AKS Quarterly Newsletter

The DoJo

Dave Thomas 8th Dan AKS

Why Belong to the American Karate System?

Dave Thomas

Over the years, I have been asked, "Why should I belong to the AKS? What's in it for me?"

There are number of great reasons to be a member of the American Karate System. Foremost is being a member of a credible martial arts style with a long and reputable history.

Mr. Lieb presented the concept of the American Karate System at a training summer camp in August 1973. Previously, he had taught for 10 years under the banner of American Chi Do Kwan.

By this time in his martial arts career, Mr. Lieb was a well-known and well respected martial artist throughout the United States. He was a long time national level competitor and tournament promoter. In 1973, he was honored to be Black Belt Magazine's Martial Artist/Man of the Year. Later in 1973, he was chosen to be the first A.A.U. Karate Chairman for the U.S. In 1978, he was recognized by "Who's Who" as the head of American Karate.

You can be judged by the company you keep. His long-time friends and fellow martial artists were also pioneers in American martial arts in their own right; such as Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Nick Cerio, Ed Parker, Ken Knudson, Jimmy Jones, John Tai, Tadashi Yamashita and Bill Wallace.

With his years of experince, Mr. Lieb established a strong foundation for his future instructors to build on.

His American Karate System was designed to be a departure from some of the hold-over practices from the Orient. This was America, Mr. Lieb wanted students and instructors to have a voice in the direction and growth of our system. But he also adhered to many of the philosophical tenets of the traditional systems; such as honor, respect, discipline and humility were an intregral part of our training.

Mr. Lieb maintained high standards and expectations for his Black Belts. As he traveled the country and later the world, he saw martial arts elements that he chose to incorporate into his new style. He also saw practices and behaviors that he would not allow on the floor.

His teaching format was strong basics, precise katas and powerful self-defense. He would not promote students to higher rank if they did not have sound self-defense skills. This was a mandate to his AKS instructors, no matter where the school was located. Often he would travel to out-of-state schools to oversee testing personally; to assure the students had the ability to more than represent their rank.

He always said, "You have to earn your rank before you can wear it."

These are values that his instructors still practice today.

Today the AKS is a small organization with schools in three states: Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. But the same standards and practices that were put forth over 50 years ago are still taught today.

Our instructors' first obligation is to teach our students to the best of their knowledge and ability. We continue to assure that our students have the skills and abilities to properly support the rank they have earned.

The benefits of training in the American Karate System, to put it simply, are life changing. Students gain self-discipline, self-esteem and self confidence. I have seen so many positive changes from the students I have had the pleasure of training; academic improvement, vocational acomplishment, better personal relationships and a generally happier life.

They learn to handle fears, threats and personal set-backs. This includes not just the threat of physical violence, but having the confidence to achieve when no else believes in their dream.

From my own experience, I was having lunch with Mr.Lieb one day, he told me how proud he was that I had built a very successful business when many others forecast my failure. I told him that building my company was easy, because the hardest thing I had ever done was to earn my Black Belt. After that, I knew I could do anything I set my mind to. I told him, "You believed in me, before I believed in me. You saw something that I had yet to recognize. It gave me the confidence to succeed. That was all I needed."

Today and every day, I am so proud of the talented instructors that carry-on Mr. Lieb's legacy. They continue to put the best interests of the student foremost. We may not be the biggest, but we do represent the best of what martial arts has to offer.