Kodokai Dojo
Authentic Martial Arts Straight fom Okinawa, Japan
Practical Self-Protection
Inner-calm
Improved Fitness
Confidence
What We Teach
The style you will learn at Kodokai Dojo, known as the 'bodyguard' martial art, was developed centuries ago to protect the royal family on Okinawa. At first glance Palace Hand appears to be a mixed martial art with the the striking power of karate, fluidity of aikido, and joint locks and throws of ju-jitsu, but it also very different from these other styles.
It is called Udundi, meaning 'Palace Hand'.
Because Palace Hand is a self-defense art and not a sport, it offers well-rounded skills so you can handle yourself in a variety of situations.
If you like the training methods and philosophy of traditional martial arts but also want diverse and practical self-defense skills, Palace Hand is your answer!
As you scroll through the photos, you will see some of the things we teach. If self-defense is important to you we can provide training that you simply can't get elswhere.
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 sporting contests.
Learn to defend against a weapon and to use anything as a weapon.
Palace Hand was a battlefield art specialized for dealing with weapons.
Diverse skills- not just punching and kicking.
Palace Hand includes, throws, chokes, joint locks and strikes.
Palace Hand uses 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. The gives a degree of control
that is lacking in many martial arts styles.
Leverage, timing and angles rather than strength.
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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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 the prohibited techniques, you also won't learn to defend against them.
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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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The environment (snow, furniture, avenues of escape) isn't a factor.
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.
Do you know what to do if you find yourself on the ground?
People learn martial arts for a variety of reasons and some people are not interested in self-defense. But, we have seen, repeatedly, that self-defense becomes an urgent priority when bad things actually happen to someone. Those who previously weren't interested in self-defense rapidly change their minds. We have had many people come to us from other schools, after spending years and fortunes, after finding that they have no functional skills.
Many schools offer 'self defense' on certain nights, often with guest instructors to teach special skills (for an added fee), but this is not ideal. You can't rely on a technique that you barely know and only dust off occasionally.
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 defend themselves. A subpar school might give you a black belt, but it won't give you the confidence and skills to protect yourself and your family.
Have any questions?
