Adult Boulder Karate Martial Arts
Shorin-Ryu Karate Classes with Boulder Matsubayashi-Ryu
Start martial arts classes for adults & teens ages 15+ in traditional Okinawan Karate with an expert instructor!
Accomplished Matsubayashi-ryu Karate 4th degree black belt and certified instructor, Steve Gomboshi Sensei, brings Shorin-Ryu style Karate to students ages 15 & up in Boulder, Colorado.
いらっしゃいませ！
Irasshaimase! | Welcome to Boulder Matsubayashi-Ryu!
Classes meet Sundays from 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Okinawan Karate Martial Arts History
The martial art of Karate originated in the Ryukyu Islands over a period of several centuries, as a fusion of the indigenous martial art variously known as ti (“hand”) or Uchinadi (“Okinawa hand”) and several Chinese martial arts systems.
This development primarily occurred in three towns on the island of Okinawa, the largest island in the Ryukyu Kingdom: Shuri (the capital of the kingdom), the commercial center of Naha, and the port city of Tomari.
The karate of Shuri and Tomari are very similar and preserve many of the old techniques of ti, while the styles of karate from Naha were more recently influenced by Southern Chinese systems. The Ryukyu Islands were formally annexed by the nascent Japanese Empire in 1879 and renamed Okinawa Prefecture.
In the 1920s, karate was introduced to Japan, following a demonstration of the art by several prominent Okinawan masters during a visit to the prefecture by then Crown Prince Hirohito. This led to the development of distinctive Japanese karate styes which differ quite sharply from the way the art is practiced on Okinawa.
Matsubayashi-ryu was founded in 1947 by the Okinawan karate master Shoshin Nagamine, based on his decades of study of both Shuri (Shurite) and Tomari (Tomarite) karate. The system values natural movement and the development of power through sophisticated use of the body’s core.
About Boulder Karate Martial Arts Classes at One Dojo
The format of a specific Boulder Karate class with Matsubayashi-Ryu may vary a bit, depending on the experience level of the students in the class.
In general, classes begin with a thorough warm-up, practice of basic techniques and/or combinations, practice of traditional kata, the formal exercises through which karate has traditionally been taught, and practice of the practical application of techniques.
We are a traditional karate style and do not practice modern sport karate. Classes are non-competitive and focused on personal development, self-improvement, and efficient self-defense. Advanced students will also practice Kobujutsu, the traditional weapons arts of Okinawa.
About our Boulder Karate Instructor
One Dojo Boulder Karate Instructor, Steve Gombosi Sensei, began his training in Matsubayashi-ryu Karate in 1973. He has been teaching since 1977 and holds the rank of Yondan (4th degree black belt) and an Instructor’s License from the World Matsubayashi-ryu Karatedo Association in Naha, Okinawa, Japan.
He has taught previously in Tallahassee, Florida, Hampton, Virginia, Boulder, Colorado, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. He travels to Okinawa annually for additional training.
