TRAINING AT MUSO BUGEI KAI TESTIMONIAL

I am a criminal investigator with the Federal government specializing in crimes involving living marine resources. As part of my duties, I have been trained as a firearms instructor and a defensive tactics instructor. I have also studied a couple of other martial arts styles in my life and worked out with many others with greater knowledge than I. I do not consider myself an accomplished fighter by any means, but like many others I was always looking to improve myself.

I came to be a student of Sensei Danita Clarke’s merely by chance, but in retrospect, I look upon that chance meeting as life changing. My job keeps me very busy and I have time for little else except for my family. As such, workouts consisted of the usual regiment of running, bag work, and calisthenics. However, being in my late 40's I realized I needed something which could carry me into my later years and still serve me in law enforcement. Naturally, martial arts seemed to be the answer.

Being new to the St. Petersburg area at the time I began my search and revisited the styles I previously had taken. But, I quickly realized they no longer were a consideration based on my experiences. Then I found Muso Bugei Kia Warrior Arts and Okinawan Shorin Ryu. After speaking with Sensei Danita Clarke I decided to give the style a chance..... I could not have been more pleased.

Shorin Ryu offers both health and serious martial applications. The techniques taught are of real practical use as is evident to me based on my law enforcement training. The system offers simplicity and economy of movement. However, as I have learned, it is not the material but the instructor and the atmosphere which make all the difference. The Muso Bugei Kai Warrior Arts dojo excels in this aspect. The quality of the instruction is about the best I have experienced.

Sensei Clarke and her senior black belt instructors offer a good balance of discipline as well as a non-militaristic atmosphere. This approach maximizes the learning potential because of the open communication between student and instructor.

The Muso Bugei Kia Warrior Arts dojo training program is well rounded. It is not based on kicking and punching over and over, but instead on good fundamentals, history, philosophy, and a thorough understanding of the techniques. Kata is a prime example of this. I had avoided kata over the years as a waste of time. After coming to Muso Bugei Kia Warrior Arts I have learned the functionality of kata and it’s overall benefit in the development in fighting skills and longevity. I truly wish that I had found this dojo much earlier in my life. However, now I have been able to provide the missed opportunity to my son. I live some distance from the dojo, so it requires some travel on our part, but it is well worth the time and expense. I highly recommend the Muso Bugei Kia Warrior Arts dojo to anyone looking to gain a total martial arts education. It is especially beneficial to any parent looking to share something unique with their children which would continue throughout their lives.     Tracy A. Dunn

Chris Hahn

 I began training with Sensei Clarke at Muso Bugei Kai Warrior Arts, when I was 10 years old. After the last 9 years, I am convinced that pursuing the martial arts was one of the best decisions I ever made. When I began my training, I was very reserved and unsure of myself. Sensei Clarke helped me to gain confidence in myself and my ability to reach any goal I put my mind to.

The courtesy and discipline practiced during each class creates a very comfortable environment in which to train; a quality of the dojo that helped a shy little kid like me open up to the new faces and experiences. The relationships developed within the dojo are difficult to explain, but they are similar to family in that you grow to completely trust those you are working with. This is an important part of the training process, as it is difficult to progress as a group if trust and respect doesn’t govern our every action on and off the deck. This trust and respect is very present in our dojo, and Sensei Clarke will not tolerate the alternatives. Even though our dojo prides itself on its etiquette and discipline, that does not mean that training with us will be boring or intimidating. As friends pursuing the same goal of martial arts proficiency, it is impossible to not enjoy the time we spend together.

I can recall several occasions in which class was paused while we all had a good laugh and had to compose ourselves to continue. This positive atmosphere helps us to grow closer and combine our efforts in reaching new, advanced levels of training. The friend’s you make while training will be some of the best you find in life, and the time spent at the dojo will grow to be your favorite time of the week. But don’t take my word for it. After all…I’ve got a bit of a bias.                           Karate-Ka Chris Hahn, Sandan

Muso Bugei Kai WarriorArts