Traditonal Shorin-Ryu KARATE & Kobudo

Demonstration of a self-defense

application against an assailant

(Hanshi Andy Finley) who pins a

defendant against the wall. Turn

the table on them & ram their head

into the wall using ‘atana waza’ – head

throw.

Traditional Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo taught at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate is designed to build self-confidence while learning self-defense, martial arts history and traditions.

It is important all individuals learn to defend themselves using their feet and hands. Why? Because you can't always get to a gun or escape in the event of an aggressive attack. So, at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa and Gilbert in the East Valley of Phoenix, we focus on training our students in self-defense as well as in the traditions of karate. Learn to use your hands and feet as weapons of self-defense.

Karate has proven to be the most successful method of hand to hand combat self-defense in the world for several hundred years. When one trains in 'TRADITIONAL' karate, they are taught pragmatic self-defense, respect for others, ethics, and are taught the time honored method of mushin. Mushin is basically teaching your muscles to think while your brain takes a break. You must learn to react without thinking to be successful in self-defense.

Sport karate is very good for exercise and competition, but it is Traditional karate that was created on Okinawa a few centuries ago and developed as an effective method of self-defense (remember Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid?).  Traditional karate focuses all of its resources as well as philosophy and traditions of martial arts - and our students are taught to defend with power and focus, not to win points in competition.

With so many attacks occurring to people of all ages in the US, it is time to learn karate - no matter your age. At the Arizona School of Traditional Karate we have students from 8 to 70. Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo schools are also found in Arizona, Utah and Wyoming. Around the world we have students as young as 91 training in karate and kobudo.

Every year, we teach a group of self-defense and karate clinics. We also have groups who travel to Phoenix to train in Self-Defense at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa and Gilbert. Clinics for women's clubs, associations, business and church groups are also available and can provide a very interesting and entertaining evening of self-defense training - something no woman or person be without!

At the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa; karate, martial arts and self-defense clinics are taught to other martial artists, members of Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Karate and to layman groups and clubs. We find airline traveler associations and flight attendant groups, sororities and women's to need self-defense training!


At the Arizona School of Traditional Karate, we are considered to have the in the entire Phoenix Valley.

Group photo shows Hanshi Finley (7th dan) in back, Heather From (3rd kyu) to
the left, Senpai Finley (1st dan) and Dr. Florence Teule (1st dan), members of
Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai.

Self-Defense clinic taught to the faculty, staff and student body at the University of Wyoming in 2010.

Comments on our 2010 self-defense clinic.

“We became dangerous and had a great time doing it!” Posted by Jill.



"We had a wonderful time at the self-defense clinic. You people put on a great program". Posted by Tim and Tina.  

"Myself and friends attended your public self-defense clinic - now we feel more confident with running around campus and town, but also had a super night. The techniques and Wit was a great combination". Posted by Jamie R.

Someone grabs your wrists to try to drag
you into a car - how would you defend?

"What a wonderful clinic! We had a super time. This was sooooo fun and entertaining. You should take this on the road and teach it at every university. Very practical and easy to use self-defense with levity. Thank you and thanks to the UW Karate Club". Posted by Diane & Kara.


"Got a real kick out of your clinic. Had a great time learning practical self-defense and had a super evening of fun". The best entertainment and education we've had at the university!"  Kim and Nancy

Self-defense with a smile - at the University of Wyoming
self-defense clinic.

At the University of Wyoming public clinic, we  started the attendees with their elbows. Elbows (and knees) are good weapons as most people can generate a lot of force with little practice. We also taught the attendees to escape wrist grabs, lapel grabs, hair pulls, chokes and more. Some of the enclosed photos demonstrate the techniques taught at the clinic and other photos appear on a couple of blogs as well as on our website.

Defense against a wrist grab - University of Wyoming self-
defense clinic, taught by Soke Hausel of Mesa Arizona and
the University of Wyoming Campus Shorin-Ryu Karate Club.

On Saturday morning, we started training at the Yudansha (black belt) clinic. We had a great time Friday night but Saturday morning we were up for training at 9 am.  We started with warm-ups, followed by dozens of kihon (basics) and combinations. Some combinations in the kata Gankanku (meaning crane on a rock) were incorporated into the Kihon to start providing muscle memory for learning the kata. After about an hour of kihon, I introduced Gankanku. This kata was initially known as Chinto (and is sometimes referred to as Rohai) and was introduced to Japan by the legendary Okinawan master, Gichin Funakoshi.

Demonstration of Teisho Uchi - palm
hand strike

We ended Saturday’s training at about 4:30 pm with training in the kata’s bunkai (applications).

That night, were treated to an old-time gunfight in downtown Laramie while at the local Thai restaurant. It was an evening of food and Western ghosts wandering the streets of Laramie.

Sunday, we awoke to another day of training starting at 9 am. We learned and practiced some of my favorite combinations (these all require very powerful blocks followed by strikes and ending with throws. The clinic ended with instruction of body hardening (Shitai Kori) training at about 1 pm.

Bring a date to our dojo - Dr. Rado with
 Dr. Nagmeh at the Arizona School of Traditional
Karate in Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler

As I had predicted, the end of October in Laramie brings snow. And indeed, I woke up on Monday to find Interstate 80 closed west of Laramie. This is not like Mesa and Gilbert, Arizona where the weather stays pleasant throughout the fall and winter. I was feeling like it was time to get bac to the Arizona School of Traditional Karate to train in the worm climate. Lenny I and left for DIA a little early by way of US 287 to the south and the road was fine. It was a reminder of what Wyoming really stands for – WIND. There was plenty to go around, but maybe it was because the upcoming elections.

We arrived at DIA on time, but my plane sat on the runway for an hour (after boarding 45 minutes late) as only one runway was open. Even so, I made it back to Phoenix.

Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler

I would like to thank the University of Wyoming Residence Halls & Dining Services for their grant, the University of Wyoming Campus Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Karate Club, Sensei Lenny Martin, Professor Flo Teule’ (club advisor), University of Wyoming Club president Eddie Yaracz for making this clinic possible. I also would like to thank my personal uke’s for the clinic – Hanshi Andy Finley, Shihan Matt Larson, and Sensei Kyle Linton. As always, it was great seeing all of you again!



The Police DAV karate team from India visits and trains at the Arizona School
of Traditional Karate under direction of Soke Hausel (10th dan).

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Members of Utah Shorin-Kai from Murray Utah travel to Phoenix to train under Soke Hausel (10th dan).