MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Welcome to our second IUKF newsletter.
As we finish another quarter, I am happy to share ongoing progress throughout our organization. A key milestone was our first online membership meeting, uniting senseis from 20 dojos.
We are also pleased to welcome three new dojos to IUKF membership this quarter. Their addition expands our reach and further strengthens our community of karate practitioners dedicated to preserving and advancing Uechi-Ryu.
Another important achievement this quarter was the establishment of our Master Rank Test Board. The board evaluated several master rank candidates, marking a significant step toward ensuring consistency, integrity, and excellence in our ranking process.
Beyond these accomplishments, we continue to keep our website up to date with new content, resources, and organizational updates. I encourage all members to visit the website regularly and make it their primary source for IUKF news, resources, and upcoming events. Also, don’t forget to follow the IUKF on Instagram and Facebook.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to IUKF. I look forward to sharing even more positive developments in the months ahead.
Respectfully,
Justin Testa
President, IUKF
DOJO NEWS
New Member Dojos:
So far in 2026, we have added five dojos to the IUKF membership. The three dojos added this quarter, Adirondak, 603, and Neunberg, are from existing dojos and senseis. Organic growth is the most effective and meaningful way to grow the organization.
- Uechi Ryu London Ontario (Canada); Sensei Chris McKaskell;
- Lunenburg Karate (Nova Scotia, Canada) Sensei Terry Lantz
- Adirondack Uechi Ryu Karate (New York, USA); Sensei Jerry Charbonneau
- The 603 Karate (New Hampshire, USA); Sensei John Guarnieri
- Uechi Ryu Neunburg vorm Wald (Germany); Sensei Martin Beiel
Black Belt Registry:
Let’s work together as dojo senseis to carefully review the Black Belt Registry on the website. It’s a great opportunity to ensure that all Dan ranks and titles are correctly listed for you and your dojo members. If you notice any updates or corrections, please send them to the IUKF email. (mailto:iukfwebmaster@gmail.com )
DAN PROMOTIONS & TITLES
Q2 2026 Dan Promotions & Titles
Bruce Hirabayashi – Kyudan
Burce Hirabayashi – Hanshi
Paul Kronschnabl- Kyoshi
Annabella Harrison – Shodan
Gary Hattal – Nidan
Jon Watkins – Nidan
John Paul Perrone – Shodan
Carlos Ruiz – Shidoin
Congratulations to all!
EVENTS
Euro Workout 2026
📅 Date:11, 12, 13 September 2026
📍 Location: Canterbery, KENT UK
🔗 Registration / Contact: Lee Adams, shogun640@gmail.com
WinterFest 2027 – Save the Date!
📅 March 5 & 6th 2027 📍 Lake Mary, Florida
IUKF COMMUNITY NEWS
Okinawa:
Tim Dando personally delivers a New Year’s greeting and friendship letter, accompanied by a gift to Uechi Sadanao, the Uechi family Soke, on behalf of the IUKF.
Women of Uechi:
Women of Uechi is a grassroots organization dedicated to supporting and recognizing women’s contributions across our Uechi Ryu communities. All are welcome and appreciated as we celebrate outstanding individuals. If you know of a worthy woman karateka who deserves a shout-out, needs a scholarship, or is a pioneering contributor, please reach out so we can proudly share their story. mspattymae@aol.com; www.WomenOfUechi.com; https://www.facebook.com/WomenOfUechi/
Tiger Martial Arts:
Sensei Wendi Barker reflects on a meaningful journey with her student Olivia, from when she was 3 years old to her high school graduation this spring. It’s a proud milestone for both sensei and student, capturing what truly matters.
SANCHIN-ON-TOUR!
The IUKF invites you to share a video of your Sanchin kata while on vacation, hiking, on a business trip, or even in your backyard.
Our first Sanchin-On-Tour video features Michaela Günter, Sandan, from the Regensburg – Pettendorf, Germany, Dojo.
Micha performs Sanchin kata with Nevada Falls in Yosemite, CA, USA, in the background.
Uechi-Ryu News from Brazil
Check it out – https://iukf.net/the-guardian-nro2-newsletter-from-brazil/
Darin Yee Visits Alaska
Academy of Asian Arts
Congratulations to Tim and Patty Dando on opening their second dojo location.
1012 E. Alfred St., Tavares, FL, United States, 32771
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 another online dojo sensei meeting. We are targeting Fall 2026.
