U-KAI's 2011 featured instructors.
Salvatore Lopresti Sr., 7th Dan
Shotokan Karate Jutsu Intl.
U-KAI Co-Founder and Chief Instructor
Sensei Sal Lopresti has been involved in martial arts since 1972. With over 35 years of experience his competitive career in karate and his numerous awards for World Class Shotokan Instruction makes him a highly sought after instructor in the USA and beyond. His classes are full of impact with a special emphasis on cardiovascular conditioning, now you can train with one of the North American Masters of Shotokan karate.
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Ron Romano, 7th Dan
Shotokan Karate Jutsu Intl. Senior Instructor
U-KAI Technical Director
With over 40 years of experience in teaching and training, Sensei Romano is a highly respected Shotokan Karateka and well known Internationally for his Technical Expertise.
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Paul Lopresti
Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo Jujutsu / Aiki Kenpo Jujutsu 5th Dan
Shidoin (Instructor)
U-KAI Executive Chairman
Sensei Paul Lopresti has been involved in martial arts since 1977. With over 30 years of experience, his education in Health and Physical Education and his ongoing research into the practical application of modern kata this makes him a highly sought after instructor in the USA and beyond. His classes are full of insight and cover a variety of subjects including strangulation, throwing, takedown and submissions all hidden within kata. He is ranked as a Shidoin in Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo Jutsu and holds a Yudansha rank. He is ranked 5th Dan in Aiki Kenpo Jujutsu. which is a civil self defense style of Jujutsu. He has developed Champions in submission grappling using this form of Jujutsu.
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Paul Allan, 7th Dan
U-KAI Executive Director (Europe and Asia)
Former Scottish international competitor, Sensei Allan now lives in Cork Ireland. He is an official instructor for Sensei Gould’s A.S.K.F.. A highly qualified and respected Karate instructor with almost 40 years experience, Sensei Allan teaches regularly in USA and coaches at world level. His classes are based around personal development reflecting his high levels of knowledge and teaching ability. Sensei Allan is also Hanshi McCarthy's IRKRS Technical Director in Ireland.
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Tom Frobel, 7th Dan
U-KAI Senior National Advisor
ASI Director
Since starting in karate in 1966, Sensei Frobel has developed the reputation as a leader in innovative approaches to the study of the martial arts. Breaking away from traditional techniques in the early '80s, he formulated and improved modern karate competition techniques as well as elite training. Although his forte' is American explanations of Japanese concepts, Mr. Frobel has had many other accomplishments over 4 decades, including Chairman of the American JKA, is a certified Police Trainer, and a former AA Senior AAU Referee. Frobel, along with Sensei Tom Ryan, started Advanced Shotokan International in 1991. He was the originator of the term "The New Shotokan", which is the combination of traditional JKA techniques, the Paul Lopresti approach to Kata Bunkai and training, and a mix of martial arts weapons used in the Shotokan kata.
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Jerry Lupkes, 4th Dan
UKAI Midwest Director
The newest member of the UKAI Executive Counsel, Mr Lupkes brings over 20 years of experience of Shotokan Karate to the camp. Sensei Lupkes has been a senior member of the ASKF for many years and we are delighted he has joined our team. He is a student of Koryu Uchinadi and will be able to help blend the KU material with core Shotokan practices.
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This years guest instructors.
Leslie B. Safar , 9th Dan
AJKA-I Europe Chief Instructor
Sensei Safar is coming to us all the way from Hungary this year to be our Special Guest Instructor. He has many years of experience all over the world as is recognized as one of the most senior Shotokan instructors in the world. His also the founder of the South Jersey Karate Club which is currently known as Shotokan Karate Jutsu NJ. The torch was passed to his long time student Salvatore Lopresti Sr. who continues the traditions that were taught to him by Sensei Safar. He has attained the rank of 9th Dan and studied directly under Masters such as T. Okazaki and M. Nakayama. It will be a pleasure to host such a Master Level Instructor this year at camp.
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Bruce Clayton, 7th Dan
Shihan / Author Shotokan's Secret
Kyoshi Bruce Clayton is the author of Shotokan's Secret, the book that opened up the world of Okinawa's royal bodyguards (the authors of our hard-style katas). Drawing on a deep knowledge of history and a broad spectrum of self-defense arts, Clayton demonstrates that the katas are a training syllabus for the bodyguard worst-case scenario: one against many, skin against steel, and no mercy expected or given.
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Kousaku Yokota, 7th Dan
A former teammate of Sensei Lopresti's, Sensei Yokota has gone on to study Asai Ryu Shotokan Karate and is the chief instructor fo the IJKA. This group is dedicated to keeping the teachings of the late Master Asai alive in the world. Sensei Yokota has been a guest to our camp in 2008.
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Eric Rossini
4th Dan Shotokan Karate Jutsu Intl., 4th Dan Jujitsu
Sensei Rossini is a new comer formally to Shotokan Karate Jutsu Intl. He has a host of experience and is a tremendous coach as he has just brought home to his dojo 5 new National USA-NKF champions in 2008 and another 11 National Champions in 2009. He has competed himself and is also a former National champion in kumite. He will be working with some of the youth participants this year as well as being on the mat during some of the MMA/Jujitsu sessions. He has been graded most recently under Sensei S. Lopresti and P. Lopresti for his Yondan.
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Trevor Williams, 6th Dan, Bermuda
Formerly an International Competitor with the KUGB - Trevor moved from Cork Ireland to Bermuda with his brother Nigel (also a 6th dan ) - Trevor is a very experienced Martial Artist - He has a Shotokan pedigree but has studied many forms and teaches in a dynamic and exciting manner. Trevor is an old friend of Sensei Allan.
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Uniting these organizations under friendship and Budo.
