A native Californian, from a long line of Californians, John Sells began his study of karate and other Asian martial arts as a youth in Los Angeles.
By the time he was fourteen, John was practicing karate daily. He
took is first lessons in small, neighborhood Judo and Karate clubs.
By the time John was sixteen he was a member of Hidetaka Nishiyama's
original All America Karate Federation and studying the Shotokan
karate of the Japan Karate Association. While still in high school and a
brown belt in karate, John organized a school sponsored karate club
and acted as its first teacher. After high school, John attended the
University of Redlands in California, where he was able to continue his
study of karate in new ways. At Redlands, Sells enrolled in the
Kyokushin karate course offered by the University as well as joining a
Shorin-ryu karate club on campus.
In 1968, Sells received his first black
belt ranking in a progressive form of Shobayashi-ryu Shorin-ryu under
George Torbett. He was then retained by his University to teach the
karate courses as part of the physical education curriculum of the school.
Sells went on to train in Shito-ryu concurrently with Shorin-ryu while
continuing his studies in Shotokan during summer vacations. After
college, John pursued a career in the Aerospace Industry and opened
his own commercial karate school while also maintaining his University
teaching post.
By 1973, John held a 3rd degree black belt in Shorin-ryu
and 2nd degree in Shito-ryu. He became a licensed instructor of
Kotaka-ha Shito-ryu with Del S. Saito under the system's founder,
Chuzo Kotaka. By 1977, Sells was teaching in Santa Barbara, California
and from 1979 to 1984 he was the karate instructor at the University of
California at Santa Barbara. During this same time, John studied
Itosukai Shito-ryu and Shotokan from Fumio Demura and Daniel Ivan
eventually becoming a senior instructor with the Japan Karatedo Federation
USA.
Under Dan Ivan, John earned his 5th degree black belt in 1988. By
this time Sells also was training under Ben Otake, Takiyuki Kubota's
senior student, in an aggressive, fighting form of Shotokan. Never
completely abandoning Okinawan karate, Sells received his 4th degree in
Okinawan Kobudo (karate weapons art)---also in 1988---as well as black
belt ranking in Matsumura Shorin-ryu. John was awarded the rank of 7th
degree black belt in Shito-ryu karate, receiving that rank along with the
title of Shihan (Senior Teacher) from Kenzo Mabuni, the son of the
founder of Shito-ryu and titular head (Soke) of that style.
In 1999 Kenzo Mabuni Soke elevated John to eighth dan and May, 2001 in
Osaka, Japan at a special celebration, John was honored and awarded
the title of Hanshi, for his diligent efforts in promoting the true spirit of karate-do
and his technical excellence.
He is also ranked 6th degree black belt in Okinawan Kobudo and is founder
of both the United States Kobudo Association and co-founder of the
Shindokai Karatedo (with Ben Otake).
Since 1976, John has published many articles in several martial arts
magazines including "Black Belt", "Karate Illustrated" and "Dojo
Magazine". These articles have all focused on historical aspects of karatedo
with the aim of bringing to light the details of karate's past so long
hidden and overlooked. As an instructor of karate and kobudo, Sells
teaches and lectures throughout the United States. |
