Tatsuun (Li) Ryu - Club Instructors
4th Dan ISKF
Li started karate when he was 20 after joining various martial art schools including kickboxing and aikido clubs. He trained with Chuck Coburn under Sensei Koyama's group, ISKF (JKA affiliated back then) in Arizona, until he held 1st Kyu. He moved to Colorado for a job in 1999, and started training under Sensei Yaguchi, ISKF 9th Dan. It was here that he passed Shodan, Nidan and Sandan, and was awarded Yondan in 2008 at Master Camp in Philadelphia. Today, Li holds ISKF certified instructor D (2009), examiner D (2009), and judge C (2006) licences.
In competition, individually Li won the 1999 US National Championships in brown belt kata, and took the 2001 US National title in black belt kumite in South Dakota USA. He was chosen as a US team member in the same year. He competed on the Mountain States regional team at the US Nationals in kata and kumite from 2000 to 2004, and gained several silver and bronze medals. When he moved to Kentucky, Li competed at the US Nationals both in the individual events and as a Mid-America region team member. He was Men's Regional Team Captain in 2007 and 2008, led the team to the bronze medal in kata at the 2007 US Nationals, and again won bronze medals in kata and kumite at 2008 US Nationals.
Li moved to England and joined CUKC in 2009. His emphasis in karate training and teaching is on correct kihon (basic) techniques, the foundation of all other techniques.