Holloway's Isshin Ryu Karate

06/12/2026

To the dojo family: it’s been 10 years since Sensei Mitchum passed. I miss him a lot. I spoke with him weekly, sometimes it was karate related, sometimes just laughs. He added so much polish to my karate “walk”. He was wise, humble, and caring. His slow South Carolina drawl was comforting at times. His care, including discipline was always redemptive. The last few years with him was one of great mutual respect. He’d ask me what I thought of promotions, people, and processes. I appreciated that he lifted me up. DH

A few memories….

06/03/2026

Sometimes we take ourselves much to seriously. Relax... this is just a great meme. I got beat up once in elementary school by two bullies. What surprised me most was the people who stood and watched, I thought they were friends. I was crying when I got home and my dad asked what happened, I told him about the bullies, they called me some racist names. He said, what are you going to do about it, I said I don't know there were two of them. He said, can you whoop them one at a time?, I said yes, he said figure it out. I found them both alone separately and fought like the third monkey. Never happened again with these two. DH

06/03/2026

To the Dojo family: Here are a few things to think about.

I am unsure whether a Japanese Monk said these things but some of them have merit. It seems that many folks who have an infatuation with Japanese culture think you can say any thing and if they have on a doGi or carry a katana it verifies your standing. It does not.

My take on this:
1. Having control is having discipline. I recently heard a person make excuses for rioters and looters, saying, “if they were not hungry they would not steal”. All the while the looters and rioters are walking out with 65” TV’s and Rolex watches. NO, they are undisciplined, and without consequences will repeat.
2. Not sure of this one, but I believe in living within your means. I do not live large ad stopped chasing wealth years ago.
3. Yes, on this one. Saying yes and no appropriately is the key to controlling the outside “actors” in your life. It is sometimes funny to me that people cannot pay me, because they are short this month, but drive better cars, go on expensive vacations, eat better, and generally live in “high cotton”. It is about discipline.
4. I agree mostly with this one, with a few exceptions. When it comes to abuse, emotional, physical, and spiritual. Many have long thought that adultery was the sole reason for a divorce. It is not; it includes abuse and abandonment. Silence in these cases is bad.
5. Yes, on this one. Especially in the case of martial arts. Repetition builds speed and accuracy. Repetition, whether physical or intellectual builds confidence.
6. Peace comes from understanding your limits and believing you have done your best. I will not let others dictate my reactions when I know that I did my best. If my best is not enough then I am in the wrong place. Understand, that means my best really is such, I have not cheated or made excuses for myself or others, I really give my best efforts.
7. Yes, on this one too. How or what you practice is how you react in times of crisis. Good or bad, right or wrong, it is the truth.
Do not settle….

05/30/2026

I remember feeling conflicted when we got word. I was a relatively newly minted Shodan and while I never studied with him, his dream was instilled in all of us. We all believed in his style and we were all charged with “spreading Isshin Ryu”. It was a tough time as we had some great local leaders and the powers to be were still making decisions.

Today, we pause to remember the founder of our beloved art, Soke Tatsuo Shimabuku.

On May 30, 1975, the Isshinryu community lost the man whose vision, dedication, and innovation gave birth to a style that would spread across the world and touch countless lives.

More than five decades later, his influence remains evident in every dojo, every kata, every act of discipline, and every student who steps onto the training floor seeking personal growth through Isshinryu Karate.

While generations have passed since Soke’s time, the values he embodied—humility, perseverance, respect, and continuous improvement—remain at the heart of our practice today.

As members of the global Isshinryu family, we honor his memory with gratitude and recommit ourselves to preserving and sharing the legacy he entrusted to us.

May we never forget the man whose teachings continue to unite us across countries, organizations, and generations.

Domo Arigato Gozaimash*ta, Soke Tatsuo Shimabuku.

Forever Honored. Never Forgotten.

05/25/2026

This day is set aside to honor those that served! Many of my friends and family, my students and Sensei gave of themselves. Their sacrifice was not for convenience, was at tremendous cost, and was selfless. You all are simply the best, because freedom has a cost.

Today we pause to remember the brave men and women who gave everything in service to our country.

Their sacrifice purchased freedoms that many of us enjoy every single day — freedoms that should never be taken for granted. As martial artists, we understand the values of honor, discipline, courage, and respect… and today we recognize those who embodied those values at the highest level.

From all of us at the Isshinryu Hall of Fame, thank you to the fallen heroes and the families who carry their legacy forward. 🇺🇸

Never forgotten. Always honored.

05/22/2026

YOU bring the special sauce! YOU, YOU, YOU!