ABOUT US
Dojo History
Lakewood Budo Kai was founded in May of 1979 by Jim Kelton. Jim's instructor, Professor Carl Beaver, encouraged him to open the dojo and with his help he opened it at the Lakewood, California YMCA. On the first night he had a grand total of nine students, four students in Jujitsu and five in Karate. That very first night there were no mats, so the Jujitsu students had to work out on the bare floor; the students weren't very happy with this and it wasn't long before Jim was gifted with some mats from his instructor. Within a year and hoping to reach a larger audience Jim moved the dojo to the City of Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine where we hold classes out of a local city park building and has been doing so to this day.
We have been instrumental in hundreds of lives, from the white belt who started this month to the ones who started in our children's class and have grown and moved up and continued training in our adult classes. Our students have come from all walks of life and professions; including teachers, students, engineers, scientists, mechanics, managers, just to name a few. They all have been drawn to us because of our uniqueness and quality of instruction. Using traditional Japanese training and philosophy and with our comprehensive classes and instruction, students will develop a fellowship between each other. Students learn and progress at their own rate based on their individual strengths and weaknesses. Students are grouped by rank and practice with a partner of the same level. This allows students to focus on techniques that are appropriate to their skill level. A black belt or a senior ranking student, will guide and assist all students with their individual progress.
When you train with us you join our family and our commitment to the martial arts. All of our students are part of a noble and traditional family of martial artists. Our students learn and train to uphold time tested leadership traits of commitment, courage, honesty, integrity, loyalty, and respect.
The Meaning of Our School's Name
Lakewood Budo Kai, the name of our school, has a deeper and more profound meaning to it's name then it might seem on the surface. Learning and understanding the deeper meaning to the name of our school is important.
Lakewood - When our school first started it was located in the City of Lakewood, CA. and even though it moved to the City of Long Beach, CA long ago we keep it as part of the name for historical reference.
Budo - Budo is often translated as "the Way of the Warrior", or "Martial Way". It can also be interpreted as a "Way of Stopping Conflict".
Kai - Kai is the Japanese word for "School".
When you put them all together, Lakewood Budo Kai literally translated means "The Lakewood School of Stopping Conflict". We use the words Budo Kai as a reminder that we learn martial arts not to fight, but to stop conflict.
Our Vision, Our Mission, Our Values
Our Vision, Mission, and Core Values convey Lakewood Budo Kai’s purpose, our priorities, how we work together, and the positive impact we have not only on our students but also the local Long Beach community as a whole.
Our Vision is to provide traditional martial arts training and development through strong relationships between our instructors, black belts, and students.
Our Mission is to build a successful martial arts school that supports the growth and successful advancement of students by providing training and facilitating personal development.
Some of the Core Values that all of our instructors, and black belts are committed to following and instilling in our students are:
- Respect - Everyone is treated with respect and courtesy. Respect is not something one can demand, but is earned by continually showing respect to others.
- Discipline - Discipline plays an important role in our training. Higher ranking students aid lower ranks while lower ranking students follow the direction and guidance of our higher ranks.
- Development - We help our students reach higher levels by understanding their challenges, encouraging them, and facilitating their personal development.
- Rewarding - We provided an enjoyable and rewarding environment for training and personal development opportunities.
- Trust - We seek to earn the trust of our students and others by being respectful, honest, and consistent in what we do and say.
Lakewood Budo Kai Instructors
Following the Samurai traditions, we have high expectations for all our black belts.They are role models and a positive influence on our students, our Dojo, and our local community. They teach to give back to the Dojo, carrying on the traditions of our school and teach the arts in their purest form.
Dojo Founder
Hachidan Shorin Ryu Karate
Hachidan Danzan Ryu Jujitsu
Sandan Kodenkan Judo
Nidan Iai
