Welcome to the Headquarters (Hombu)
Academy of Aikijujitsu and Shorinji Zendo-ryu Karate
Professor Phillip M. Skornia, 9th dan
MEET OUR BLACK BELT INSTRUCTORS
Inland Empire Headquarters, California
Teaching at our Inland Empire headquarters, Shihan Rod Hefington has over 30 years experience in Shorinji Zendo-ryu Karate. Several martial arts are available, including Aikijujitsu and Taekwondo, There is a huge training facility plus a complete gym.
Shihan Rod Hefington is a national champion. Hefington and his two sons and daughter have won hundreds of tournaments over a quarter of a century. His students have won 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in competitions, as well as Gold Medals. Many times, they have done so well, they had to compete against each other for the top spots. The daughter often competes against male competitors.
Shihan Hefington also teaches the practical side of self-defense from Karate and Aikijujitsu. He teaches the history, philosophy and meditation of traditional Oriental martial arts. His dojo offers the lowest rates in the area. Please call (310) 379-3136 or e-mail Prof. Skornia for your free referral, zendoryu3@gmail.com.
Orange and San Diego Counties, California
We also have great, traditional Karate and Aikijujitsu (plus Aikido) dojos in Orange and San Diego Counties. There is an annual summer Karate camp every year at the University of California, San Diego. There are high-ranking masters from A.A.K.F. and from the Japan Karate Association. This organization was founded by Master Hidetaka Nishiyama,10th dan. Prof. Skornia, 9th dan was the first master awarded a Lifetime Membership, #001. Master Nishiyama was awarded 10th dan in 2005, by the All Japan Karate Association. His first Karate teacher, Master Toyama, was the founder of the All Japan Karate Association in 1946. Please visit the history on http://shorinjizendo-ryukarate.com.
REDONDO BEACH HEADQUARTERS, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Sensei Norbert Fernandez is a life long practitioner of Shorinji Zendo-ryu Karate. His dedication to the art is one of passion for the art and the people that trained along side with him. He started his instruction in 1974 with Master Philip Skornia in Inglewood ,CA. As a young teenager he started cleaning up at the school in order to take private lessons with Master Skornia personally. These early training session developed Sensei Fernandez as one of Prof. Skornia top instructors and students. He assisted in teaching beginners and advanced students for over 25 years.
Sensei Fernandez participated in many JKA and open style karate tournaments primarily in Southern California He trained with many of the grand masters of the Japan Karate Association from all over the world . He attended several week long intensive Karate boot camps with legends of the Japanese karate systems.
Sensei Norbert Fernandez took a break from karate to pursue a career
and to support his family in 1999. After
the death of his Chief Instructor Prof. Phillip Skornia in 2013, Sensei Norbert Fernandez has returned to providing instruction
in Shorinji Zendo-ryu Karate, in hopes of preserving one of the first multi-style karate
systems in the world.
Elton Rayburn is one of the Black Belt instructors at the Redondo Beach dojo. He has a decade of experience teaching adults, teens, YMCA,and Karate Kids. He really is great with the kids. He has taught at three locations where he teaches children affiliated with the public schools and in the cities of Torrance, Redondo Beach and Lawndale. He formerly worked for the Manhattan Beach school district. He presently is working for the Redondo Beach and Tustin School District.