About Us

History:

Our Karate style derives from a long tradition of authentic Japanese Martial Arts. In 1957, the legendary Sosai Mas Oyama, widely recognized as one of the worlds most famous Karate masters, developed the first full contact style of Karate called Kyokushin ("Ultimate Truth"). Known for it's bare-knuckle and full contact fighting, Kyokushin rapidly grew into a world renowned international organization spanning many countries.

Sosai Oyama sent one of his best students, Soshu Shigeru Oyama (no relationship), to the United States to bring Kyokushin to America in 1967. Soshu was a 10th degree black belt, with over 50 years of martial arts experience. Soshu fought the legendary 100-man Kumite winning 121 consecutive full-contact bouts with black belt opponents in a single day. Shihan Ray Martens, a 6th degree black belt with a military background, became one of Soshu's most senior students. In 1988, Soshu left the Kyokushin organization and created the World Oyama Karate Organization, of which Shihan Ray and his students were a member of until 1994. With respect and on good terms with Soshu Oyama, Shihan Ray subsequently left the Oyama organization and developed USA Seishin Karate.

Seishin Karate, while having it's roots in a full contact knockdown system, has developed into a program that is appropriate for all levels and ages, males and females. While still active in tournament competition, our style's main focus is more on the development of each student, and bringing an added value to each of their lives, than it is on tournaments and trophies. Martial Arts philosophy, coupled with the lessons of modern psychology and rigorous training, is presented in a way that both very young beginner students as well as more mature advanced students can understand. Seishin Karate emphasizes character, honor, morals, virtues, and values at every level and every age group.

About Kyokushin

Kyokushin has been known in the Martial Arts community as a hard core full contact style. It has a very strong reputation as being the toughest martial art in the world. After Sosai Oyama’s death in 1994, Kyokushin-Kai fractured into several splinter groups, and many Dojos changed their names for legal and political reasons. However, they all remained Kyokushin in spirit. We are proud to continue the Kyokushin training, spirit, and standards of excellence.

Training:

Classes are taught in a supportive environment that places a high level of expectation on each student. Hard training and conditioning helps students earn self confidence, and develop balance, coordination, discipline, awareness, physical fitness, and learn the practical skills needed to protect themselves. Young students also learn important lessons, such as the value of observation and awareness, what to do when they are lost, what information they need to remember for their own safety, what to do when they are approached by a stranger, how to handle bullies, how to behave and function in emergency situations, etc.

Advancement:

Promotion tests are conducted when the students are ready. Intermittent promotions may be awarded to students when they are earned. However, the focus of this program is not on collecting belt rank or tournament trophies, but on the day-to-day development of each student.