Brawny’s Dojo
Here you find info on our mission
Our Mission
Overall fitness and wellness for everyone is the ultimate mission of this dojo. Everything from weight loss to peace of mind, from strengthening to healing, from growing muscles to growing confidence, from artistic expression to real life, and self-defense skills – it is all trained and balanced here.
This is encouraged and facilitated through each individual’s efforts. We recognize that everyone starts from somewhere different, and maybe for different reasons. So it’s our goal to understand everyone’s goals on an individual level. For in order to set both realistic and high-reaching ambitions for where we strive to be, we must first know where we’ve come from and where we are now.
Everyone, regardless of age, ability, and experience, are welcome and encouraged to train. You need only bring the desire to learn.
We will get stronger together.
Services We Offer
Traditional karate:
Through a focus on basic punching, kicking, blocking, and grappling techniques; practitioners learn focus and determination while strengthening the connection between mind and body. Choreographed sequenced routines combining several similar techniques, otherwise known as “kata”, are an extremely versatile form of exercise that can develop muscular strength, cardio-vascular strength, visualization, and muscle memory for a wide variety of self-defense techniques. We also learn the history and philosophies behind each technique and style – because knowing the why is just as important as knowing the how.
Fitness:
Alternating between high intensity intervals and low intensity steady states of bodyweight exercises builds strong muscles, joints, heart, and lungs – which are all essential to achieving a long and healthy life. We also do a lot of flexibility training to increase the training’s effectiveness through general injury prevention and reduced recovery time. All of this together can help a trainee see improvements in all aspects of life, including metabolism, mood, focus, and even sleep.
Sparring:
In literal terms, this is the German word for “play” – a sentiment we strive for at Brawny’s Dojo. Sparring is used as an excellent tool for improving both cardio and reflexes. It develops camaraderie and understanding that can be applied both inside and outside of the dojo. An emphasis on full speed, yet light contact sparring will safely, yet effectively, pressure test the techniques we learn in class – thus making them useful in the real world. Developing reflexes and an understanding of body language can be applied elsewhere in life to avoid and diffuse many dangerous situations.
Self defense:
Being able to protect yourself at all times is the original purpose of karate. Students will learn situational awareness, conflict management, de-escalation, and the techniques that work in real-life situations. Through drills and pressure testing, these techniques can be utilized automatically in hopes of stopping a threat. Through hard body conditioning, students will gain the toughness needed to handle whatever comes their way.
Traditional weapons:
The practice of weapons instills a lot of strength, situational awareness, spatial awareness, and responsibility. It trains aspects of the body that are often overlooked in other forms of callisthenic exercise, that can still be useful in many aspects of life outside of the martial arts. The training of traditional weapons also includes their historical context, which deepens one’s understanding of how the traditions of karate came to be and survive to the present day. Additionally, a student will also learn how to defend against these weapons in a practical sense.
Personal training:
Is there something you want to work on that wasn’t covered in class? Do you have a weakness you would like to focus on to strengthen? One-on-one time might be the answer. We can work together on your schedule to cover any bases you’d like additional focus on.
Online training:
If you’re interested in learning karate, but there aren’t any schools in your area. Or if there’s something special about this dojo that you can’t find anywhere else. Then there’s no need to worry. Through the power of the internet, you can still learn our style, from us, whenever it’s convenient for you.
About the Style – Isshinryu Karate
“The Way of One Heart” is a streamlined karate style codified by Tatsuo Shimabuku in 1956. By combining katas learned from Shorinyu karate, the breath and body control learned from Gojuryu karate, the simplified fighting principles learned from “10th dan of street fighting” Choki Motobu, and traditional weapons from Taino Shinken – Isshinryu became an easy to learn system focused on practicality and strengthening the body with previously unseen efficiency. This made the style a favorite among USMC troops who were stationed in Okinawa after World War II, many of whom brought what they had learned from Shimabuku back to the states after their tours were complete.
Isshinryu also has some original signatures that make it different from any other style of martial arts. Isshinryu pioneered the thumb-on-top vertical fist method of punching, which is all-around stronger, faster, and more versatile. Our “muscle” block technique is easy to learn and can absorb more force than “bone” blocks in other styles, while also providing a sturdy, natural base to set up counter attacks. Isshinryu also heavily utilizes footwork known as the “circle-step”, a unique and versatile movement that allows for quick forward, backward, or angled movement without compromising stability while keeping the lower-body protected.
Isshinryu trains eight empty-handed katas. Seven of which are found in the advanced sections of many other karate styles, and one that was developed originally by Tatsuo Shimabuku, himself. These katas have been streamlined for the body’s natural structure, allowing the movements to be easier applied to realistic combat scenarios. We also train techniques with several traditional Okinawan weapons – such as staff, sais, tonfas, nunchucks, and kamas.
