Hall of Lions Martial Arts (Mississauga)
Martial Arts for Kids and Adults (4 to 18 +)
Self-Defense
Anti-Bully technique training
Leadership skills to empower others
Martial arts for strength
Membership is $100 CAD Monthly
Regulations
Karate-ka (students of karate) will at all times conduct themselves with courtesy both inside and outside the dojo.
Higher belts will aid the lower belts in their studies and training; Lower belts must follow the instructions of the higher belts (sempai).
Karate-ka will not criticize one another.
No alcohol, drugs, smoking, candy, or gum is permitted within the dojo. No karate-ka may train while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Any karate-ka that starts a fight, or allows themselves to be provoked into fighting, will be expelled from the institute for life (excluding self defence).
Karate-ka will bow upon entering and upon leaving the dojo.
No swearing is allowed within the dojo.
No lower belts are allowed to spar without the presence the sensei (instructor).
Personal cleanliness is essential: nails must be clipped; hands and feet must be clean; and hair must not interfere with training.
Jewellery must be removed before entering the dojo.
All karate-ka must have a clean two piece white gi (uniform).
Under no circumstances will any form of karate be taught by any member to any non member (excluding self defence).
At the discretion of the Sensei, a karate-ka may be temporarily or permanently suspended from the club for failing to comply with these rules.
Always remember, karate-do begins and ends with courtesy.
History of the Art
Kempo Karate is a composite martial art that is made up of Shaolin Kung fu and Okinawan karate. Although the names Kung Fu and Karate imply separate styles of martial arts, in reality, they share the same historical roots. The following is one account of the history of our art. Please understand that any written accounts of history will differ depending on the biases of the author(s) and the political pressures of the times. As new dynasties come to power, the history books were burned, and new books were commissioned to reflect the beliefs of the new government. Therefore, Therefore, it is impossible to know the true events that occurred over the past millennium.
Bodhidarma
According to the accepted history of the
martial arts in China, Kung Fu began in 582AD
with a set of exercises taught by a Buddhist
monk named Bodhidarma (or Dah Mo) at a
Shaolin Temple in China. This monk also is
credited to starting the Zen Buddhism that uses
a technique of extreme meditation for many
hours. It was during the Zen training of the
monks that Bodhidarma observed the physical
conditioning of the monks was not up to the task
of the long hours of meditation. Therefore, he
also trained the monks in a set of yoga
exercises that eventually grew to become the
Kung Fu martial art we practice today.
Over the centuries, the monks in the monasteries shared their martial arts with numerous men and women who came to live and study with the monks. These people, in turn, modified and developed their own particular styles once they left the monastery. As a matter of custom, most villages in China had their own style and school to develop their martial art. This fact will eventually influence our school many centuries later; but more on this later.
Another important development in modern martial arts occurred in Okinawa, an island that is off the coast of Taiwan. This island was taken over by Japan and its residents were disarmed and forced to live under the rule of the warrior class, the Samurai. Some of the residents had been trained by the Shaolin system and under the cover of secrecy; these martial
artists trained many of the natives so that they could defend themselves from the Samurai, should the occasion present itself.
Master Gichin Funakoshi
Surprisingly, over the centuries this
unarmed combat system was also shared with some
of the Samurai class, in secrecy. One young
Samurai, Ginchin Funakoshi was trained in this
unarmed art by a couple of martial artists under the
cover of night. Many years later, he was given the
opportunity to teach this martial art at a university in
Tokyo as part of the physical education program. He
named this art, Karate, a Japanese term that literally
means ‘empty hand’.
After the Korean War in the 1950’s, many servicemen
came back to North America as Black Belts in Karate and so
began the North American karate schools. Around this time,
two cousins began their martial arts training in their
hometown in China. ‘Big Dave’ and ‘Little Dave’ Chong
eventually emigrated to Canada and settled in Chinatown in
Toronto. In 1961, they opened their Karate / Kung Fu school
and over the years trained many martial artists in Canada
and abroad.
Si Tai Gung David Chong
Hanshi Alex Atkinson
Hanshi Alex Atkinson trained under and eventually received his Black Belt in Kempo Karate from the Chongs. He started the Black Belt Institute (BBI) and has personally trained and or graded all of the Black Belts in this school. The Black Belt Institute has grown over the years and now has a number of locations in the Greater Toronto Area. A steering committee was formed in 2001 to ensure the growth of the Black Belt Institute through on-going training of the black belts in the various locations.
Sensei Carlos McDonald is the 3rd generation of Hanshi Alex and trained under Shihan James Armstrong 1st generation, and Sensei Monte Lin 2nd generation. Sensei Carlos received his Black Belt in Kempo Karate in 2017 after beginning his martial arts journey in 2003.
Shihan James Armstrong
Sensei Monte Lin
