When you choose a martial arts school you are choosing your teacher.
Choose the most qualified instructor that you can find.
Sensei Branchaud I began karate training when I was a U.S. Marine stationed in Okinawa, Japan in 1978. My teacher was Master Seikichi Odo, but I am also infuenced by my first teacher, Master Eizo Shimabuku.
After leaving Okinawa I was reviewed many times as Master Odo frequently traveled to America to teach his students. He visited the Kodokai in 2001 and I last practiced with him on Okinawa in 2002. He passed away six weeks later. My Karate and Kobujutsu rank is Hachidan, 8th degree black belt.
I now am a student of Takaiyagi Sensei on Okinawa, studying the art of Motobu Udundi.
Finding a qualified teacher.
Don't assume that everyone wearing a black belt is an expert. Anyone can open a school- there are no regulations or skill requirements. Many schools are slick commercial enterprises, others are run as a hobby or part-time job, and a few are taught by qualified and ethical instructors. It can be hard to tell a good school from a lousy one, however, without first loosing some serious money, time and enthusiasm.
It all boils down to the teacher. Be sure that any teacher that you consider offers solid documentation of their training background. Many teachers offer no documentation, and for one good reason- there is little to document.
Nominations in bogus "Halls of Fame", collections of plastic trophies and poses with martial arts movie stars are not documentation. Look for evidence of actual training experience. Where did they learn the things that they will teach you?
If documentation of long-term instruction under a qualified teacher is not available, find someone else. Anyone with a good background will be proud to show you documentation of their experience. There is no reason to settle for a teacher who got a black belt in a McDojo the next town over. Find someone with credentials.
Experience is not solely a product of time. Experience requires meaningful activity.
Some teachers spend years chaperoning "karate" birthday parties, cutting cake with a make-believe samurai sword, and wearing foam rubber pads for pretend "point sparring". This is not meaningful experience. It's business.
A teacher can only teach what they know. If you want to learn authentic martial arts you need to find a teacher with the credentials, experience and background to offer you more than the commercial American "karate" experience.
Takamiyagi Sensei at Kodokai 2005
Odo Sensei at Kodokai 2001
Demonstrating Karate, Athi Plains, Kenya 1984
Takamiyagi Sensei Okinawa, Dec. 2008
Testing for Rank in front of Sensei's Odo, Gushiken, Maehara & Chibana. Okinawa 1978
With Takamiyagi Sensei, Okinawa 2006
Swordwork with Takamiyagi Sensei, August 2009
With Odo Sensei 1997
With Mrs. Toma & Master Toma, Okinawa 2002
With Taira Sensei 2006
With Odo Sensei 1983
With Toma Sensei 2007
With Odo Sensei, Okinawa 2002
With Sensei Odo 1981
Odo Sensei in my home.
In Sensei Odo's Dojo 1979
With Sensei Odo 1980
Bo Practice with Sensei Odo before Breakfast
Rank Promotion 1999
Rank Promotion 1984
In Odo Sensei's Dojo 2002
In Odo Sensei's Dojo 1979
At the Kodokai
Lunchtime, July 2009
Taira Sensei at Kodokai, May 2009
With Taira Sensei, Okinawa, January 2009
Takamiyagi Sensei at Kodokai 2005
With Sensei Odo 1985
Kodokai- Authentic, Credible, Verifiable. "Might as well learn the real thing."TM
Authentic Martial Arts Straight from the Source
(401) 762-2201
Kodokai, Rt. 146A, Park Square, on the Woonsocket / North Smithfield Line
