MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear IUKF Members:
As I step into the role of President of the International Uechi-Ryu Karate Federation, I am honored and deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve this dedicated community. Uechi-Ryu is a living Okinawan tradition rooted in discipline and respect.
The IUKF is built on the strength of our instructors, students, and dojos. This newsletter marks a new effort to stay connected, share our progress, and celebrate our members’ achievements. Each quarter, we will highlight promotions, dojo news, events, training insights, and the stories that make our community strong. I ask that you openly share news from your dojos and contribute articles of interest to our members. I will reach out to you in advance of each quarter’s newsletter publication.
Thank you so much for your ongoing commitment to Uechi-Ryu and the IUKF. The Board of Directors and the operations team are dedicated to supporting you and your dojos. I’m excited about the journey ahead and look forward to growing and strengthening our organization together in the coming months!
Respectfully,
Justin Testa
President, International Uechi-Ryu Karate Federation
QUARTER 1 2026 HIGHLIGHTS We began the new year by restructuring the IUKF’s administration. Our new Board of Directors comprises experienced professionals committed to improving the IUKF. The Board consists of Mario Rizzo, Treasurer; Bruce Hirabayashi, Secretary; Patty Dando, Director; Rik Lostrito, Director; and Justin Testa, President.Supporting the ongoing operations of the IUKF are Lee Adams, Dan Promotions Administrator; Bruce Witherell, Titles Administrator; Al Wharton, Oversight Promotions Administrator; Dan Maestas, Dojo Administrator; and Cecilia Salbuchi, Web Administrator.George Mattson, IUKF Grandmaster and Advisor to the President.Henry Thom, Chairman Emeritus
Darin Yee and Tim Dando visited Okinawa this January. During their visit, Tim delivered a New Year’s greeting letter and a gift from the IUKF to the Uechi Family Soke, Uechi Sadanao.
Sensei George Mattson published a new book, Enduring Strength, this February.
WinterFest 2026 took place in Lake Mary, Florida, in early March. It was a wonderful two days of martial arts enjoyed by all. Thank you, George and Susan, for hosting this event once again.
DAN PROMOTIONS & TITLES
2025 Promotions and Titles
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Brendon Campbell |
Shodan |
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Jürgen Donhauser |
Sandan |
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Karen Van Ness |
Sandan/Shidoin |
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Volker Kösztner |
Sandan |
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Bynne B. Harris, Jr. |
Nidan |
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Anton Gareis |
Sandan |
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David Berndt |
Hachidan |
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Peter Kronschnabl |
Sandan |
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Paul Andrew Swift |
Nanadan |
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Thomas Müller |
Yondan |
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Bynne B. Harris, Jr. |
Nidan |
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John O’Doherty |
Yondan |
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Trevor Goss-Packard |
Nidan |
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Yulanda Francis |
Yondan |
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Dean Packard |
Nidan |
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William Alfred Spriggs |
Godan |
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Megan Gower |
Nidan |
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Alaia F.V. Wharton |
Shodan |
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Andrea Giuntoli |
Shidoin |
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Brian Briggs |
Shodan |
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Megan Gower |
Nidan |
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Jeff Jensen |
Shodan |
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David James Higgins |
Nidan |
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Timothy Skudder |
Shodan |
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Michael Anson Bass |
Sandan |
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Walter Cobessi |
Nidan |
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David R. Robison |
Shodan |
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Lionel Reynaud |
Yondan |
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William R. Biddell |
Shodan |
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Paula Sofía Villarroel |
Shodan |
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Shawn Spalti |
Shodan |
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Daniel Carlos Cardone |
Shodan |
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Jean Gregory |
Shodan |
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Ben Rogers |
Nidan |
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Leo Blinn |
Nanadan |
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Barney Harsent |
Shodan |
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Nancy Beatriz Reynoso |
Shidoin |
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Patricia Dando |
Rokudan |
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Lukasz Bardzinski |
Shodan |
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John Guarnieri |
Yondan |
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Yohann Galy |
Shodan |
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Neven Tomas |
Nidan |
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Stacy Smith |
Yondan |
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Aiya Swanson |
Shodan |
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Griffin Arndt |
Nidan |
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Brett Allen Allio |
Shodan |
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Juan C. Nova |
Sandan |
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Heather Lynn Allio |
Nidan |
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Amelia Nova |
Shodan |
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Kenneth Edward Ness |
Shodan |
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Harley Kaiser |
