KARATE-DO, the way of the empty hand or China hand was brought from Okinawa to mass popularity by Gichin Funakoshi Sensei in 1922.  Though various forms of Karate had existed prior to 1922 Funakoshi Sensei was the first to bring it to the public in a major way.  Karate-do teaches powerful stances, blocks and punches together with fundamental kicking techniques.  Today Karate-do is an Olympic Pan-American Sport as well as being a very popular self-defense method.

KOBUDO, translates to ancient martial way and is the name given to the art of weapons study as taught in Okinawa and Japan.  Kobudo teaches a wide variety of techniques and weapons including the Rokushaku Bo (6 foot staff), Nichogama (Dual Sickles), Sai (Truncheon) Nunchaku (Flail) and Tonfa (Handled baton).  Kobudo helps us maintain our ties with our ancient lineage as well as training us to use everyday items as tools of self defense.

TAE KWON DO, the way of the hand and foot.  A Korean martial art with its roots in Japanese Karate-do and Chinese Gung Fu.   Originally Tae Kwon Do went under many different names and the styles varied greatly.  It wasn’t until 1955 that General Choi Hong Hi aligned most of the modern Korean masters and agreed on a common name and purpose. Tae Kwon Do shares many similarities to that of its sister art Karate-do, but separates itself with its emphasis on advanced kicking techniques.  Today, Tae Kwon Do is a popular Olympic Sport.

Our school teaches Karate-do, Kobudo and Tae Kwon Do together in a system known as Chong Shin Kwan. The system was founded in 1979 by Master Roger A. Jarrett who holds equal ranks in both the arts.

The system's Korean influence comes from both major styles of TaeKwonDo, the International TaeKwonDo Federation (ITF) and the World TaeKwonDo Federation (WTF). The most obvious evidence of this Korean influence is in the students' strong acrobatic kicking techniques. Chong Shin Kwan students learn Poomse/Hyung* from both the ITF and WTF, giving them a broad knowledge base and the ability to relate to students affiliated with either TaeKwonDo federation.

The organization's Japanese influence comes predominantly from the Japanese style of KarateDo, known as the Japan Karate-do Ryobu-kai. This Japanese influence can be seen in the strong use of hand techniques. One might also notice the Japanese and Okinawan katas* performed by Chong Shin Kwan students.

As students work their way through the ranks, they learn one-step sparring, foot sparring combinations, board breaking techniques, realistic self defense techniques, martial arts history, and both Korean and Japanese terminology. This knowledge blend gives Chong Shin Kwan students the ability to train anywhere and feel comfortable.

Chong Shin Kwan students are challenged by the basic TaeKwonDo and KarateDo fundamentals as well as those of Aikido, Judo, and Kobudo. While learning self-defense techniques, students are introduced to Aikido though the use of joint locks, throws and pins. Students gain a fundamental knowledge of Judo (the sport and self-defense art of Japan) that teaches ground fighting and grappling techniques. Kobudo, another martial art incorporated into the program, gives the students rare opportunities to work with the historical weapons of Okinawa and Japan.