Local black belts train with world-renowned karate teacher

PORT JERVIS, N.Y. — Black Belt instructors and students from the Karate Quest Dojo took advantage of a rare opportunity.

Glenn Finke, who is the owner of both Karate Quest Dojo locations in Warwick and Port Jervis, was invited to train at a two-day seminar featuring instruction taught by Teruo Chinen, a world-renowned sensei of traditional karate from Okinawa.

Chinen is a Ku-Dan (Ninth-Degree Black Belt) in Okinawa Goju-Ryu Karate.

Although he has lived and taught in Spokane, Wash. since 1969 Chinen still travels the world teaching karate during intensive seminars and is also one of the last people still alive who actually trained with Chojun Miyagi, the founder of Goju-Ryu Karate. He’s also had DVD series about karate produced by both Black Belt Magazine and Rising Sun Productions, which are two of the largest producers of martial arts instructional DVDs in the world.

Chinen, who was born in 1941, had his lower left leg amputated two years ago due to complications with diabetes.

Despite age and disability, he is still teaching and practicing the martial arts.

For Finke, who is a former student of Chinen, this was the first time he was able to see and train with him in nearly 10 years. “I remember Chinen Sensei as being a premier practitioner as well as an excellent teacher.” Finke said, “He’s very old-school and hard-core. After receiving the invitation to train with him I wanted to see him. I also felt compelled to bring students of mine with me as well. If there’s anyone who could do what they did before with a prosthetic leg, Chinen Sensei would be the one. During and after the seminar I was amazed at the skill he exhibited as well as the motivation he spirited...it was an honor to train with him. You wouldn’t know he had a prosthetic. Truly awesome!”

People at the seminar (over 100 different students from styles of Karate such as Goju-Ryu, Isshin-Ryu, Chito-Ryu and Shotokan over the two days) trained in different elements of traditional Karate including kata (formal exercise), kakie (sticky hands), bunkai oyo (self-defense applications) as well as hard training on many basic and advanced techniques.

Joining Finke in the experience from his dojo were Steve Washio, Noelle Giammarino, Larry Schott, Suzy Puma-Stehlik, Brad Davidson, Chris Silbernagel, Jared Silbernagel, Travis Silbernagel and James McLaughlin.