• IUKF Board of Directors: Bruce Hirabayashi
• Rank: Hanshi / Kyudan (9th Degree Black Belt), Uechi-ryu Karate-do
• Brief Bio:
  • Began training in Uechi-ryu Karate-do in 1979 at the University of Virginia / Charlottesville, with Sensei Bill Glasheen.  Continuous training in Uechi-ryu Karate-do for +47 years, teaching for +45 years.
  • Bruce has led many Uechi-ryu seminars in both Europe and North America.  He is particularly interested in the basic plumbing of martial arts:  how to receive, redirect, and generate power effortlessly thru balance, optimal body alignment and connection to the ground.  Bruce has deepened his understanding in this area thru years of training in yoga and in traditional functional strength training using Maces, Heavy Clubs and Kettlebells.
  • Bruce has founded Uechi-ryu dojos in Newport News Virginia (USA), Regensburg (Germany), Atlanta, Georgia (USA) and Cooperstown, New York (USA).  He currently lives and trains in Cooperstown, New York. Bruce’s senior student is Paul Kronschnabl, Kyoshi/Nanadan, who runs the two IUKF dojos in Regensburg and Pettendorf, Germany.
  • Dual USA/France citizen.  One of 5 siblings, Bruce has lived and/or worked in Ecuador, Brazil, Ethiopia, France, Germany and the USA. A native English speaker, Bruce is still reasonably fluent in German, but his French is a bit rusty (which is disappointing to his very French mother).
  • Bruce has been blessed with four intelligent, athletic and successful adult children, unfortunately none of whom train in Uechi-ryu at the moment.

• Professional work:  Chief Operating Officer (COO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of businesses in the automotive, electronics, large equipment building and consumer goods sectors.

Other activities / interests:  Photography (landscapes, sports, events), traditional functional strength training, yoga, road biking, hiking and travel.