My name is Wendi Barker and I run an IUKF school on Whidbey Island, Washington state. There are not many Uechi dojos in Washington – at the moment I believe there are 2. At Tiger Martial Arts we have over 100 students, most who have never really seen another Uechi sensei! We were honored to have Darin Yee Sensei come by for a visit at the end of August. He led an entire day of kids and adult classes! He is a wonderful teacher and the kids were in awe of him! The adult students loved the different perspectives and experience that Darin Sensei shared with us. He helped our students to recognize that we are part of something bigger than our little school. Having someone of such a high rank and so rich in the martial arts remind them that we are part of a world wide organization and Uechi history really meant a lot. We look forward to Darin Sensei’s visit next year to help us celebrate our 20 year anniversary. Thank you so much for coming and visiting and sharing with us!
IUKF Germany was at the first Euro Wordkout in Ramsgate in the UK. Seven Uechika from the Regensburg and Pettendorf dojos took part. An excellent event with great people and super teachers. Grandmaster George Mattson and Darin Yee were also guests and shared their knowledge with us. There were also very good seminars by Al Wharton, Lee Adams, Roy Bedard and Paul Swift.
I (Paul Kronschnabl) also had the honor of contributing on two days. All in all, it was a great event. We really enjoyed the time and look forward to hosting the 2nd Euoworkout in 2025.
Ramsgate has played host to the first European Uechi Ryu Karate seminar, which involved practitioners gathering from around the UK, Germany and the United States for a weekend of hard karate training.
Uechi Ryu is a karate style that originated on the Japanese island of Okinawa and is different from many other karate styles due to retaining much of its Chinese kung fu influences.
High ranking instructors attended to share knowledge with the participants, including octogenarian Sensei George Mattson, a 10th Dan black belt, responsible for bringing Uechi Ryu karate to America over 60 years ago from Okinawa, where he was stationed as a member of the US military.
Also leading training sessions were sensei’s Darin Yee, Paul Swift and Roy Bedard from the US, Paul Kronschrabl from Germany and Al Wharton, originally from Bermuda and now living in Kent.
The seminar was organised by Shogun Martial Arts school leader Lee Adams, who teaches karate and aikido at his full-time dojo in Herne Bay.
The event, held at Ellington Infant School, was a great success, with international visitors enjoying their time in Ramsgate. Plans are currently being made for the next European event, likely to be held in Germany next year.
For more information about training in Uechi Ryu karate, visit the Shogun Martial Arts Facebook page, or contact shogunmembers@gmail.com
Dear administrators and owners of IUKF dojos, we have inaugurated a new section where you will find the forms to pay the membership fee, dan certificates and title certificates. We show you, at the bottom of this text, how to enter the section in a short explanatory video.
Al Wharton started his Uechi Ryu Karate training in 1969 at the Mattson Academy of Karate at the Hancock Street dojo in Boston. After a year of training in Uechi Ryu, with instructors such as Jim Maloney, Bob Campbell, Victor Molton, Jon Mills, a classmate told him he had seen a wonderful demonstration of Chinese martial arts; and was inviteto attend a training session, and wanted him to come along. Al went along with his friend and met Master Chin Bing Cheung, becoming his student in Bak Sil Lum (Northern Shaolin). He trained 4 times weekly in Uechi Ryu and 3 times in Bak Sil Lum weekly, and intentionally did not let any instructors know that he practiced more than one system. He advanced in both systems and competed in many tournaments doing kumite under the guidance of Jim Maloney, and advanced classes taught by George Mattson. He continued to train and compete in both disciplines until he left Boston in 1975, when he returned to Bermuda. Al put in many hours training over the 5-6 years, and learned as much as he could.
Back home Al set about perfecting what he learned from Master Chin, performing demos and competing in many tournaments in Bermuda and abroad. Sifu Al began teaching Bak Sil Lum in 1976, having Master Chin now in Florida, and travelling overseas for further training. Sifu Al had a very good foundation in Northern Shaolin, having learned the lower sets, weapons, and two person set. He was invited by Master Chin to locate to Florida and be his disciple which was a great honor; however, his committment to teaching Uechi Ryu, once it became known to his first karate student Evryod Weeks, who found out that he was only teaching Kung Fu, and persisted with requests to study Uechi Ryu Karate kept him on the path that has led him to be the martial artist that he is today.
He therefore started teaching Uechi Ryu Karate in 1977, also over the early years studied Shotokan Karate with Kazumi Tabata and captained and coached the Bermuda Karate team in many WUKO World championships, and later studied the fundamentals of Chen Tai Chi, and Hau Shan Pai Qi Gong.
Al has taught hundreds of students in the 50 plus years, and has been recognized twice by Bermuda Government for his contribution to martial arts; having hosted many tournaments and seminars introducing some of the finest masters of martial arts to Bermuda’s shores. In 2012 he hosted the 13th edition of the Bermuda Arts And Fitness Academy’s Martial Arts Tournament, one of the largest. Sensei / Sifu Al has proven to be a teacher’s teacher, setting the foundation for advancement of many of his students who have become teachers in their own right. He can be credited with introducing Kung Fu, and Uechi Ryu Karate to Bermuda, having some of the finest practitioners come under his instruction. His legacy is secure being known in the Kung Fu and Karate fraternity along the eastern seaboard and Caribbean. He is more widely known for his Uechi Ryu Karate, having attained Master status, and has been recently promoted to 10th Dan (Judan). He was inducted into the Uechi Hall Of Fame in 1982. He has created a DVD of “Sechin Combat Bunkai” as part of his contribution to the Uechi Communitee for his 8th dan, and is preparing to contribute a Kata called “Kinsei” at his upcomming 10th dan ceremomy at Winterfest. His finest moment being present when long time student Eugene Ford won the Uechi World Title for Senior Kumite in Florida and California.
Master Al has also been recently awarded the Title of Hanshi as a consequence of his contributions to the system of Uechi Ryu Karate-Do.
Master Al is respected and admired for keeping Uechi Ryu Karate and Bak Sil Lum kung fu at the forefront of the martial arts community in Bermuda. He is now living in England with his family and has no plans to retire, as he will be teaching online classes through the Mattson Academy’s online program, in the near future.
1969:: Boston College : Started Uechi Ryu Karate training in Boston Massachusetts. 1970:: Introduced to Master Chin Bing Cheung began Bak Siu Lum practice. 1982:: Inducted into Uechi Hall Of Fame.
Master Al remembers his 1993 and 2006 tournaments as the most fulfilling. Coaching Bermuda teams in regional and world competition. Training in Okinawa with the great masters. Fought Canadian middleweight boxing champ. Created “Seichin Combat Bunkai” Created “Kinsei Kata”
2024:: Awarded the rank of Judan 2024:: Awarded the Title of Hanshi
Master / Sifu Al is married to Sophia and has three daughters Alaia, Tjana, and Zara Rose, and one adopted son Michael.
