"No matter how you may excel in the art of te and in your scholastic endeavors,
nothing is more important than your behavior and your
humanity as observed in daily life."

Tejunsoku, Okinawan Scholar, 1663-1734. 
As quoted in The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do by Nagamine Shoshin

Shin Gi Tai Dojo is pleased to recommend

 Iaido Seminar

by Instructor Leonard J. Pellman, co-author of Flashing Steel. 

Workshop hosted by Instructor John Mills of Seito Ryu Dojo of YMCA of Janesville.

July 30, 2010

For more information, contact Jessie Cutsinger, 608-754-6654, ext. 113

or Janesville YMCA 608-754-9622

  "Prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child"

The Shin Gi Tai Dojos are under the direction of founder and senior instructor Sensei Brad Wells.  The dojos offer instruction in traditional Karate-Do, Kobudo, self defense, and Tai Chi.  The term Shin Gi Tai refers to the harmony of spirit, mind, and body through technique.  Shin Gi Tai Wisconsin is a chartered club through the national organization, Midori Yama Budokai.  For summary information, see Dojo at a Glance and Mission Statement.

Sensei Wells holds the rank of Rokyu Dan, Renshi, which translates to "sixth degree, polished expert."   He has been practicing martial arts formally for 40 years, and began teaching in 1979 at Murray State University.   His informal training began in the early 1960s, literally as soon as he could walk--under the expert instruction of his grandfather Ken Corcoran.  Corcoran was an accomplished amateur boxer who fought the great Joe Louis in Golden Gloves competition and later sparred the World Champion in an exhibition held at Boys Town, Nebraska.  At the time of their second meeting, Corcoran was the nationally respected head football coach (1935-42) for his mentor Father Flanagan at Boys Town.  

Sensei Wells holds Dan (black belt) rank in Shotokan, Shorin Ryu, Tae Kwon Do, Wado Ryu, and Shin Nagare Karate.  He also teaches the Kuan Ping style of Tai Chi.  His teaching is an ecclectic blend of eastern and western influences.  The latter includes the field of positive psychology and the concept of Optimal Experience (Mihaly Cziksentmihaly, Martin Seligman, and others). The  cornerstone of his instruction is the concept embodied by Father Flanagan and Ken Cororcoran at Boys Town--that "sport" can build one's character and qualities of citizenship.  That concept is echoed in the tenets of traditional martial arts, as evident in the definition of the terms Shin Gi Tai. 

Though Sensei Wells has had the privilege of studying with many fine martial artists, for nearly twenty years, he enjoyed an instructional relationship with the late Master Larry Williams of Independence, Missouri.   Sensei Williams began study of the martial arts in the mid-50s, and by 1957 was a student of  Grandmaster Shoshin Nagamine.  Before his death, Sensei was awarded the rank of Eighth Dan.  In addition to his accomplishments in Shorin Ryu, Master Williams was a director in Midori Yama Budokai, where he held the title of Hanshi.  Hanshi Williams passed away in October, 2007.