TRADITIONAL KARATE ATLANTA

 

TESTIMONIALS

Daniel Levitas
Pulitzer Prize & National Book Award Nominated Author

"After studying karate for only a short time many years ago, I am incredibly grateful that I found Sensei Shimoji and TKA when I finally decided to pursue training once more. The authenticity of practice, clarity of teaching and devotion to karate as a unifying principle by which one can live one’s life are always present – whether in the seemingly simplest of drills or the great seminars that are offered. As a marathon runner, I can also say without qualification that the careful attention to breathing technique, core energy and proper body mechanics that are among the uniquely effective hallmarks of Sensei Shimoji’s teaching have been absolutely indispensable to my running. As a beginning student, I also would emphasize that those who train at TKA make the dojo an especially welcoming community and a great place to learn."

 

Sensei Nina Chenault
Minneapolis, MN

"Without a doubt, Toru Shimoji has been in the forefront of the development and teaching of traditional Shotokan Karate as presented to us by Master Hidetaka Nishiyama. He has traveled the world competing, training and teaching under the guidance of Master Nishiyama, and has established himself in the martial arts community as a unique presence. Shimoji has devoted himself in an utmost fashion to preserving the Shotokan Karatedo tradition. He is a world class instructor. As a woman, coming from the depths of Shotokan Karate training, he has been a breath of fresh air in his support and positive influence in developing roads for women to integrate into the very difficult path of traditional martial arts training."

 

Scott C. Wietecha, D.M.D.
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon

"When my life comes to an end and I reflect back upon it, the time I’ve spent with Toru and all those connected to him in Traditional Karate will be among the most special memories I possess. I would encourage anyone looking for a chance to experience the unique benefits of an authentic martial art form, driven by concepts so profound yet so natural to all of us as living beings, to investigate this school. Athleticism is not a prerequisite. Apart from the obvious self defense aspects of my study, I have learned to recognize the truth in life and in myself much more clearly because of my training. There are few places available to you anywhere in the world where such a journey is possible, TKA is one such place."

 

Karl Burgart
Traditional Karate Association Missouri

"The spiritual and scientific approach Sensei Shimoiji uses in teaching traditional karate has proved to be very effective.  Couple this approach with a genuine caring and positive attitude is a recipe for success that has positively changed my dojo in a short period of time.  My students and  I are extremely grateful."

 

Taurus Bailey, Esq.
The Walter Bailey Law Firm
Memphis, TN

"I have practiced martial arts for 25 years.  One of the most attractive things about AAKF-style Shotokan is Nishiyama Sensei's unswerving objective to refine its technique from an intellectual and practical standpoint. After all of the years of training, traveling and making lifelong friendships, I sincerely believe that Toru Shimoji not only has a natural grasp of that objective, but truly understands and articulates the technical core and fundamental nature of traditional karate.  As an attorney, training with Toru has not only taught me to develop properly for kata and kumite, but to carry that attitude into my profession."

 

Janet Hethorn, Ph.D. Designer and Professor, University of Delaware

"Each time I have the good fortune to train with Sensei Shimoji, I take away learning that I can work with over time. He has such a wonderful understanding of how bodies move and create action, combined with a deep understanding of the principles of Shotokan Karate and Sensei Nishiyama's teaching. Sensei Shimoji is clearly one of the premier martial arts instructors in the world. He can impart his teaching just as clearly and easily to beginners as to advanced, with each student feeling as if the class was directed solely at them. If only I lived in Atlanta, I would be training with him several times a week. As it is, I visit only a few times a year, but each time I feel welcomed as part of the Traditional Karate Atlanta family, and I leave energized and looking forward to the next opportunity."

 

Ron Morrin
Tequesta, Florida

"Having been involved with teaching and training in Shotokan for 30 years before training with Toru Shimoji, and being ready to retire due to injuries, I can say that my association with him has been nothing short of inspiring. He has an amazing ability to see where you are performing techniques in an injurious manner along with the skill to educate one's mind and body to do it correctly. He has renewed my enthusiasm in training correctly and to pass on those skills to other students. Toru's background in movement education, his experience as a karateka, and his openness in passing along what he knows is without parallel."

 

Ken Mitchell, M.D.

"I started out in Shotokan as a teenager after my mother found out I was boxing at the Boys Club. This was back when ISKF and AAKF were sister organizations under an intact JKA headed by Mr. Nakayama. Unfortunately, college, medical school, internship and residency often interfered with training. But I always found myself heading back to a Shotokan dojo. As it turned out, all were ISKF. Drills were the order of the day. Great aerobic work-outs without any explanations. None whatsoever. I got into a "philosophical argument" with my Sensei (a high ranking teacher from Japan) and quit. As luck would have it, one of my patients and former Sensei invited me to a week-end seminar. He told me a Sensei under Nishiyama would be coming down from Atlanta. I attended and was transformed as a karate student. Not only was Toru Shimoji an excellent technician, he was and is a superb analyst of efficient body movement and energy delivery. He explained more at that seminar than I heard in over 30 years of seminars. I have enjoyed getting to know his students from around the South Atlantic Region of the AAKF. Great camaraderie and great training. We know what a treasure we have in Toru-san!"

 

Loren R. Stoner, D.C.

"Sensei Shimoji has concisely explained the role of posture for movement and execution of karate technique with such clarity that I wished I had said it. Understanding and practicing what he has to teach has taken much longer to realize but that's just the nature of learning karate. My thanks to Sensei Shimoji for so clearly demonstrating and explaining the body mechanics of effective karate."

 

J. Hai Nguyen
Engineering Manager

"I've been training and teaching Shotokan Karate since 1979. During these years, I've trained with many shotokan instructors. In my opinion, Sensei Toru Shimoji is one of the best. One thing which distinguishes him from other martial arts instructors is that he's very humble, friendly and open. He physically demonstrates karate techniques and then proves their effectiveness in terms of human anatomy performance. I would summarize his teaching method as scientifically-based, fundamental traditional karate techniques."