This is the second Student Handbook & Training Journal for the World Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Federation. Each year the WSKF will continue to update and produce this manual. Our ongoing commitment is to provide our members and affiliated dojos with the tools and reference material to better their training and understanding of Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do. One of the primary purposes for this manual is to introduce new students (be it new to karate, or new to Shorin-Ryu, or new to the WSKF), and give them some insights as to what they can expect to experience and learn while training, as well as what is expected from them as students.

It is recommended that new students and parents of children just starting, read and be familiar with this manual, as it will serve as your guide to your Dojo (school) and of the WSKF. (Note: This manual has been produced for all WSKF member dojos, your specific dojo may have additional reference material they also may provide.)

In assembling this manual, we included components and reference material that would be both helpful and useful for your training, and organized it in a logical and easily accessible order. As mentioned earlier, this is our first year for this manual, so your patience and understanding is appreciated as we feel our way through the process of producing a handbook worthy of our members and member dojos. We appreciate your feedback and suggestions to help us improve and make this publication more useful. This manual has four sections, each having its own specific purpose. For easy referencing, you will notice that this manual is organized into four Sections. Some parts of this manual will change yearly but most of it will remain pretty much the same, getting only minor updates.
About the Author: Hanshi Frank Grant was born the ninth of twelve children June 21, 1933 in Paris, Kentucky to James Albert and Elizabeth Grant. It wasn't until 1959 that he began to study karate under Sensei James Wax. He knew Wax from his church. While stationed in Okinawa, Wax studied karate under Shoshin Nagamine and became the first American black belt in Shorin-Ryu.

Grant wanted to learn what Wax had to teach. He was an excellent instructor. It wasn't long before Grant found he liked the structure and the discipline inherent in karate. In 1962, Master Nagamine sent Ansei Ueshiro to the United States under the sponsorship of Sensei Wax and both he and Grant began training under Sensei Ueshiro. In June of 1963, Sensei Ueshiro promoted Grant to Sho Dan. The training was very similar to what we practice today with an emphasis on Basics, Kata and Kumite. Although challenging, the training was purely physical in nature and Grant could not help but wonder if there was something else to it, some higher meaning he was missing.

Under Ueshiro's guidance, Grant was promoted to Ni Dan in 1965 and in November of 1966, he traveled to Okinawa to train under the careful tutelage of Grand Master Shoshin Nagamine. For six months, he underwent intense physical and mental instruction for fourteen to sixteen hours every day. He returned a Yon Dan in the spring of 1967.