I was taught the traditional art of Shotokan Karate by Black Belt Hall of Famer Shihan Kenneth Funakoshi, a fourth cousin to the founder, Gichin Funakoshi. Shihan Kenneth Funakoshi was a renowned instructor worldwide, and I was fortunate to accompany him on some travels when he taught outside the U.S. On these occasions, I assisted him in teaching large numbers of students from all walks of life. That profound experience of teaching abroad with my mentor one-on-one helped me to refine my...
I was taught the traditional art of Shotokan Karate by Black Belt Hall of Famer Shihan Kenneth Funakoshi, a fourth cousin to the founder, Gichin Funakoshi. Shihan Kenneth Funakoshi was a renowned instructor worldwide, and I was fortunate to accompany him on some travels when he taught outside the U.S. On these occasions, I assisted him in teaching large numbers of students from all walks of life. That profound experience of teaching abroad with my mentor one-on-one helped me to refine my skillset and gain a deeper insight into what it means to be a student, competitor, and teacher of the art of Shotokan Karate.
I competed both locally and internationally throughout the 90's and early 2000's, earning numerous first-place awards in both Kata (formalized routine) and Kumite (sparring/fighting). I was also given the honor of being among the handful of Shihan Kenneth Funakoshi's students asked to appear in a limited DVD series he produced on the fundamentals of Shotokan Karate. In the mid-2000s, I was asked to help demonstrate Shotokan techniques in Black Belt Magazine by Sensei (now Shihan) Kyle Funakoshi, son of Kenneth. For the past few decades, I have felt drawn to teaching what my instructor passed along to me, to continue the tradition of passing timeless teachings along to you.
Sensei Aaron B.
7th Dan
