Uechi-Ryu.com

Just to let everyone know, there is a new school in Ellensburg, called Keichu-Do of Washington and it specializes in both karate and jujutsu skills. I think its worth checking out.

Any questions, reply here. Keichu do is also known by the nickname, "cajun karate."

There is/was a Keichu-Do school in Baton Rouge ran by a gentleman by the name of Mike King. Very interesting curriculum and top notch students. I beleive the style was started by Karl Marx (From Louisiana), not the communist. It has a strong Christian background, but don't let that fool you, I didn't see much "Turning of the other cheek", these guys were tough.

Interestingly enough, Ju-Jitsu should already have a strong striking system like Karate, so the blending of the two styles should not really be that novel to any Ju-Jitsuka.

I would check it out.

Mal

Dear Mr. Wagner:

Good to hear from you, doesn't look like this area of disussion has been getting much use.

For the most part, the martial art of KeichuDo branches out from a ministry. As I'm sure you'll concede, when defending yourself, you shouldn't turn the other cheek unless it is to apply a spin backfist or something of that nature.

The good thing is, KeichuDo started off as I understand it as a karate style which then encorporated the grappling arts into itself. The blending is so well done, that I've seen the practitioners handle equally well with the grapplers and sport karate people. In addition, they also have been known to place well in forms kata and empty hand kata in national and world tournaments!

Corey Minatani

I have competed with Keichu stylists for 10 years and have many good friends in the Louisiana area.
Keichu is a great all around style and some of the USKA top ranked forms and fighters are keichu stylist.
They also have the right mind set. All I have met and known are good people.

Ron Ray

I really appreciate the respect the Uechi people here have for other styles. I know a bit, a very little bit about Keichu Do - because my instructor Rod Sacharnoski had a very large following in Louisiana.

Karl Marx caught some harsh teasing from some traditional Japanese stylist because of him creating his own style - being a Soke. My instructor Rod Sacharnoski also catches alot of heat from some people. I often see some of the old Koryu martial artists who often argue ad infinitum about whose styles are more "legitimate" - ignoring the fact that the very roots of many Koryu are very tenuous (some say their systems were created by mythical hobgoblins - doesn't get more legit than that). But in the end all that matters to me is that the people are good, the training is fun and the stuff works.

I had the opportunity to train with Tsutomu Oshima of the Shotokan system - he translated Gichin Funakoshi's book KARATE DO KYOHAN. He said that when Funakoshi first traveled to Japan Jigoro Kano asked him what system of Jujutsu he taught - since the Shotokan he did at the time had many throws - such as the "topple a folding screen" throw or the "turn upside down and hammer" throw. There was not alot of distinction between the various ryu of Karate and Jujutsu - lots of hard strikes and lots of vicious throws.

I have heard other Asian masters say that it was their belief that at one time the various ryu of Okinawa were not all that different. The division into various ryuha was a much later thing - before the styles were similar (perhaps more complete) and that although students gravitated towards certain techniques based on their preferences the systems themselves had a mixture of soft strikes, hard strikes, throws, locks etc.