FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What can a new student to your dojo expect to see on their first night of training?

They'll see a room full of martial artists practicing hard with a great amount of enthusiasm. It's our philosophy that if your willing to pay large amounts of money to go through a martial arts boot camp and be miserable, your to dumb to be a martial artist in the first place.

What is your opinion of cross training?

Not to cross train cripples the martial arts, without it you can become a mechanic, but never an artist.

Cross trainging has always been, and will always be, emphasized by the Neko-ryu family.

What exactly is the relationship between Neko-ryu Goshin Jitsu and Isshinryu Karate?

Professor Cates, met Shimabaku Sensei (founder of Isshinryu) while stationed in Okinawa from '55-'57. And through this relationship, Prof. Cates became lifelong friends with Don Nagle. They trained together and shared many students. Isshinryu is an excellent system.

How is your  Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu different from some of the better known Ju-Jitsu systems such as Danzan-Ryu?

Neko-Ryu is based primarily on Goshin Jitsu and Kodokan Judo. It stresses natural body movement and body control, from which technique happens.

What is your opinion of Brazilian Ju-Jitsu and Russian Sambo?

Brazilian Ju-Jitsu (BJJ) is the groundwork of Kodokan Judo. Brazil has the second largest population of Japanese nationals. What the Gracie family teaches and demonstrates is far superior in its effectiveness than basic BJJ. The Gracie's excel at two things, they are the best grapplers that I know of, and their marketing is second to none. I admire them in all aspects of their martial arts careers.

Kodokan instructors introduced Sambo, to the Russians in the 30's. The Russians changed the emphasis of the game as well as the name. It's basically Judo with an attitude!

What was it like to help train UFC champion Dan Severn?

This was a very positive experience. Dan Severn is truly a warrior and a gentleman. The whole thing went well and was fun. Dan was a five time Greco-Roman wrestling champion, so his groundwork skills were pretty substantial. We were contracted to work with Dan in Detroit prior to his fight with Shamrock. We immediately became friends and he has since reciprocated by attending our functions teaching ground fighting.