Renshi Chris Johnson

Date of Birth: 3/16/60
Place of Brith: New York, NY
Current Location: Champaign, Illinois
Dojo Location: Leonhard Rec. Ctr., Park District
Dates of Dan Ranking: Shodan - 1982, Nidan - 1988, Sandan - 1991, Yondan - 1994, Godan - 1997, Rokudan - 2001

Renshi Chris Johnson began his martial arts training under Sensei Robert G. Zepecki in Motobu-Ha Shito-Ryu in November of 1969. Through the years of training, Renshi Johnson has grown to appreciate the research aspect of his martial arts training more than any other. In recent years, he has found much satisfaction in researching the underlying physiological mechanisms that make what we do work as it does. He has made an ongoing project of finding and researching the vascular and neurological mechanisms that come into play when pressure points are struck and is probably one of the most knowledgealbe men in the association on the subject. Renshi Johnson seeks to train and advance himself in a way that will maintain a balance between the hard physical training nessisary to remain strong and the intellectual aspect of bunkai. He advises, most of all, that individuals must be honest with themselves to become successful martial artists.

Renshi Barbara Pleasant

Date of Birth: 12/12/51
Place of Brith: Augusta, GA
Current Location: Belvedere, South Carolina
Dojo Location: Belvedere, South Carolina
Dates of Dan Ranking: Shodan - 1976, Nidan - 1980, Sandan - 1984, Yondan - 1994, Godan - 1997, Rokudan - 2003

Renshi Barbara Pleasant began her martial arts training under Hanshi Joseph R. Ruiz in Zen Shotokai during the summer of 1972. Renshi Pleasant has grown to appreciate the physical aspect of her martial arts training the most as it "has helped me physically and kept me in fairly good shape by the exercise it has provided over the past 31 years." -- Renshi Barbara Pleasant. She feels that kata is the most important aspect of her training and suggests that future martial artists try to emulate their instructors and remain loyal to their schools. One of her most memorable experiences in her martial arts career was a camp taught in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1985. She said that the thing that struck her the most about the camp was that even though the culture of region was very different, the dedication of the students to their art was the same.

Renshi John Maisenhelder

Present Rank: Rokudan
Date of Rank: 8/20/2000
Affiliate Member: Shihan Dai - Kyoshi Logue; Shorin Ryu - Kyoshi Perry
Current Location: Wilmington, North Carolina
Dojo Location: Wilmington, North Carolina

Renshi John Maisenhelder began his martial arts training on January 10, 1973 with Joseph R. Ruiz in Zen Shotokai. Not long after, they joined the Seishin Kai Association, headed in the USA by Soke Richard P. Baillargeon, who represented Shogo Kuniba (Kokuba). Renshi Maisenhelder spent many hours at home with Soke Baillargeon and received both his Shodan and Nidan under he and Hanshi Ruiz. In recent years, Renshi Maisenhelder has trainined in two clinics with Odo Sensei. He has began regular training, one day a month, with Kyoshi Jim Logue of Oyata Shin Shu Ho Ryu, and also trains with Kyoshi Doug Perry (Shorin Ryu Shorinkan) in kobudo, okuden, and bunkai.

"After almost 26 years, karate is a way of life that both enriches and continually challanges me. I teach at three schools for a very small monthly fee, so that I can share what I have learned with others. One of these schools is at a university. The student(s) from this school will, I hope, spread the true way to many places in this country and perhaps the world. For the old way, as taught to me from the beginning, is the only way. Those of us who still feel this way must continue to try and spread the classical, traditional art of karate-do."