Biographies

About The Instructors...

Renshi Ragnar Avery
(Sensei Rags)

Renshi Ragnar Avery (Sensei Rags) is a Sixth Degree Black Belt in Yamashita International Shorin Ryu and Fourth Degree Black Belt in Yamashita-Matayoshi Zen Okinawan Weapons (Kobudo). He has trained 29 years in the martial arts and has studied primarily in Shorin Ryu, although he trained three years in Isshin Ryu. He toured Okinawan Japan, the birthplace of karate, with Sensei Tadashi Yamashita and participated in the 1999 World Okinawan Kobudo demonstration in Naha, Okinawa. He also accompanied Sensei Tadashi Yamashita on a trip to Japan in 2001 and 2003. Sensei Avery has hosted a number of martial arts seminars locally and has been instrumental in the founding of a traditional Okinawan Kobudo and Yamashita International Shorin Ryu Karate program in his community. He runs the adult and children's classes and is the overall instructor of the various programs. Sensei Rags is highly respected among his karate students as well as his peers. He has successfully operated the current karate program together for more than 19 years. Sensei believes that karate brings about a strong mental discipline and better self-image as reflected by the his celebrated performance as an instructor as well as an upstanding citizen as shown in his and his student's motivational lifestyles. Sensei Rags is Executive Account Manager for New Market Development for the well known Dow Corning Corporation of Midland, Michigan.