Karate, Aikido and Kobudo in Lakeland Florida
A Pearson-Ha Traditional Training Environment in Lakeland, Florida
Phone: 863-944-1470
My Teachers
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
Hachidan (8th Dan) in Aikido,
Hachidan (8th degree black belt) in Matsumura Seito Hakutsuru Shorin Ryu Karatedo & Kobudo,
Scott Hager
Ki-Shin Kai Aikido, 8th Dan, Hanshi, Soke
Wado-Kai Aikido, 4th Dan
Preferred Reading
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News of the Day
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Goeff Hill promoted- We would like to take a moment to congratulate Geoff on his promotion to Sankyu in aikido. Geoff has worked tirelessly to achieve this goal. I am inspired by his continuous effort in the daily struggle to learn aikido. Geoff is constantly asking questions, and is continually working to improve on aikido princples before class, and strives to “get it right” to the best of his abilities, for now. And as we have seen, his (and everyone else’s) abilities are improving. Congratulations Geoff! I would also congratulate everyone else for Geoffs promotion. You all had a hand in it. We cannot grow by ourselves, it takes everyone in the dojo.
Joe Prine Promoted - We would like to also congratulate Joe Prine, who has advance to SanKyu in (Green Belt) in Shorin-Ryu karate Do. Joe has been training with us off and on for many years and in the last few years has been able to work his schedule so that he could train more regularly. Needless to say, he is dedicated, and persistent. He represents many of our students here with an intelligent approach to learning Pearson, Sensei’s art. We are excited for his advancement and looking forward to what is next!
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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
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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 in 1952, 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 45 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 more notably earned his black belt from Shimabuku(ro) Eizo of Morisato, Okinawa, Japan (Shorin-Ryu Karate) in 1954. For reference, this was 10 years prior to the US involvement in Vietnam.
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!