Juko-Ryu Toide Owners Want To Create ‘Victimless Community’
Juko-Ryu Toide Owners Want To Create ‘Victimless Community’
Posted
Alaister McFarren-
Juko-Ryu Toide Owners Want To Create ‘Victimless Community’When most people think of martial arts centers, they think of competition-based organizations like the Cobra Kai dojo from “The Karate Kid” with point systems, tournaments and officials.
It can be incredibly rewarding, but the practical applications can be limited; if you get attacked in real life, your opponents will not restrict their attacks to “legal moves.”
At Juko-Ryu Toide, 704 W. Buffalo St., Warsaw, sensei couple Matt and Karissa Smith are focused on making sure that their students are prepared for any eventuality. Everything they teach leads back to one phrase: “Let’s live empowered.” They believe that any individual can learn how to protect themselves from harm; they just have to want it. Their goal: establish a victimless community where everyone can feel confident in their ability to defend themselves and those they love.
The Smiths are trained in Toide-Jutsu, a martial arts heritage that can trace its origins back to ancient Okinawa, Japan. Passed down from master (called a soke) to student and from generation to generation, this centuries-old tradition is among the most effective means of self-defense in the world, they say.
Both Matt and Karissa train several times a year under the direct tutelage of their soke, Rod Sacharnoski, the president and founder of Juko Kai International. Matt states that Sacharnoski is the “highest-graded non-Asian (Juko Kai) master in the world.”
Matt, 33, has been involved with martial arts since he was 7 years old, including Taekwondo and Wing Chun. However, once he discovered Toide-Jutsu, he knew he had found the system he would stay with.
“When I found this system,” Matt said, “I went ‘Wow. This isn’t about playing around, or points, or competitions. This is real. I could use this to defend myself in an actual fight.’”
Karissa’s martial arts experience goes beyond training and teaching – she has been in actual fights and survived.
“My dad first taught me to protect myself,” she said. “People wouldn’t think someone of my size to be able to not only fend off but take down men three times my size, but because of all the techniques I’ve learned, I can.”
It was their respective life experiences that led Matt and Karissa to open Juko-Ryu Toide. They originally started in their basement, but have been in their current location since April 2018.
“We wanted others to know that they could defend themselves in real situations,” said Matt. “We work with everyone, from families to domestic violence victims to police officers. We’re not teaching people how to win a medal; we’re teaching them how to get home to their families.”
According to Matt, learning hand-to-hand defense enables you to defend yourself in any situation.
“People often say, ‘Well, it’s a good thing I have a gun,’” Matt said, “but can you always get to the gun?”
At classes, students learn an astounding number of techniques, including body hardening, yoga, striking, throwing self-defense, weaponry, jujutsu and more. They also teach private lessons.
One class that Karissa is particularly passionate about is the Female Warriors Club.
“Many women here have gone through tough situations; they feel defenseless against the world,” she said. “But then they see the things I can do physically and go, ‘Oh … we’re more powerful that we realize. I want to learn from you. I want to do what you do.’”
“I love being that teacher for them,” Karissa continued. “These reactions inspired the Female Warriors Club; it’s amazing to see these women grow in independence, confidence and self-esteem.”
This new mindset is precisely what Matt and Karissa seek to cultivate within students.
“This is more than just throws and strikes,” Matt stated. “We want anyone who comes to us to keep pushing their reality. We teach them to become aware of their surroundings; that prevents more attacks than anything else.”
The rehabilitative aspect of Juko-Ryu Toide is also something the Smiths love.
“We had a military guy who served in Desert Storm who had a back brace and a bad hip,” said Karissa. “He couldn’t even put his shoes on by himself. After taking part in our classes, he no longer needs a cane, he can lift his leg all the way to his chest, and he can kick bags with tremendous power. He’s such an inspiration to those around him.”
“It’s cases like his where we see ‘let’s live empowered’ truly lived out,” Matt added. “It changes how they think about the themselves and the world; it changes how they act and how they take care of themselves. It’s a lifestyle.”
Much of the programming and Juko-Ryu Toide is adult driven, but youth and homeschool classes are also offered. The couple have students ranging from age 5 to 72.
“You get a free class,” Karissa said. “Come out and try it for yourself. You’ll be amazed to see what you can actually do. I have yet to see someone not able to do this. Artificial joints, blindness, sciatic nerve pain, depression … nothing can hold you back.”
“So much harm in the world can be avoided if you know just a few simple things,” said Matt. “Our job is to take the term ‘I can’t’ out of your vocabulary. You’re not fragile. You’re not glass.”
To learn more, visit their website at https://letsliveempowered.com/ or call 260-415-6803.
