Monday, January 13, 2014 by C. Michial Jones
On January 2, 2014, I celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the founding of the Yushikan. To mark the occasion, we held a commemorative workout on January 4th. It was a gathering of those who have been vital to my journey: my students and my peers.
I was honored to have Lloyd C. Johnson III Hanshi (9th Dan), Tony Willis Renshi (7th Dan), and Jonathan Hallberg Renshi (6th Dan) serve as guest instructors. Together, we moved through a deep curriculum:
- The Foundation: Junbi Undo and a review of Kihon Waza led by Willis Sensei.
- The Internal: Sanchin instruction under the guidance of Johnson Sensei.
- The Core Kata: I led the review of Gekisai 1 & 2, Saifa, and Seiunchin, while the guest instructors provided nuanced suggestions from their respective Kai-ha.
- Advanced Mechanics: Hallberg Sensei provided a masterclass on the use of Koshi (hips) and Gamaku (waist/core) as taught in the Shinjinbukan, along with alternate methods for Hikite (the pulling hand).
- The Conclusion: A review of the Yushikan two-person drills and the Seri Undo (closing exercises).
After the sweat, we did what old friends do: we sat, drank Kirin, and talked about Budo and firearms. It was a day of reflection on how far the path has stretched.
The Courage to Start
In the days leading up to this anniversary, I found myself reminiscing about 1993. I was the Chief Instructor for my father’s Marion dojo, but I found myself in a partnership that wasn’t working.
I remember sitting at home during the Christmas break in 1993 with my wife, Amber, and our eight-month-old twins. I expressed my dissatisfaction and my burning wish to start something of my own—something that reflected my specific vision for Karate. Leaving an established dojo while having two new babies seemed crazy, but with my wife’s support and the blessing of my seniors, I did it.
Amber drew the Dojo Mon (patch) that we still wear today. On January 2, 1994, I walked into a room at the YMCA in Marion, Indiana, and taught my first class under a name different from my father’s. I was finally on my own.
From Hundreds to the “Few”
The growth was explosive. Within a month, I had branches in Gas City, Upland, and Sweetser. At one point, I was overseeing nearly 600 students across four locations.
However, life and perspective change. In 1995, with a third child on the way, I chose the stability of a career with benefits and relocated the dojo. Over the next two decades, the Yushikan moved fromMarion to Carmel and then to its current home in Swayzee.
My wife, ever organized, has kept the records. In twenty years, thousands of students have walked through our doors. Out of those thousands, I have promoted exactly ten to the rank of Black Belt. That 1-in-200 ratio is a testament to the standards we keep.
The Third Generation
The greatest pride I have is not in the numbers, but in the lineage. Today, a third generation of my family is on the floor training almost every class.
2014 has started with a “bang,” and as I look back on the “crazy” decision I made in a house full of newborns twenty years ago, I have no regrets. The Yushikan was built on the belief that Karate should be taught a certain way—with integrity, discipline, and a focus on the person, not the profit. Here’s to the next twenty.
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