Arizona's Karate and Kobudo Classes, Schools and Instructors

Nunchaku training in Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai. Photo
 shows (from Left to Right) Dr. Adam, Sempai Scofield, Sensei
Borea and Sempai Lang.

Traditional Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate training also involves training in kobudo (the ancient art of traditional weapons), jujutsu, shitai kori (body hardening) and much more. Our adult students learn to effectively use hands and feet as well as common every day tools and the traditional kobudo tools from Okinawa used by farmers, merchants and fishermen for weapons of self-defense.

Soke Hausel also teaches private clinics with a variety of modern weapons - including magazines, books,  car keys, rocks, coins, pens, etc..

shitai kori (body hardening)

Dr. Adam poses after demonstrating use of common everyday tools for self-defense for
a typical nerd. In this demo, he used pens, classes, belt and even his trousers as weapons.

Dr. Adam demonstrated the use of the Corn Huskers tools as self-defense
weapons. He stand here with a corncob pipe, farmers hat, corncob chuks
handkerchief, and suspenders, all potential weapons.

Been to the library lately? Soke Hausel teaches clinic to Chandler librarians
 on common tools for self-defense that included cell phones, car keys,
PC computers and even books.

Dr Adam hooks back of Rich's knee during bunkai training with kuwa (garden hoe) and
bo (6-foot staff) at the Arizona School of Traditional karate in Mesa, Arizona

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