What is Sandodai Ryu Karate?

Sandodai Ryu comes from three Japanese words: “san” meaning “three,” “dodai” meaning “foundations,” and “ryu” meaning “school.” Simply put, we are the school of three foundations: Okinawan Karate, Korean Taekwondo, and Korean Hapkido. Each of these three martial arts has a wonderful history as well as a vast and amazing collection of philosophy, knowledge, and techniques. By combining the essence of these three martial arts, we have created a unique martial arts system that provides an opportunity for students of all ages and physical abilities to discover their potential and enhance their lives.

Traditional Okinawan Karate is steeped in a rich culture of honor, self-discipline, courtesy, and respect. Unlike many modern fighting systems, Karate is about self-defense, not aggression. Our primary principle is “There is no first strike in Karate.” Sandodai Ryu teaches the ancient kata from four different Okinawan karate styles.

Hapkido is a Korean martial art known as “the way of coordinated energy.” Similar in some ways to Aikido, Hapkido specializes in joint locks and pressure points to immobilize as well as a multitude of throws against kicks and punches. The essence of Hapkido is to redirect energy and turn every block into a devastating throw or takedown.

Taekwondo is the Korean martial art that specializes in kicking, balance, and physical agility. Taekwondo teaches students to jump, spin, and fly. The body becomes stronger, faster, and more flexible and builds a foundation for people to excel at any other sports or physical activities they enjoy.

The founder of Sandodai Ryu Karate, Sensei Red Milburn, has Black Belts in six different martial arts and over 25 years of teaching experience. He has been the chief instructor in five different martial art schools (two Taekwondo styles, one Hapkido style, and two Karate styles) and has taught nearly 10,000 students and trained almost one hundred Black Belts.

By blending the traditional Okinawan Karate techniques and kata with the more modern circular throws and joint locks of Hapkido, and the spinning and powerful jumping kicks of Taekwondo, Sandodai Ryu was born. Sandodai Ryu represents the best of what martial arts has to offer.