Sandan |
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Kenneth Phillps |
Sandan |
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Macdonald Huechinson |
Godan |
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Richard Aik |
Shodan |
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Markus Keidler |
Shodan |
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Jerome Charbonneau |
Shodan |
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Raphael Neudert |
Shodan |
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Mark Todd |
Shodan |
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Manuela Beiel |
Shodan |
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Michael McGee |
Hachidan |
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Assad Gorab |
Nidan |
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2026 Q1 Promotions and Titles
|
Lee Adams |
Hanshi |
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Kristin Amirault |
Nanadan |
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Jayel Cuaresma |
Rokudan |
DOJO NEWS
| Tiger Martial Arts: This month Wendi Barker celebrated 28 years of Uechi-Ryu karate study and 21 years of running the Tiger Martial Arts dojo on Whidbey Island, WA, USA. |
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| Membership fees are due: If you haven’t already, please pay your 2026 IUKF membership fee. If a dojo’s fee is not paid by April 1, 2026, we will assume you no longer wish to be a member of the organization, and your dojo will be removed from the Website. Black Belt Registry Accuracy: During the next quarter, let’s make an effort as dojo senseis to check the accuracy of the black belt registry on the website and make sure all the Dan rank and titles are accurate for yourself and your dojo members. Send any changes to the IUKF email address. Also, as new Dan and title certificates are awarded to your students, please let Cecilia Salbuchi know. (mailto:csalbuchi@gmail.com). Website Logo and Heading Changes: We have updated the IUKF logo to better align with the organization’s name. Also, please note that the Sensei “Login” heading has been changed to Sensei “Portal”. This section of the website will be used more extensively to communicate with our dojo owners. |
EVENTS
| Euro Workout 2026📅 Date:11, 12, 13 September 2026 📍 Location: Canterbery, KENT UK 🔗 Registration / Contact: Lee Adams, shogun640@gmail.com |
Online Workouts  Sitka Alaska Uechi-Ryu Club and the Mattson Academy of Karate regularly provide live online workouts and extend invitations to IUKF Dan-ranked members to participate. The schedules and links are available on the website. https://iukf.net/online-workouts/ If your dojo offers online classes and you would like to invite the IUKF community to join, please feel free to reach out to Cecilia Salbuchi at mailto:csalbuchi@gmail.com IUKF Meeting: Keep an eye out for the announcement of an online dojo sensei meeting. We are targeting April. |
| FEATURED ARTICLE |
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WAUKE by Justin Testa Many martial artists believe that learning more techniques makes them better prepared to defend themselves. This might include practicing different kata, forms, throws, wrist manipulations, submissions, and strategies for defending against weapons. However, it’s worth asking, “Am I truly better equipped to defend myself by mastering more and more techniques?” To explore this, let’s consider Hick’s Law.Hick’s Law is a valuable concept from psychology that explains how the number of choices we have can influence the time it takes us to make a decision. Hick’s Law states that as the number of options increases, the decision time grows with the number of choices. In karate, Hick’s Law can also help explain why practicing a few simple techniques thoroughly is often the most effective approach for self-defense. When you’re physically attacked, your body doesn’t wait for you to think — it reacts automatically to survive. Your body triggers the fight, flight, or freeze response, with an adrenaline rush that boosts strength and speed but reduces fine motor control. The flinch reflex is a basic survival instinct that allows the body to respond quickly to potential threats. This reaction is part of the body’s “startle reflex,” which is controlled by the brainstem and occurs without conscious thought. Among Uechi-Ryu’s arsenal of movements, one stands out as a cornerstone of the system’s strategy—the Hirate Mawashiuke, or wauke. In analyzing the movements of the eight kata of Uechi-ryu, the wauke is performed about three times more often than the next most frequent movement, the nukite. Why is this the case? There is an underlying message from the system’s creators about the importance of this movement for self-defense. The wauke serves as the foundation for limiting the number of choices (Hick’s Law) for practical self-defense. It is the wauke that acts as a bridge to the follow-up strikes. As you perform your kata and execute the many wauke–strike combinations, be mindful that the most critical movement in the series of movements is the wauke. Also, grasp the significance of the “flinch” action in self-defense and how the wauke equips you for this purpose. |
| CLOSING MESSAGE |
As we close this first edition of the IUKF quarterly newsletter, I hope you enjoyed reading it. Our goal is for this newsletter to become a meaningful way for members of our federation to stay informed, inspired, and connected. One of the great strengths of our organization is the global community we share. Although distance may separate our dojos geographically, communication helps keep us united. This newsletter can serve as a bridge—bringing our experiences, accomplishments, and knowledge together in one place so we can continue learning from one another. We invite all members to contribute to future editions. Please consider sharing news from your dojo, student promotions, upcoming events, or other achievements within your community. We also welcome articles that explore training methods, history, philosophy, or personal insights that deepen our collective understanding of Uechi-Ryu karate. I also welcome any feedback, questions, or suggestions you may have. Your input will help us continue improving this newsletter and ensure it remains valuable to everyone in our organization. Thank you for being part of this journey. Justin jtesta028@gmail.com |