Instructor

Mario McKenna began his Karate training in Gohakukai under Yoshitaka Kinjo sensei in 1984. In 1988 he trained as a live-in student (uchi-deshi) for 4 months a the Gohakuaki head school in Naha, Okinawa. Being fascinated with classical Okinawan Karate, he began a more serious study of the history and traditions Okinawa Martial Arts and moved to Japan in 1994.

In 1994, he entered the Shinshukan Dojo of Katsuhiko Minowa and his student Hiroshi Yoshimura to study Ryukyu Kobudo. In 1997 he was presented with his assistant instructor's license (Shidoin), and later in 2002 he was promoted to the rank fourth degree (yon dan).

In 1998 he began studying in Tou'on-ryu under Shigekazu Kanzaki and his student Hidenori Ikeda until his return to Canada in 2002. In 2005, he was promoted to the rank of fifth degree (go-dan). Currently, Mario is the only instructor outside of Japan licensed to teach Tou'on-ryu karate.

Research & Writing

Besides serving as an editor for the Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Mario is also a regular contributor to it and the journal Classical Fighting Arts. He has also translated several books by Kenwa Mabuni, Genwa Nakasone and Katsumi Murakami which are slated for publication in 2008.

In addition to Mario's extensive martial arts research and analysis he also holds a Masters of Science degree in Sports Psychology from the University of Saskatchewan.