FEATURED ARTICLE
Junbi Undo: Health and Longevity Training in Martial Arts, by Rik Lostritto
In the 1950’s Kanei Uechi Sensei added Junbi Undo to the Uechi-Ryu curriculum as a means to prepare the individual for the demands of training. The specific nature and order of the exercises (from toes upward and from extremities inward) align with traditional Asian practices, which promote mobility, circulation, and breath development in addition to injury prevention.
In Uechi-Ryu, Junbi Undo is compacted into a readily learnable form. It is left to us to develop the health and longevity aspects of Uechi Ryu, which are purposely made more obvious in Junbi Undo. Because Junbi Undo is not a formal part of rank requirements, this development may go underappreciated.General Hints
Do the exercises mindfully through a comfortable range of motion without rushing.
Stay in your comfort zone, being respectful of your health and capabilities.
Remain conscious of your breath and improve abdominal breathing over time.
Relax. Tense muscles: cannot move efficiently; do not support joint health; fatigue; and are more easily injured.
Specific Hints (English terms used)
Heel Pivots: Rotate the leg fully; you may feel a gentle stretch up to your inguinal crease.
Ball of the Foot Pivots: Rotate the leg around as if doing a sokuto geri with the heel end only of the foot very slightly above the floor. You may feel a gentle stretch up to the deep inner thigh muscles, up to the glutes.
Ankle Pivots: With the leg elevated so that the femur is parallel to the floor, vary the circle size traced by the foot (e.g., 4 big circles, 4 small circles). This exercise helps develop and sustain the balance mechanism by engaging the core and challenging proprioception (body awareness) in the supporting foot as the other leg moves, oscillating your mass about some point.
Knee “Circles”: This is a misnomer; knees do not voluntarily rotate! Optimally, we are shifting our weight around the perimeter of each foot as we move our weight around in a circle over the feet. This helps our proprioception, balance, and fall resistance.
Leg lift and Turn: A more challenging version of what the ankle circles do by engaging more leg and core muscles with the leg straightened. Try and point the toes as you open the leg to the side and back. If you have difficulty, you can bend the lifted leg in a right angle and still derive benefit from this exercise.
Straight Leg Kicks: Relax your arms either at your sides or recruited into an eased arms-up position. Fighting-like tension in the back, shoulders, arms, or hands inhibits the health benefits of this exercise. Try doing the leg lifts from a neutral stance with both feet even. This engages the core (thus developing it) to lift the straight leg rather than using momentum to swing the leg from behind.
Waist Scoops: If you have lower back problems, be careful with this. In the head down position, look back between your legs and not at the floor. The latter position engages the cervical spine muscles; we are trying to relax them. As you come up, bend your knees slightly and roll your hips back a little, which shifts your center of mass back and takes the strain off your lower back as you rise.
Body Stretching: Three pointers: (1) when you stretch in the circle reach as far as you can with your arms, as if you’re inside a hollow sphere you can just barely touch, (2) activate your hips to direct your coccyx towards the floor, and (3) when you place your hands on one leg, the fingertips of both hands should be even along the lower leg to avoid creating imbalances.
Arm Strengthening: There are several points, but I’ll offer the most important one here. The same as in a real-life grab, close your fist before bringing the hand back.
Neck Exercise: As Sensei George Mattson notes, elongate the neck before rotating it. Imagine a string from your crown being gently pulled on, keeping your neck long. If you have neck problems, be careful here.Over the years, I have added six more exercises taught to me by Senseis Spencer and Shinjo, including one specific yoga posture, to our Junbi Undo regimen.
Summary:
Uechi-Ryu’s Junbi Undo aligns with a number of Asian practices used to prepare for training and to promote health and longevity. Although not a promotion requirement, it persists as a visible activity pointing to health-related objectives. This brief article provides some hints to help optimize the health and longevity benefits of Uechi-Ryu’s Junbi Undo. Rik Lostritto
7th Dan, Kyoshi, Shihan
IUKF Director
CLOSING MESSAGE
As we move into the second half of the year, I genuinely feel excited about the incredible momentum we’re building together. The continued growth of our membership, the passionate involvement of our dojo leaders, and the dedication of our practitioners all create a strong foundation for the future of the IUKF and Uechi-Ryu Karate.
This newsletter provides a space for sharing news, achievements, ideas, and updates from across our organization. I encourage all members and dojos to contribute articles, announcements, training tips, photos, event summaries, and suggestions for new initiatives the IUKF could pursue. Your participation will help develop a valuable resource that highlights our collective experiences and the spirit of our community.
Thank you for your continued support. I look forward to working with all of you in the months ahead.
Justin Testa
jtesta028@gmail.com