Instructors

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Chief Instructor, Kenneth Chism

Chism Sensei* is an award winning martial artist and teacher with over 30 years experience in Ju-Jitsu and Yoshinkan Aikido. With vast experience in a variety of arts and proven skill in teaching children as well as adults, including police and security personnel. He is also frequently invited to teach master classes across the USA.

He began his martial arts training in 1972 at West Catholic High School in Philadelphia, PA, studying Kodokan Judo and Ju-Jitsu. He began teaching in 1978 and began studying Yoshinkan Aikido with Yukio Utada Sensei (http://www.doshinkan-aikido.org/) in 1978 receiving his black belt in Ju-Jitsu. Currently Chism is a 6 Degree Black Belt in Ju-Jitsu and a 4 degree in Doshinkan Aikido.

Among the honors he has received, Chism Sensei was named “Master of the Year” in 1999 by the World Karate Union Hall of Fame (http://www.needmywebsite.com/index.php?clientid=7&pageid=40&pagetype=content);  in 2000, “Instructor of the Year” by the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame (http://www.unitedstatesmartialartshalloffame.com/); and in 2009 Action Martial Arts Magazine honored him for Excellence in Teaching.  (http://www.actionmagstore.com/index.html)

Bushokan Dojo is an affiliate of Doshinkan Aikido International Association headquartered in Phila, PA. The name Bushokan, translates as “House of respect for all Martial Arts.” was given to Chism Sensei for his broad training in Aikido, Karate, Judo and Ju-Jitsu by Utada Sensei as “Head of the School” at Doshinkan.

Utada Sensei, trained under the internationally recognized Goza Shioda, founder of Yoshinkan style and who was a direct student of the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morihei_Ueshiba)

Bushokan is chartered by the United States Martial Art Association (2001) and in 2005 became an affiliate school (dojo) of Doshinkan Aikido International.  In 2006 Bushokan opened in Havertown, PA on the historic Main Line, just outside Philadelphia in Delaware County (http://www.bushokan.com).

A resident of New Jersey, Chism Sensei has a degree in Electronic Technology from Temple University, is currently employed by Villanova University and is married to Althea, a doctoral student at Rowan in Education.  An avid music and film lover Ken is also a Jazz guitarist.

* Sensei, simply and roughly means “teacher”. Literally it means “one who has gone before”.

Brian Kelly, Associate Instructor

I started with Sensei Chism in the Fall of 1985, when i saw  a flier in the Hahnemann Medical School’s student activities office for martial arts training at the YMCA down the street.  I figured it would be good to learn self defense, and keep fit physically.   At that time, Sensei Chism was teaching the combined arts of Shotokan Karate, Yoshenkai Aikido, and Jiu-Jitsu.   I continued with Sensei regularly for three years, and on and off for a fourth year, as I did my rotations outside the area.  I also took part in related activities with the Yoshinkan Aikido dojo of Sensei Yukio Utada, including weekend training on Asseteague Island.
When I began my residency in Manhattan in 1990, I joined a Jiu-Jitsu dojo in Greenwich Village, and trained for about a year there.  On and off, members of Sensei’s dojo and  I would get together for training at different sites, or I would drop down to Philly to train with Sensei, especially for demo’s.
I started Neurology practice in Philly in 1994.  While building a practice took up most of my time, I managed to train with Sensei on and off when time allowed.  It was during that time that I met Sensei Porter, and after a weekend workshop with him, that he and Sensei Chism awarded me my Brown belt.
After moving to Chester County, I found it hard to come to Philly to train,  so I joined a branch of Koncho Utada’s school in the Western Main Line in 1999 and trained there regularly for two years.  The arrival of children again interrupted my abilty to train,  but after 2 years, I wanted to resume training.  In an effort to do something closer to home, I joined a school of Wing Chung Kung Fu in Malvern, where I trained for over 2 years.
I felt however, that I wanted to return to my Martial Arts roots, and so in 2006, I contacted Sensei Chism for advice.  He had been teaching in North Philly, and was looking to move his location.  He asked that if he moved his dojo to Havertown, would I be willing to train with him.  He did and I did, and that allowed me to complete my training for Shodan, for which I successfully tested in 2008.
I continue to train with Sensei Chism and Koncho Utada, as I prepare for my Nidan test.