NSEYET

Meet our next INSIGHT guest, Sensei Lee Gray, an 85-year-old martial artist whose journey began in Okinawa in 1960 while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.
In Part 2, Sensei Gray shares his return to his hometown of Amarillo, Texas, after retiring from the Marine Corps. He became a prison guard in a psychiatric unit—an environment where practical, real-world martial arts skills were put to the test.
The conversation then turns to karate itself, as Sensei Gray reflects on traditional karate and competition. You can hear in his voice the struggle of a lifelong traditional martial artist trying to reconcile the two.

Meet our next INSIGHT guest, Sensei Lee Gray, an 85-year-old martial artist whose journey began in Okinawa in 1960 while serving in the United States Marine Corps.
In this preview, Sensei Gray shares his search for a karate school that offered a more authentic Okinawan experience—something beyond the American GI training available at the time. That search would shape a lifetime dedicated to traditional martial arts.

In Part 2 of this conversation, Sensei Gary Tsutsui reflects on the second half of his martial arts journey, sharing the experiences, lessons, and philosophy that shaped his career. He also offers his perspective on the current state of traditional karate, discussing how training has evolved, the role of competition, and what he believes is essential to preserving the values of traditional martial arts.

A fantastic discussion with Sensei Isao Gary Tsutsui (1946–present), a distinguished Shotokan karate instructor and founder of Colorado Budokan in Denver, Colorado. With nearly 60 years dedicated to karate, he earned widespread respect as an instructor, mentor, and competitor. Trained and studied under the great late Senseis Yaguchi and Yamazaki, he was the first American to medal in kata at the 1977 WUKO World Championships. 

Part 2 of my conversation with Sensei Rick Hobusch, exploring his insights on the early Japanese karate instructors in the United States, their training philosophies, and his views on today’s karate and competitive landscape.

“Sensei Rick Hobusch reflects on his journey through the early days of karate in America, training under newly arrived Japanese instructors in the late 1960s—and the challenge of staying true to his values while navigating an organization shaped by both strong influences and darker elements.”
 

“Final installment of our three-part discussion with Sensei Marlon Moore, sharing his early martial arts experiences and perspectives from the mid-1970s.”

Join Part 2 of the conversation with Sensei Marlon Moore as he shares insights from the early years of dojo ownership and management. Surrounded by senior instructors and well-established dojos, he reflects on the challenges and struggles of building a school in those formative days. He also offers his unique perspective on the influence of the early Japanese instructors and the first generation of American martial arts teachers who helped shape the art in the United States.

Join me for Part 1 of a three-part conversation with my Sensei, Marlon Moore, as he reflects on his early karate journey and the experiences that shaped his path.

Part 2 of an in-depth, two-part conversation with Doug Jepperson, drawing on more than 50 years of karate training. Doug continues his martial arts journey, offering thoughtful and philosophical perspectives on American Japanese karate, the role of tournament competition, and the influences that shaped the art’s evolution in the United States.