Be kind, be strong.
Why train with me?
All my life I searched for a martial art that could give me confidence. Self-confidence starts with feeling safe and strong, both mentally and physically. And you can train that! Techniques must work when it really matters, whether it is self-defense or competition. Rishinjuku karate gives me that confidence.
Despite having some physical limitations myself, I strive to be the best version of myself and to continue to train. I do teach, but I always remain a student.
In the summer of 2018 I entered the Rishinjuku karate dojo in Japan. I couldn’t believe that two slim, smaller boys of 14 and 16 years old could punch and kick so hard on the pads. And they only had two years of experience! I had already bought a book about Rishinjuku karate in Japan two summers before but did not yet understand the potential of this unique karate style. Now that I had seen it, I wanted to learn this! I had to un-learn a lot of generally accepted concepts. That way I could understand the power of the inner workings of the “Muchimi” muscle chain and “Chinkuchi” bone structure. Now this can be trained for the first time outside of Japan with us at SFDOJO.
My martial arts background
I have trained in many different martial arts. The world is my dojo. I have lived in Nigeria, Belgium, America, Italy, Australia, and Japan.
At the age of 9 I started Judo. Then I did different karate styles. (ShitoRyu in Belgium, Shotokan in Italy, GojuRyu in Okinawa, and Ashihara in Japan.) When I lived in Sydney for 3 years, I helped found the Australian Kudo branch, namely Japanese Mixed Martial Arts.
I have also practiced and trained Shorinji Kempo and Aikido in armed martial arts such as Okinawan Kobudo, Iaido (sword) and Naginata (halberd); all when I lived in Japan. I am also a blue band in BJJ. I still visit world champions in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) in Europe and Japan who have a karate background to study their training methods.
With all this background, I finally came to Rishinjuku karate. Old techniques that work for everyone in the 21st century!
Master in Japanese Studies
I am the only Japanologist who gives karate in Belgium. I have studied the original old karate sources in Japanese.
I graduated with a Masters in Japanese studies at the KULeuven University in Belgium with a thesis on karate. The Japanese Ministry of Education financed my research on the history of karate at the International Budo University in Japan. This was under the supervision of Prof. dr. Matsui Kantaro, who studies the added value of Japanese martial arts for people with disabilities.
I also did postgraduate research at the University of Sydney for 3 years on the evolution of karate.
My trainers
- Rishinjuku karate (Murai Yoshiharu)
- hand traps and distance control (Jos Robert, Belgium)
- kicking and positioning (Fujioka Isaoa en Koya Urabe, Ashihara karate Japan)
- All-round full contact free fight (Alberto Bofelli, Italy en Kudo Daido Juku from Sato Kunihisa and Alexei Kononenko, Australia)
- Self-defense (Patrick McCarthy)
- Combative psychologie from British bouncers with a karate background
- strength and conditioning (Hokama Tetsuhiro, Okinawa)
Free downloads of my research
Thesis from the International Budo University, Japan: “The Evolution of Karate: From Secret Martial Art to Worldwide Cultural Sport” -> ThesisBudai
Master thesis KULeuven University, Belgium: Master thesis KUL
Research at the Universiteit van Sydney
Kudo/Daido Juku official website
Recommendation by Andrei Sîrbu, PhD
“Enthusiasm in sports and self-development carried me through numerous training principles and methods of improvement. Still, I have yet to experience another training package as complete as martial arts. SF DOJO met and overfulfilled my expectations with a well-rounded approach to martial arts and a valuable commitment to continuous learning. Therefore, I found that it teaches more than an approach to sports – an approach to life. It pays respect to the traditional methods of training and encourages progress through variety. I have improved my self-defense, conflict management, fighting, discipline, balance, knowledge, body posture, overall fitness and more. Today I am looking forward to further grow and add to this my learning from SFDOJO.”