Mesa Martial Arts Weapons Classes

Soke Hausel demonstrates kama at the Arizona Hombu dojo, Mesa, Arizona

Okinawan karate and kobudo (martial arts weapons) go hand in hand. In fact, they are inseparable. They are like wheels on a bicycle. You need both to make the bicycle (and martial arts) go. But most martial arts schools do not teach both, and of those that do, many teach what some term as 'cheerleader' kobudo. Lots of twirling but no pragmatic use.

In Shorin-Ryu Karate, practitioners use kobudo as effectively as they use karate. This is important as both build on one another. Students of Shorin-Ryu also learn what every move in every kata (martial arts forms) is used for and use dozens of techniques as kobujutsu (combat arts). The students practice with weapons training with uke (a partner), so the weapons begin to feel very natural. In the advance stages of kobudo, they practice kumite (sparing) with weapons.

As the Shorin-Ryu student becomes more and more familiar with the weapon, just like in the empty hand (karate) techniques, they learn to use full power and focus with the weapon, both in practice during kata as well as in combat training with bunkai (self-defense applications from the kata). This is a very important part of the evolution of their karate and kobudo. Without achieving this last step, their kobudo can become a liability rather than an asset. 

Shihan Gewecke (5th dan) applies wrist lock using
kibo on law-enforcement officer Brett (2nd dan).

So how can this happen? Karate and Kobudo are dependent on muscle memory. It is common knowledge in the martial arts that "one will defend as they train". If a martial artist practices with little effort, power and focus, muscles learn to defend with the same lack of enthusiasm. 

If you are a martial artist, ask yourself each time that you punch the next time you are in a dojo (martial arts school): "will my strikes and blocks stop an aggressor?"  Can my punch or kick knock down an attacker with one strike?  Does my partner flinch when I block? 

If you cannot give a positive answer to these questions, your karate and kobudo need to be tweaked. To train properly, you need to educate your muscles - send them to martial arts graduate school and teach them to punch, block and kick with full force. This is done by practicing full force, power and focus with everything you do in the dojo. You can also practice the same way with a partner as long as you direct strikes to the side of your partner and not directly at them. This is important, because no matter how long you have been training, every once in a while a muscle forgets distancing. Myself, I've been training for 5 decades and every once in awhile, I miss (to error is human).

Soke Hausel trains with katana in Arizona.

Our students learn to use a large variety of martial arts weapons and our curriculum is growing as new weapons are learned and new weapons are developed from common, modern everyday tools such as books, magazines, keys, cell phones, pens, etc. Soke Hausel has been greatly assisted by the creative Hanshi Neal Adam in developing and testing new martial arts weapons.

After joining Juko Kai International in 1992, Soke found this martial arts association was superior to any other  association and offers excellent instruction. Soke learned dozens of additional traditional Okinawa and Japanese martial arts weapons. 



Ryan from Arizona trains with Thadd from the Utah Shorin Kai
using hanbo (police baton)

Adam takes rifle from his uke.



Two of Soke Hausel's black belt students train in
kobudo. Dr. Adam (6th dan) defends attack from Kathy (1st dan)
in kobudo classes at Mesa, Arizona

Today, members of Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai and the Arizona community can learn traditional Okinawan martial arts at the hombu dojo (martial arts school) in Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler Arizona. Classes focus primarily on adults and the adults are a group of very likable individuals. Many people believe it is Hausel's background of being a professor of martial arts that attracts the positive type of people found in his dojos around the world.

For members of the Phoenix community - we highly recommend learning martial arts for self-defense - remember, you have to get to your gun to defend yourself, while in martial arts, you are carrying your tools (hands, feet, knees, elbows with you at all times.



O'Sensei Bill Borea uses kama against bo attack by Charles

For women, we highly recommend learning to use hanbo (3-foot stick), kuboton (short stick), nitanbo (two sticks), bo (6-foot stick), kibo (Police expandable baton), tonfa, nunchaku, tekko, tanto, book, magazine, car keys, manriki (chain), hojo (rope), purse, computer, coffee mug, pen, cell phone, coaster, rake, hoe, shovel, etc in ways that are hard to imagine.

And please remember, we only support social media that supports America. So, no, we do not support facebook, twitter, linked-in nor the other medias that censor our friends, family and other martial artists.



Officer Philbrick (2nd dan) applies arm bar to Shihan-
Gewecke (4th dan) after striking and throwing his partner
with kibo (ASP).

We teach our students to get a 'kick' out of gardening. Here Sensei Paula Borea
a real samurai from Japan, defends bo attack by O'Sensei Bill Borea using the
kuwa (garden hoe).

Adam trains with sai defending attack by O'Sensei Bill Borea

TONFA - A Marvelous Hand Tool and Okinawa Peasant Weapon

Rich from Mesa uses bo during kobudo training at the Arizona Hombu dojo
 in Mesa, while Dr. Adam uses tonfa.

Tonfa is one of the favorite Okinawan weapons taught by Soke Hausel in Gilbert Arizona. Newbies find it challenging at first, but once a student realizse it's nothing more than an extension of their karate, they quickly get the hang of the weapon. Historically, on Okinawa, the tonfa originally was a mill handle, harness support, or some other tool that was quickly converted to a weapon on a moments notice. 

Some members of Seiyo Shorin-Ryu learned how to use tonfa in our 2016 classes in Mesa, Arizona and received certification documents. Today (2021 and 2022) more students are learning this tool for self-protection while others learn nunchaku, bo, tekko, tanto, katana, sai, kama, or other tools. The tonfa is such an effective weapon that it was once employed by nearly every law enforcement agency in the world, until the law enforcement officers realized that it required dedication to properly learn how to use this tool. In law enforcement, one tonfa (baton) was used - in Okinawa karate, two are typically used. 

Members (deshi) discovered that these weapons are very similar to their empty hand (kara-te) techniques with all of the typical blocks and strikes. In the forthcoming weeks, they will learn to use these weapons with different grips as well as learn three Tonfa kata (forms) and all of the bunkai (applications).

Dr. Adam follows up block with strike using
tonfa against Ryan's attack with bo.

The origin of the tonfa cannot be established beyond question, but some researchers assume the tonfa were originally rice mill handles that were removed from a rice grinder in Okinawa at time of need for self-defense against marauding Japanese samurai. The weapon was so effective that after karate was introduced to Japan in the 1900s, many police departments adapted the weapon for use as a night stick worldwide. But unlike law enforcement, our students learn to use two tonfa rather than one and learn to use them effectively for blocking, striking, hooking, choking, and even some throws.

The Arizona Hombu dojo accepts adults into its program with or without formal training in martial arts and offers diverse training in Okinawa karate, kobudo and samurai arts.

Members look forward to an education in karate, kobudo, self-defense, samurai arts, martial arts history, and philosophy. And, we are all good friends. 

Along with kobudo classes, we also provide some acting classes (not really). 
Here Neal  from Phoenix trains with Rich from East Mesa.

Sensei Borea (with kama) defends against Charles (with bo).

Dr. Teule from France trains with tonfa at the Hombu. Here she demonstrates a reverse grip