Ryan participated in his first tournament October 2006 in LA, CA. He won 1st place in forms (Kata) and 1st place in weapons (Bo staff). Ryan is currently a yellow belt student and working hard for the Grand National Tournament in the Spring. Ryan was born at 32 weeks premature. He has spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy. He has participated in many sports such as baseball, swimming, horseback riding, but karate has given him the freedom to be on his own.

This is the fourth and last of the Shinseido forms. It partners No.1 in its medative and fluid qualities. Although this form can be practised a number of different ways, it is taught as a dynamic tensioning form - not in the hard brittle manner so often shown these days but more in the nature of firm soft tensioning. While there are practical applications for most of the movements, the form is really of a therapeutic, philosophical nature. Thereafter, students move onto learning the classical forms of Okinawan Shorin Ryu.

Kanbun Uechi studied Pangai-noon (half-hard, half-soft) Kung Fu under Shushiwa, also known as Chou Tsu Ho, in the Fukien province of mainland China in the late 1800's and early 1900's. After 10 years of study under Shushiwa, Kanbun Uechi opened his own school in the Nanching province. Two years later, Kanbun Uechi returned to Okinawa, resolved never to teach again because one of his Chinese students had killed a neighbor with an open-hand technique in a dispute over land irrigation. Kanbun Uechi, while working as a janitor was persuaded by Ryuyu Tomoyose, a coworker to teach again. He did this by getting Kanbun to show him ways of defending against different attacks. His confidence as a teacher restored, Kanbun Uechi with the help of Ryuyu Tomoyose opened a dojo to the public. His Okinawan students eventually renamed the system in 1940 to "Uechi Ryu", which translates as "Way of Uechi". Kanbun Uechi's son, Kanei Uechi, taught the style at the Futenma City Dojo, Okinawa, and was considered the first Okinawan to sanction the teaching to foreigners. One of Kanei's senior students, Ryuko Tomoyose, taught a young American serviceman named, George Mattson, formerly of Boston and now residing in Florida, who authored several books on the subject and is largely responsible for popularizing the style in America. Uechi-ryu emphasizes toughness of the body with quick hand and foot strikes. Several of the more unique weapons of Uechi practitioners are the one-knuckle punch (shoken), spearhand (nukite), and the toe kick. Because of this emphasis on simplicity, stability, and a combination of linear and circular motions, the style is practical for self-defense. Uechi-ryu is principally based on the movements of animals, the Tiger, Dragon, and Crane. Of all styles of Karate, none are closer to the Chinese roots of the art; Uechi-ryu still strongly resembles Southern Chinese Kung Fu.

This is the longest of the Shinseido kata (54 steps) and despite it's passivity, is a very functional and pragmatic form. Every movement has a specific self-defensive application that is totally peaceful in nature, yet each of the techniquess has a sting in the tail if required. The form uses open soft hands exclusively - there are no punches, strikes or kicks, although they are implied. The primary lesson learned from this form is how to be positionally and spatially aware at all times, and especially in the event of a physical assault. The lessons learned in kata No.1 Shinzen, to be very relaxed and fluid are also carried through. The Shinseido student will learn this form in the first year of training along with all its applications which represent a complete set of responses to all the common forms of assault. Repeated practice of the form accompanied by increasingly clear visualisations of the attack scenarios instills a set of automatic trigger responses that can be utilised by anyone irrespective of comparative differences such as physical size, weight, age or gender.

The Shinseido Shorin Ryu kata Shinzen (Form of Friendship). This is not a 'combative' form, rather a therapeutic, breathing and philosophical form, and is the first form taught to beginners and expresses the fundamental maxim, "Do not fight". It's primary practical purpose is to instill very relaxed fluid movement, a prerequisite to working Shinseido.

Tonight Emily worked really hard and stayed in the class for 40 minutes. She worked hard, never burst into tears, threw a tantrum or any of the "normal" things to come out of class. We used these video clips to prove to the school district that she was able to get out of a severely disabled classroom. We had been told she was unable to follow directions, unable to control her emotions and other things. Since this class took place, she has improved in so many areas...not only in her karate classes.