Don Dike 7th Dan.

I have known Danita Clarke for many years and congratulate any student lucky enough to have her as Sensei.

TRAINING AT MUSO BUGEI KAI

TESTIMONIAL
I am a criminal investigator with the Federal government specializing in crimes involving living marine resources. As part of my duties, I have been trained as a firearms instructor and a defensive tactics instructor. I have also studied a couple of other martial arts styles in my life and worked out with many others with greater knowledge than I. I do not consider myself an accomplished fighter by any means, but like many others I was always looking to improve myself. I came to be a student of Sensei Danita Clarke’s merely by chance, but in retrospect, I look upon that chance meeting as life changing.
My job keeps me very busy and I have time for little else except for my family. As such, workouts consisted of the usual regiment of running, bag work, and calisthenics. However, being in my late 40's I realized I needed something which could carry me into my later years and still serve me in law enforcement. Naturally, martial arts seemed to be the answer. Being new to the St. Petersburg area at the time I began my search and revisited the styles I previously had taken. But, I quickly realized they no longer were a consideration based on my experiences. Then I found Muso Bugei Kia Warrior Arts and Okinawan Shorin Ryu. After speaking with Sensei Danita Clarke I decided to give the style a chance..... I could not have been more pleased.
Shorin Ryu offers both health and serious martial applications. The techniques taught are of real practical use as is evident to me based on my law enforcement training. The system offers simplicity and economy of movement. However, as I have learned, it is not the material but the instructor and the atmosphere which make all the difference. The Muso Bugei Kai Warrior Arts dojo excels in this aspect. The quality of the instruction is about the best I have experienced. Sensei Clarke and her senior black belt instructors offer a good balance of discipline as well as a non-militaristic atmosphere. This approach maximizes the learning potential because of the open communication between student and instructor.
The Muso Bugei Kia Warrior Arts dojo training program is well rounded. It is not based on kicking and punching over and over, but instead on good fundamentals, history, philosophy, and a thorough understanding of the techniques. Kata is a prime example of this. I had avoided kata over the years as a waste of time. After coming to Muso Bugei Kia Warrior Arts I have learned the functionality of kata and it’s overall benefit in the development in fighting skills and longevity. I truly wish that I had found this dojo much earlier in my life. However, now I have been able to provide the missed opportunity to my son. I live some distance from the dojo, so it requires some travel on our part, but it is well worth the time and expense.
I highly recommend the Muso Bugei Kia Warrior Arts dojo to anyone looking to gain a total martial arts education. It is especially beneficial to any parent looking to share something unique with their children which would continue throughout their lives.
Tracy A. Dunn

Paul De Lucia - High School Teacher

The Best Kept Martial Arts’ Secret
I had searched for the right martial art and the right martial arts’ teacher for twenty-three years. During that search I studied with eleven different teachers in the Tampa Bay area. Eight years ago I was blessed to walk through the doors of Muso Bugei Kai and meet Sensei Danita Clarke. I was immediately impressed by her powerful technique and warrior presence. Later, I could see how passionate she was. I mean here was this small, barely commercial school with a teacher who did not stop class to talk to potential customers. She drove an old truck because her teaching fees were so reasonable (no belt or rank fees even), and, best of all, she screened potential students! People with the wrong attitude were encouraged to look elsewhere. More...

easy as pi

Easy as Pi

In mathematics, a particularly useful and versatile number is pi, or the non-repeating decimal that is used when measuring circles. It has an infinite number of digits, and has not displayed a pattern of repetition within the millions of digits that mathematicians have studied so far. This phenomena is used to analyze the dimensions of circles, which expands it into nearly every branch of mathematics. This versatility is also found within a true martial art.
Repetition is an important part of practicing a martial art, but identical repetitions do not improve the level of skill or understanding of the practitioner. Running a kata 50 times without changing or analyzing any aspect of it will result in a marginal improvement, where as 10 repetitions with reflection and improvement between each one will greatly improve the student’s understanding. In this sense, forms are never “repeated” in karate, merely refined without changing the fundamental motions or ideas. The lack of repetition in the digits of Pi, and the absence of true “repetition” in the martial arts, are ideologically similar.
Also, martial arts, if pursued with the right mind-set, flows into every other aspect of a student’s life. Improved confidence, morals, courtesy, etiquette, and health are just a few of the innate benefits that come with practicing a true martial art. Just as Pi is useful in several fields of mathematics, practicing a martial art will improve other areas of your life as well. Again, karate and Pi share a common trait. These similarities don’t necessarily mean that Pi has anything to do with martial arts…but math, when studied as a whole, is an art in itself
Chris Hahn

Karate-Ka Chris Hahn - Sandan

I began training with Sensei Clarke when I was 10 years old. After the last 8 years, I am convinced that pursuing the martial arts was one of the best decisions I ever made. When I began my training, I was very reserved and unsure of myself. Sensei Clarke helped me to gain confidence in myself and my ability to reach any goal I put my mind to. The courtesy and discipline practiced during each class creates a very comfortable environment in which to train; a quality of the dojo that helped a shy little kid like me open up to the new faces and experiences. The relationships developed within the dojo are difficult to explain, but they are similar to family in that you grow to completely trust those you are working with. This is an important part of the training process, as it is difficult to progress as a group if trust and respect doesn’t govern our every action on and off the deck. This trust and respect is very present in our dojo, and Sensei Clarke will not tolerate the alternatives.
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Shirley Shields - Student

On May 1, 2003, I became a student at Muso Bugei Kai Warrior Arts. I know the is no big deal to most people. But, you see I am a fifty three year old grandmother. I have always wanted to study martial arts and in particular karate. Over the years I was never able to fulfill my dream for various reasons. While rasing our children, we could ill afford my classes when the girls had so many extra currciular classes themselves. Most of the time there was not a reputable dojo near my home. More...

Pettay Mike A return Student

I have been studying at Muso Bugei Kai since January of this year (2005). Actually, truth be known, I began some years prior but, unfortunately, was soon sidelined by some health problems that kept me away from the dojo for quite some time. (unrelated troubles - I didn't get beat up or any such thing!) Circumstances changed, and I was very grateful to be accepted back into this gathering of friends and to begin training again. And that is, indeed, how it feels to train here, with Sensei Clarke and the other instructors and students. The support and encouragement I've received from everyone in the dojo has made me feel welcome and has boosted my confidence greatly. I was concerned that my limitations would hinder others in their training, but this is not your typical martial arts school. The courtesy, patience and respect I've been shown by literally everyone at Muso Bugei Kai have enabled me to feel strong and centered again, and to begin learning and advancing again. Sensei Clarke once told me that the most important title anyone could ever hold was that of student, and that as long as I was willing to learn, she and the others were willing to teach. I couldn't be more pleased to be here.

Michael Pettay - Student