Utah Martial Artists Train in Mesa and Gilbert, Arizona

Thadd Barrowes (1st dan) of the Utah Shorin-Kai from Murray Utah, applies restraint
to Ryan Harden of the Arizona School of Traditional Martial Arts in Mesa and
Gilbert during annucal Arizona-Utah clinic at the Seiyo Kai Hombu in Mesa.

On April 12th, 2012, a group of senior martial artists from Murray, Utah traveled from Salt Lake City International to Phoenix Sky Harbor airport to train at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate and Seiyo Kai martial arts facility in Mesa and Gilbert, Arizona. The group from Utah included my good friends Kyoshi Watson, 8th degree black belt and Renshi Stoneking, 6th degree black belt of the Utah Shorin-Kai. These Utah martial artists are very good and anyone in the Murray area looking for a place to learn and train in martial arts could not do any better. For instrance, Kyoshi Watson has been in martial arts for more than 4 decades, so there is considerable experience in this group.

The Utah group trained with some of our Arizona martial artists in advanced Okinawan Karate Kata (forms) that included many devastating self-defense applications against a variety of attacks. We reviewed techniques from Gojushiho, Nijushiho, Wankan Dai, Wankan Sho, and Meikyo.  These kata actually include gun, knife, club and riffle defenses and defenses against grabs, sucker punches, and chokes.

The group later trained in hanbo (law enforcement night stick, or 3-foot club) for strikes, throws and restraints and also trained in traditional Okinawan kenjutsu (samurai sword). The three day clinic ended on late Saturday afternoon.

The clinic was a lot of fun and I received many encouraging compliments on the instruction. And this was one of several clinics I recently taught to librarians from Chandler, Arizona and faculty, staff and students from the University of Wyoming in self-defense.

Annual Training for Arizona-Utah martial artists in Murray, Utah.