The
President and Founder of the International Shorin Ryu
Karate Kobudo Federation is Master George W. Alexander. He is
acknowledged as the “World pioneer of Shorin Ryu Karate”. He began
his training in 1964 while serving in the United States Marine Corps.
His Marine Corps assignments enabled him to journey to the orient
including mainland Japan, Okinawa and Southeast Asia. He began
training in Shorin Ryu Karate in 1964 while stationed at Camp Lejeune,
North Carolina. He quickly earned a reputation as a rugged fighter
in the Marine Corps. During his career he trained with a host of
noted masters. He made it a point of seeking out the best
instructors.
A decorated veteran, he served as a team leader with the US Marine’s 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company in Vietnam. In 1967 and 1968 while stationed at Dong Ha, Vietnam he led jungle teams which gathered intelligence information. Since then he has become a uniquely qualified and popular instructor with international teaching credentials and experience. He has traveled widely to spread the teachings of Shorin Ryu Karate.
RANKS AND TITLES
10th Dan Hanshi Shorin Ryu Karate
10th Dan Okinawa Kobudo
9th Dan Hanshi Jujitsu
7th Dan Kendo
6th Dan Kukishin Ryu Bujitsu
3rd Dan Judo
Master Alexander earned a Baccalaureate Degree in Business
Administration from Florida Atlantic University inBoca Raton, Florida in
1979 and did graduate work in Asian history at the same university under
Dr. Tsung I. Dow. He then received his Ph.D. in political science.
He received his Master Certificate and teaching credentials in Shorin
Ryu Karate and Kobudo in 1983 from the All Okinawan Shorin Ryu Karate
and Kobudo Association. He now holds the rank of 9th Dan Hanshi in
Shorin Ryu Karate and Kobudo and is also acknowledged as an expert in
Jujitsu and Kendo, the Japanese form of swordsmanship.
In 1989 he founded Yamazato International, a company specializing in
martial arts publications and video productions. He has been
featured in a series of videotapes on Karate, Kobudo and Jujitsu. In
1991 he was inducted into the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He has
competed in Tournaments and was the 1997 National AAU Karate champion
and voted one of the world’s top 100 martial artists by the
International Martial Arts Federation. He has won many titles including
USA Karate Champion and World Karate Champion. He has served as a
director and advisor for many martial arts organizations and is
currently a vice president of the World Union of Martial Arts
Federations.
Master Alexander has always been fascinated with the history of the martial arts and is an oriental art collector. As a result of this fascination, he has done much historical research and translation work and written numerous articles on the martial arts. According to Master Alexander, “History and technique seem to intertwine themselves.” He has written two of the leading books on Okinawan karate history. The first, Okinawa Island of Karate is an in-depth study on Okinawan Karate history. The second book is a translation of a secret text known as the Bubishi (Martial Art Spirit). He has also written The Shorin Ryu Karate Training Manual and Warrior Jujitsu, a complete training guide in the art of Jujitsu. In addition, he has written the Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Japanese Martial Arts and Japan’s Warrior Nation –The Samurai in the Twentieth Century. He has been featured in a video called The Secrets of the Bubishi. Master Alexander has established the Budokan Martial Arts Training Center and Museum in Reliance, Tennessee.
Master Alexander, Hanshi 10th Dan can be contacted the ISKKF Honbu Dojo
or Yamazato Videos/Publications at 180 Yellow Jacket Drive Hwy 315,
Reliance, TN 37369 Tel. (423) 338-4972, Fax. (423) 338-5651, website
www.yamazato-videos.com. email
alexyama@mindspring.com.