, Chatan Yara No Sai, and Shuishi No Kon, along with 27 two person formal exercises.

My father taught me the 27 two person formal exercises, aikido and the following kata; Gekisai Dai Ichi, Gekisai Dai Ni, Saifa, Seiunchin, Shisochin, Empi Sho, Bassai Dai, Nifunchin 1-3, Dan Enn Sho, Sanchin, Sanseru, Go Pei Sho, Seipai, Nan Dan Sho, Kanku Sho, Taikyoku 1-3, Wansu, Ananku, Passai Sho, Passai Dai, Chinto, Rohai, Pinan 1-5, Nekobudo 1-5, Hebeno and Shudoso. He also taught me the following Kobudo kata; Tuse Sho No Kon, Sai Jutsu Ichi, Chatan Yara No Sai, Yakka No sai, Soken No Tonfa, Chiken No Kon and three sword drills.

When I was a child, I did not understand that I did part of two styles. It was not until I learned the first shuri kata that he told me the difference. In 1989 I trained with a Jundokan Gojuryu senior and for the first time I learned that there were more gojuryu kata.  I remember asking my dad about this and he said I teach what my teacher taught me. I have always been fascinated by history and researched as much as I could on the history of karate. I began to buy books and ask questions to several seniors. My father said we traced our lineage to Miyagi and Motobu, but ultimately back to Higashionna and Matsumura/Itosu. After I researched the various ryuha, I asked my father why it wasn’t called Shito-ryu or Shorei-Goju-Ryu or even Goju-Shuri-Ryu, since it was a combination of the two ryuha, but neither one completely. He told me that it was the Komakai System, we did what we did and the arrangement was unique to Mr. Keeney and his dojo. After this I asked him permission to go and learn the remainder of the Gojuryu kata and he said yes.

By the time I opened my own dojo in January of 1994, I had learned all of the Gojuryu kata, all of the Shuriryu kata, and until 1999, I taught both styles in my dojo. As I grew and trained, I learned more kata and trained in other ryuha. I had even attained black belts in several of these styles. As this drive continued, it led me to obtain a few Shihan Menjo from different Okinawan Sensei. As I grew older and continued training and teaching I realized that one could learn hundreds of kata, but that if you did not understand the applications of the kata that you were just wasting your time. I learned that Karate is karate and though each ryuha may have some minor differences, basically they have more in common than they differ.

As I look back at what my father taught me and what I teach to my students now, I can see that most people would think that I have abbandoned his teachings, but I am not sure that he would agree.