Karate, Aikido and Kobudo in Lakeland Floridaa
A Pearson-Ha Traditional Training Environment in Lakeland, Florida
Phone: 863-944-1470
Dojo ExpectationS
What to Expect from The Dojo
At Shorin-Bushido our experience and preference in martial arts training is clearly inclined towards “classical” martial arts with particular focus on developing a solid respect for one's self, and others. Among our goals are to improve our lives through the training we embrace and by balancing the body, mind and spirit. We strive to train in an environment of peaceful seriousness with limited distractions.
What to Expect From The Teacher
Everyone will be treated with the respect afforded those who seek a lifelong search for individual excellence through martial arts. In addition, we try to approach martial arts training in such a way that those who wish to learn do not have to be overly concerned that they may be a little older then 21 years of age, so one does not have to be the perfect physical specimen to train.
What We Expect From The Student
We prefer students to be 14 years and older in order to train in a focused adult atmosphere, and we have had students that were in their 50’s and 60’s. We work very hard to assist those with physical limitations so that most everyone can gain an education in beginning life-defense skills and enjoy the rewards of training in classical martial arts. Our class size is small to ensure the student's personal attention and progress.
Training fees are minimal, there are no contracts, testing fees, or organizational dues. We work to find the best equipment at the least prices so that students do not feel they are constantly paying out money. We ask only that those who come to train bring their full attention and a spirit of willingness to learn.
The Arts:
At Shorin-Bushido our focus is on teaching three distinctly different martial arts that we have found to be particularly complementary to one other. They are : Ki Shin Kai Aikido, Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo.
Aikido: "The Way of Harmony" is a Japanese system of self defense developed from Jujitsu and Japanese sword arts, blended together utilizing joint locks and throws to neutralize attackers.
Karate-Do: “Way of the Empty Hand” is one of Okinawa’s greatest treasures. Shorin-Ryu is a striking and jutsu system based on 80 percent speed and 20 percent strength that has stood the test of time and created some of history’s finest martial artist.
Kobudo: “Way of Weapons” Is the art of weapons as the Okinawan people knew them. For the most part farm tools and walking staffs used to defend ones self. Among them are the Sai, Tonfa, Nunchaku, Kama, and Bo, and we also work with Jo and Bokken.
My Teachers
Sam D. Pearson
Sam D. Pearson
Sam D. Pearson
Watai Karate-Jitsu, 9th Dan, Hanshi, Soke
Shorin-Ryu Karate Do, 10th Dan
Judo, 1st kyu
Roy Y. Suenaka
Sam D. Pearson
Sam D. Pearson
Hachidan (8th Dan) in Aikido,
Hachidan (8th degree black belt) in Matsumura Seito Hakutsuru Shorin Ryu Karatedo & Kobudo,
Scott Hager
Sam D. Pearson
Preferred Reading
Ki-Shin Kai Aikido, 8th Dan, Shihan
Wado-Kai Aikido, 4th Dan
Preferred Reading
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Preferred Reading
These are books and articles that we have found informative, enlightening and encouraging for those of the martial way
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Shorn-Bushido Dojo will be closed until April 4th due to The Corona Virus, Please don't let that stop you from contacting us to realize your martial arts dream.
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Customers have questions, you have answers. Display the most frequently asked questions, so everybody benefits.