Philosophy
There’s also a heavy aspect of philosophy involved in the training of Isshinryu karate. Most of which is demonstrated in the emblem of Isshinryu, sometimes referred to as the “Mizugami” – which was developed by Shimabuku’s student, Master Arcieno Advincula.
The water goddess is a symbol of adaptability, swimming with and overcoming the turbulent seas of life with clear skies, representing peace of mind. Her pose with one hand open and one fist closed shows the philosophy of peace backed by a readiness to fight. The emblem is shaped like the oval of a vertical fist and outlined with the orange fire of your spirit. The dragon is a symbol of strength rising above, or sometimes Tatsuo (translated: dragon boy) Shimabuku himself. Stars come in three, representing both mind, body, spirit, and Shimabuku’s initial influences, Chokuto Kyan, Chogin Miyagi, and Choki Motobu. Or there may be five stars to represent the five founders of Isshinryu – Kyan, Miyagi, Motobu, Shinken, and Shimabuku.
You’ll also notice a symbol called the “mitsu tomoe” in our own emblems. These three swirling commas show the circle of life in Earth, Heaven, and Man are often used as protective symbols. The Brawny’s Dojo emblem pays homage to Sensei Brawny’s first teacher, who used a lion rampart over the mitsu tomoe – showing courage and leadership. Sensei Brawny chose a rearing horse. Horses are peaceful, yet known for their strength, as well as their abilities to defend themselves, learn, form friendships, and help mankind with hard work.
Your Lead Instructor
Growing up in a small town in New York, Brawny had an interest in martial arts from a young age. At thirteen, his father enrolled him in a nearby Kuk Sool Won school, where he trained alongside his father and younger brother for three years. Filled with ambitions of working in stunt choreography, alongside a desire to help those around him become stronger and healthier, Brawny sought to improve himself even further. This path eventually brought him to cross-train in Isshinryu karate. After his black belt test in Kuk Sool Won, Brawny switched to training Isshinryu full time – earning his first degree in just over a year-and-a-half.
Through Isshinryu, he branched out into Judo, Capoeira, and gymnastics. All while learning as much as he could about all forms of health and healing.
It wasn’t long before Brawny started helping his sensei around the dojo, and found a great deal of enjoyment in leading the kids’ classes. The experience brought him a lot of insight on how to work with each individual’s needs while balancing the needs of the group. Through research, patience and empathy, Brawny helped several students with a variety of special needs see great progress.
He also enjoyed travelling cross-state to compete. Brawny earned many victories in empty-hand katas, weapons katas, point sparring, kickboxing, and MMA.
Eventually, he moved to Florida to attend film school. It was during this time that his friends gave him his nickname for the determination and intensity he uses to tackle every task and challenge.
After graduating college, Brawny continued to travel, train, and study. After a few years, he settled back in Orlando to work as a personal trainer. During this time, one of his friends for help in losing weight. Brawny happily obliged and encouraged their other friends to join along. They trained in parks around Orlando as much as possible, and all saw significant improvements in their overall health.
Now, Brawny continues to teach at the Goldenrod Recreation Center in Orlando, Florida, in hopes of helping more people reach a stronger state of mind, body, and spirit.
Benefits
In short – everyone can find something they love about training karate and reap the benefits of such training. Fitness and strength are universally given if the training is of adequate intensity.
Children:
Kids in karate are widely shown to benefit in their discipline. This can reach to grades and better behavior at home. Progressing through the ranks young will instill confidence and facilitate a mind that can learn anything. Training together encourages friendship and empathy for other people, encouraging them to contribute to their communities as they grow older and instilling a strong sense of right and wrong. Acquiring a passion for fitness early on will instill healthy habits that they’ll carry throughout their lives. Strengthening the body properly, with an emphasis on flexibility, at this age can prevent injuries even into adulthood.
Adolescence:
When the competitive spirit becomes its strongest, learning the skills needed to utilize this drive will set the stage for tackling all of life’s approaching challenges. Teenagers often find camaraderie through their friends at the dojo. A safe, social escape from other stresses, while simultaneously training the mindset that can best rise to these challenges when they come. Additionally, through this, they will learn collaborative and leadership skills that will help them fit in anywhere they find themselves – and the skills for self defense when necessary.
Adults:
Karate is a great place to vent the stress of day while further developing essential life skills. Not just for self-defense. But staying strong for all of life’s unexpected twists and turns (both physical and metaphorical). And staying strong for those we care about through it all. It is here that the determination and fitness we acquire through training is possibly its most useful.
Seniors:
Karate is an extremely versatile art and sport that can be practiced by all ages – especially seniors. The philosophy of beginning and ending with kata provides a framework for maintaining, and even gaining, in overall strength and health, even as time threatens our muscles and bones. Thus preventing injuries and disease when we’re the most vulnerable to them. Isshinryu’s streamlined approach to self-defense can help senior practitioners protect themselves from those that may see them as a target.
