About Shidokan’s Philosophy

Organizational Purpose of Shidokan

  1. Strive For The Perfection Of Character
    To provide an opportunity to develop/enhance a sense of professionalism in the martial arts community.

  2. Defend The Path Of Truth
    To refrain from fostering an egocentric position regarding stylistic differences.

  3. Foster The Spirit Of Effort
    To provide guidance, direction and motivation for the Federation's membership.

  4. Honor The Principles Of Etiquette
    To be mindful of our organizational purpose within our community in general and society as a whole.

  5. Guard Against Impetuous Courage
    To refrain from being overly judgmental and unduly authoritative in the critique of our peers.

Mission Statement of the Shidokan Kokusai

  1. Provide curriculum development and enhancement.

  2. Provide enhanced training and research.

  3. Provide an opportunity to cross-train within our membership.

  4. Provide system and style research information to its membership which will enhance the credibility of their teachings and practice.

  5. Provide regional training seminars for the membership.

  6. Provide sound marketing strategies for its membership.

  7. Provide sound management techniques and planning for its membership.

  8. Provide an annual invitation only tournament for its membership and a select few other traditional schools.

  9. Provide the opportunity to attain the highest rank of Judan, 10th Degree Black Belt, and the highest teaching grade of Hanshi, Chief Grand Master Instructor, without having to venture outside the four walls of your own school and never having to play politics which are so prevalent in the martial arts today.

Understanding the misunderstood art of karate

Walker Texas Ranger and other Rambo type personalities employ martial arts techniques to effortlessly annihilate a small army of assailants. Entertainment of this nature constantly floods our television screens, cinemas and

The Fundamental Conception and Development of Shidokan

ANOTHER KARATE ORGANIZATION? WHY? With the ever increasing numbers of karate and/or martial arts organizations coming into existence today, why do we need another one? This is a valid question. The Shidokan Kokusai is unique in its conception whereas an American-based federation has been formed that provides its members an opportunity to experience a “harmonious” relationship between East and West.

Organizations in general come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes, from the rational to the irrational. Style bias, cultural bias and nationalistic bias permeate the martial arts community in general and governing organizations specifically. In an attempt to remedy this ever increasing conflict, the Shidokan Kokusai considered a number of the prevailing issues often encountered and designed a fair and non-partisan federation to meet the needs of the martial arts community.

First of all, the cultural and ancestral heritage of the Asian combative arts as an entity is held in the highest level of esteem by this federation. This is achieved void of the common practice of “recreating history”. The profound relationship that historically existed among the Japanese, native Okinawan, Chinese, and Korean people is both acknowledged and carefully preserved under the mission statement and purpose of the federation.

The administrators of this federation, as active instructors/practitioners of both native Okinawan and Japanese systems are fully cognizant of the effect the roots and influence of the existing Chinese and Indonesian concepts, ideas, theories and techniques have had and continue to have upon the classical martial arts as practiced in Japan, Okinawa, Korea, Europe, and the Middle East, the rest of Asia and the United States today.

With this understanding in mind, the Shidokan Kokusai is able to deliver services to its members in an open and global format that promotes solidarity as an organizational entity while preserving the membership’s individuality.

We recognize the fact that from a fundamental cultural point of view, the United States is a melting pot of diversity. In addition to this diversity and the cultural differences, the large number of practitioners in the United States encompass a wide range of age groupings, cross gender practice as well as a variety of distinct individual value systems in conjunction with religious beliefs and physical/psychological and academic variances, all of which make the effective teaching of the martial arts challenging to our instructors.

In order to facilitate the effective teachings of a diverse and expansive Asian based martial art to an equally diverse American population a number of translations, reorganization, negotiation and compromise must be reached in an attempt to create a harmonious relationship between East and West. This federation fully understands the need for this marriage as well as the responsibility to maintain the integrity of the traditional teachings while addressing a modern western population who are searching for a family program that provides them with more than just a class in self-defense. We feel that the Shidokan Kokusai will offer its membership an opportunity to provide a holistic, pro-family life long program to its students.

video games. Consequently, most Americans visualize martial arts as nothing more than glorified violence. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Historians believe that the martial arts are a direct descendant of ancient fighting systems that originated over 5,000 years ago solely for self-preservation purposes in the then uncivilized world. In today’s world, however, martial arts’ training focuses on personal development and important life skills that one utilizes on a daily basis.

If martial arts were solely a means of self-defense, the American Lung Association would not employ martial arts to teach asthmatics how to take control of their breathing and more importantly, their lives. The Blue Cross/Blue Shield Corporation would not establish on-site martial arts programs for international giants as the Compaq Corporation to improve productivity and at the same time reduce stress, absenteeism and health insurance claims. Additionally, schools for emotionally challenged, problem plagued youth would not include martial arts in their curriculums as a means of promoting a positive mental attitude in their students who traditionally act out in a defiant manner.

By viewing a martial arts class, the spectator can easily detect the physical benefits of this activity. However, the physical aspects of the training are merely tools utilized by the instructor to transcend into the psychological, intrinsic values of the lesson. Students are constantly reminded of their moral obligations to society and the seven virtues of the feudal samurai:

  • Sincerity

  • Compassion

  • Courage

  • Duty and Loyalty

  • Honor

  • Courtesy

  • Justice and Morality.

Thus, the martial arts are rarely used in today’s society for combative purposes. However, they continue to be a superb method of self-defense enabling its students to defend themselves against such devastating enemies as alcohol, drugs and unhealthy peer pressure. The martial arts are so much more than just a sport or a means of exercise. Students of these arts strive for the attainment of human perfection.

The martial arts are comprised of hundreds of different styles or systems. Many students commute thousands of miles annually to train in a specific style or with a particular instructor. The owner of a martial arts school cannot place an ad in the help wanted section of the local newspaper to hire instructors in the traditional manner as health clubs often do. Because of the uniqueness of each school, most staff instructors have to be “home grown”. As a pre-requisite, a student first needs to earn the rank of Black Belt, a process that takes on average four to six years of weekly training. This new Black Belt then usually has to serve a formal apprenticeship under a Master Instructor. Speaking from experience, in the Japanese and Okinawan arts, this apprenticeship is a ten year process.