What Don will be teaching at WinterFest:
Interpretation of Kata, Energy Strikes & Close range fighting skills
Shihan Donald Joyner has been with involved with Uechi Ryu for over 35 years and trained with many of the great karate masters from all over the world including Master Kanei Uechi, James Thompson, Toshiyuki Itokazu, and Shinyu Gushi.
8°dan 11-21-08 Uechi Ryu Ryukokaku Certification #8006 Kyoshi 11-21-08 Uechi Ryu Ryukokaku Certification #8006 Shihan Certification #169 by the Okinawa Karate-Do Association [OkiKuKai] 7°dan in 2000 Okinawa Karate-Do Association [OkiKuKai] by Walter Mattson 6°dan in 1994 Okinawa Karate-Do Association [OkiKuKai] by James Thompson 5° in August 1989 Uechi Ryu Soke Shubukan by James Thompson 4°dan in 1984 Uechi Ryu Soke Shubukan by James Thompson 3°dan in 1982 Uechi Ryu Soke Shubukan by James Thompson 2°dan in 1980 Uechi Ryu Soke Shubukan by James Thompson 1°dan in 1976 Uechi Ryu Soke Shubukan by Bill Keith
Mr. Joyner began his Okinawan Karate training in 1972 at the Kalamazoo YMCA under Black-Belts Steve Fuller and Bill Keith of the Okinawan Karate Club of Kalamazoo, MI.
His formal training was under James Thompson, 9th Degree Black Belt and Shihan Hanshi Master Instructor of the Okinawan Karate Academy, in Kalamazoo, Michigan and one of the highest ranking in the world.
In August 1984, Mr. Joyner attended the Summer Camp training in Boston, where he met Grand Master Kañei Uechi and studied Wu-Shu Tiger and Crane forms under two Wu-Shu masters from Red China.
Mr. Joyner was owner/operator of Joyner’s Professional Karate School in Grand Rapids, Michigan, from 1991-2002. During that period, he also trained several Junior Olympics participants who won trophies in national tournaments.
On November 21, 2008, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mr. Joyner was promoted to 8th Degree Black Belt by Grand Master Shinyu Gushi, Kyudan & Ryukokaku president.