Preferred Reading
Philosophy and the Do
The Way and The Power, Fredrick Levret, ISBN 0-87364-409-3
In The Dojo, Dave Lowry, ISBN 0-8348-0572-3
Traditions, Dave Lowry, ISBN 0-8048-3432-6
On The Warrior’s Path, Daniele Bolelli, ISBN 1-5839-4066-9
Craft of the Warrior, Robert Spencer, ISBN1-883319-05-6
Thinking Body, Dancing Mind, Chunglaing Al Huang Jerry Lynch,
ISBN 0-553-37378-1
The Calm Technique, Meditation without Magic or Mysticism,
Paul Wilson, ISBN 0-7607-1524-6
The Way of The Superior Man, David Deida, ISBN 1-59179-257-6
Living On Purpose, Dan Millman, ISBN 1-57731-132-9
The Toa of Personal Leadership, Diane Dreher, ISBN 0-88730-837-6
Living In The Light Of Death, Larry Rosenberg, ISBN 1-57062-820-3
Martial Subjects
On Combat, Dave Grossman w/ Loren Christensen ISBN 978-0-9649205-4-5
Aikido, The Basics, Bodo Roedel ISBN 978-1-84126-302-1
Karate-Do Kyohan, Gichin Funakoshi, ISBN
Aikido and The Dynamic Sphere, A. Westbrook and O. Ratti, ISBN 0-8048-0004-9
Aikido-Kyohan, Roy Y. Suenaka, ISBN
Chen Hsin, The Principles of Effortless Power, Peter Ralston, ISBN 1-55643-302-6
The Book of Martial Power, Steve Pearlman, ISBN 1-58567-7
Related Martial Articles
Pearson, Sensei Bio
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Sam D. Pearson,
Sensei, Soke
Watai Karate-Jitsu, 9th Dan, Hanshi, Soke
Shorin-Ryu Karate Do, 10th Dan
Kobudo, 2nd Dan
Judo, 1st kyu
Seen here with his teacher Eizo Shimabuku(ro) O'Sensei
Pearson, Sensei first began his martial arts training while serving his first tour in Japan with the United State Marine Corps, and later continued when stationed in Okinawa. A young man fresh out of Marine boot camp training, he was eager to see what lay ahead of him in the world and in martial arts. As an adolescent in mid-Florida, he attended high school, played baseball and was always a "high energy" kind of guy. Always looking for something else. Something new, or a way to improve that in which he was currently involved. This was true when I first met Sensei 40 years ago and was so until his passing.
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Pearson, Sensei & Shimabuku, Sensei
Sensei is a man of many firsts . . . He was the first (and only at the time) in his high school class to enlist in the Marines, was a first generation student of the founder of the systems of martial arts in which he trained. Watai, Kanjo of Gotemba Japan (Watai Karate Jutsu), and and more notably Shimabuku(ro) Eizo of Morisato, Okinawa, Japan (Shorin-Ryu Karate).
Pearson Sensei, was one of the first to return to the United States and began teaching karate in this country and has become one of the premier founding pioneers of martial arts in the history of U.S. martial arts today. Pearson, Sensei opened a dojo at Camp Lejeune N.C. while stationed there and represented the Marine Corps at tournaments around North America.
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The photo on above is Pearson, Sensei with Grandmaster Toyama, Kanken. O'sensei Toyama promoted O'Sensei Shimabuku(ro) to 10th Dan.
A quick search of the internet regarding Sensei will produce an ever expanding number of martial artist who point to Pearson, Sensei as part of their foundation and training. It speaks to the respect he has garnered over the years. He was one of the earliest practitioners of the arts to be ask to demonstrate the art to for sitting President (Gerald Ford) and to provide training to the FBI. After retiring from the Marine Corp Sensei settled in New Bern, North Carolina and soon opened the New Bern School of Martial Arts where he produced many notable students and ran the Annual Battle of the Carolinas Karate Tournament for more than 20 years.
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It goes without saying that if you have been doing something as long as Pearson, Sensei, you make lifelong friends, acquaintances and assorted others. Above is from the 1965 Nationals. Sensei with John Pachivas, Henry Cho, Harold Long, Pioneers all!
Feeling like he had accomplished much of what he set out to do, Sensei once again began to look for new ground to cover and decided to turn over his Shorin-Ryu Dojo to his senior student and revisited his earlier roots of Watai karate and began restoring and teaching the system in which he began is martial arts journey, so that the system and his teacher's efforts would not be lost in time. For more information on Sensei's Watai journey please check out the link: http://wataikarate.com/.
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And so the work continues.
Above left, Sensei is with his two ranking Watai students, Brian Arthur (left front) and Steven Wood (right front) who are carrying on the long tradition of those that went before them, and in the above Sensei just finishes testing of which I was fortunate to be a small part.
Sensei worked on perfecting his skills and even though he had succumbed health issues related to his time in Vietnam, his spirit remained indominable.
I am sure I speak for hundreds of students, present and past when I say thank you for all your hard work both for yourself and for us.
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Pearson Sensei has always processed a sharp and active mind. Years ago he felt like it would be a worthy goal to become a member of MENSA which is the international IQ-society and actively worked tirelessly to stay active and keep his mind sharp .
Like many of his contemporaries Pearson, Sensei was a man larger than life. He was a Marine, with all that it entails. A man of staunch and solid principles, but he always took the time to keep up with his students. And we are grateful!