STYLES OFFERED AT BLACK PINE

We offer several styles of martial arts at Black Pine.  Here is a description of each style.

SHURI-RYU OKINAWAN KARATE

Shuri-ryu is a style that has a lineage coming from a variety of sources, including Shuri-te karate. Other influences include Naha-te karate[3] and Xing Yi (Hsing-Yi) Kung Fu.

Techniques of Shuri-Ryu:   In addition to the punches, blocks, and kicks of karate, Shuri-ryu also incorporates joint locks, take-downs and throws, and kobudo (traditional weapons). Several senior sensei also hold high ranks in jujitsu and judo.

Shuri-ryu also has several short combinations. These include: 26 ippon (ippon kumite kata), which are performed to develop form and power; 10 taezu (taezu naru waza) which are performed to develop speed and fluidity; 30 kihon which are performed to develop fighting technique; 8 sen-te motions; and 7 kogeki-ho to develop attacking and retreating.

In addition, there are additional training exercises including form sparring (kata kumite), focus stance sparring (kime dachi kumite), free exercise (jiyu undo), and free sparring (jiyu kumite).

Additional History:  Trias was first introduced to karate while in the Navy during World War II, when he was stationed in the Solomon Islands. Robert Trias in 1942, met T'ung Gee Hsing and began training with him. Hsing practiced the Chinese system of Xingyiquan and had reportedly cross-trained with Motobu Choki in the Okinawan village of Kume Mura several years previously. Later Trias reportedly studied with Hoy Yuan Ping in Singapore in 1944. In addition to these teachers, Trias learned from other martial art teachers, such as Yajui Yamada (Judo), Gogen Yamaguchi (Goju-ryu), Roy Oshiro (Goju-ryu), Yasuhiro Konishi, Makoto Gima (Shotokan, Shito-ryu), and several others. Both Konishi and Gima served as mentors to Trias instead of in a formal teacher-student relationship.

Konishi, a prominent student of Gichin Funakoshi, Choki Motobu, and Kenwa Mabuni, recognized and countersigned Trias' promotion certificate to 9th Dan by the USKA in the 1960s.

Gima was a prominent student of Funakoshi and recognized Trias as 10th Dan in 1983 reaffirming Trias as style head for Shuri-ryu.

TOMIKI AIKIDO

A Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying (with) life energy"[1] or as "the Way of harmonious spirit."   Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury.

Aikido is performed by blending with the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on. This requires very little physical strength, as the aikidoka (aikido practitioner) "leads" the attacker's momentum using entering and turning movements. The techniques are completed with various throws or joint locks.   Aikido can be categorized under the general umbrella ofgrappling arts.

Aikido derives mainly from the martial art of Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu, but began to diverge from it in the late 1920s, partly due to Ueshiba's involvement with the Omoto-kyo religion. Ueshiba's early students' documents bear the term aiki-jujutsu.   Many of Ueshiba's senior students have different approaches to aikido, depending on when they studied with him. Today aikido is found all over the world in a number of styles, with broad ranges of interpretation and emphasis. However, they all share techniques learned from Ueshiba and most have concern for the well-being of the attacker.

TAEKWONDO

Taekwondo is known for its emphasis on kicking techniques, which distinguishes it from martial arts such as karate or southern styles of kung fu. The rationale is that the leg is the longest and strongest weapon a martial artist has, and kicks thus have the greatest potential to execute powerful strikes without successful retaliation. Historically, the Koreans thought that the hands were too valuable to be used in combat.

Taekwondo as a martial art is popular with people of both genders and of many ages. Physically, taekwondo develops strength, speed, balance, flexibility, and stamina. An example of the union of mental and physical discipline is the breaking of wooden boards, which requires both physical mastery of the technique and the concentration to focus one's power.