Kodokai Dojo
Straight from the Source
What We Teach
We teach a form of ju-jitsu from Okinawa called Palace Hand, or, Udundi. Known as the 'bodyguard martial art', Palace Hand was developed to protect the royal family.
Palace Hand, unlike most martial arts, combines strikes, throws, joint locks, chokes and other skills. This makes it a great martial art for personal defense, and with such diverse techniques, it never gets dull!
We also include skills from karate, Brazilian ju-jitsu, and judo to complement our primary method.
We are not a sport martial arts gym where sweaty burly guys are eager to grind you into the mats nor are we a 'karate' school with birthday parties, board breaking and ineffective training methods.
Instead we provide personalized instruction, focused on self defense, in a safe, welcoming environment.
We have a beautiful dojo, an endlessly fascinating martial art style, and a desire to help everyone learn. And we love working with new people!
Knife defense
Active Shooter Drill
About Palace Hand
My Palace Hand teachers,
Taira and Takamiyagi Sensei's.
Palace Hand does not rely upon strength.
It is ideal for anyone who may face a larger or stronger attacker.
Palace Hand is specialized for multiple attackers.
Most martial arts are designed for one-against-one.
Learn to defend against weapons.
Palace Hand was a battlefield art specialized for dealing with weapons.
Diverse skills- not just punching and kicking.
Palace Hand includes, throws, joint locks, strikes and more.
Simultaneous offense and defense.
Very few styles have this level of efficiency.
Techniques can be effective while causing minimum harm or they may be escalated to instantly become destructive.
This gives a degree of control that is lacking in many martial arts styles.
Our Teaching Philosophy
1. Our classes are not just for the athletic.
Anyone can benefit and we strive to help everyone succeed.
2. Classes should be fun.
While we take your training seriously, we know that people learn faster and
perform better when they are comfortable.
3. Movements should support good health.
We teach the use of proper mechanics and natural movement. Martial arts practice should make you healthier and not cause damage to your body.
4. Progress at your own pace.
Everyone learns differently. We are optimized for personalized teaching within a group setting.
You don't have to be concerned about 'keeping up' or holding anyone back.
Sport martial arts vs. Self-defense arts
When searching for a martial arts school it is important that you choose a school that provides the type of experience you desire. If you want to compete in tournaments, any karate school or BJJ school will do. But self-defense training is different from sport training.
In sporting contests;
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There is only one opponent.
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Your opponent doesn't have a weapon.
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Your opponent is similar in size (weight), skill level or age.
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You won't be attacked from behind.
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It is safe to go to the ground.
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Rules severely limit what you will learn.
For example, strikes with the fists, elbows and feet are prohibited in jiu-jitsu contests. Throws, joint locks and ground fighting are prohibited in karate tournaments. This means that you not only won't learn how to do the prohibited techniques, you also won't learn to defend against them.
Many people enjoy sport martial arts but it is important to understand that there are significant differences in what you will learn and how you will spend your class time based upon the school you choose.
We focus on providing consistent, practical, and effective training using a combination of striking, kicking, and grappling techniques to teach our students effective ways to protect themselves.
While practicing these skills you will improve your balance, coordination, strength, cardio and flexibility. All of these things can help you greatly in other aspects of your life. Our method will gently challenge your mental and physical abilities encouraging growth in directions you may not expect!
Do you know what to do if you find
yourself on the ground?
