A Sensei should be a guiding light,
 demonstrating the type of person
as well as the type of Martial Artist
a student should become.

The most peaceful people I know are Martial Artists.
They can also contain the knowledge to be the most devastating.

     The CSMAA promotes good people getting together for a good workout. Leaning Karate is not about learning fighting skills to hurt others. Karate is about self-improvement. Through physical training, we increase our strength, flexibility and endurance. We also train to improve our mental skills, like concentration, focus, awareness and alertness. By providing a stronger body and mind, and by spending time in an environment surrounded by good people with good spirit, it enables the individual spirit to grow. Karate training is also a great place to come to help leave life's frustrations at the door for a little while and enjoy a little time of freedom. We gain clarity of mind to help get a new grip on life. We begin by learning how to show respect to others so we can learn to respect ourselves.

    So you see, Karate is all about self improvement. With this improved self, you will be able to do many things including self defense, or being better able to follow your faith to where it leads. Many people are familiar from the movies with the fact that much of today's martial arts movements were developed from exercises that were performed by Shaolin Priests in China. History talks about these priests performing exercises primarily to improve themselves physically and mentally so that they could improve themselves spiritually and better practice their religion. They may have believed that having a strong body and mind would help them develop a strong spirit and eventually improve themselves spiritually. The fact that the exercises allowed them to defend themselves physically was just a great side benefit.

     Martial arts did not begin in China, it has been around for as long as man has practiced skills to better defend themselves, their families, or their countries. The differences in Martial Arts developed because of cultural, economical, geographical, physical, and many other individual traits people may have. Many of today's Martial Arts have developed and changed because of it becoming more of a sport like boxing or wrestling instead of something you study to save your life if attacked.

    I teach the Matsubayashi Shorin-ryu Karate as passed down to Hanshi Frank Grant from Grand Master Shoshin Nagamine the founder of Matsubayashi-ryu Shorin-ryu Karate. It is a traditional form of martial art that teaches much more than self-defense. Grand Master Shoshin Nagamine states "Karate is the study of shin, gi and tai (heart, technique and body)." He stated that "Karate's true value lies within the heart." The name Shorin comes from the Chinese Shaolin and means Lesser Forest. The name Matsubayashi comes from the Japanese terms for Pine Forest, but can also be synonymous with Lesser Forest. In other words, Matsubayashi-ryu and Shorin-ryu can be used interchangeably. Matsubayashi-ryu is just a more specific name for our style. I believe that this philosophy of the development of a good heart being the true value of Karate, makes Matsubayashi-ryu Karate compatible with any religious beliefs without contradictions.