Joseph W. Walker

Shihan Joseph Walker (1952-present) is a Chief Instructor of Shuri-ryu Karate-do and is the president of the [http://www.peoriakarate.com Academy of Okinawan Karate Inc] .

Born in Peoria, Illinois, Walker began his study of the martial arts in 1960, enrolling in Judo at the age of 8 as students under the age of 12 were not encouraged to participate in Karate. He began to study Karate under the students of Grandmaster Robert A. Trias in 1968. In 1969 Walker undertook his first trip to Phoenix, Arizona to begin his training with Grandmaster Trias. A year later, in 1970, he began his tournament career, taking the Midwest Championships in the purple belt division. By 1973 he became the first man to be promoted to Sho-dan under Grandmaster Trias' new Shuri-Ryu Standards.

In 1979, as a 3rd Degree Black Belt, or San-Dan, he became Director of the Academy of Okinawan Karate, Inc. At first his acquisition was not expected to last more than several months. The Academy now has 4 schools located in Peoria, Illinois; Morton, Illinois; Eureka, Illinois and Las Vegas, Nevada. The main dojo in Peoria is the single largest Shuri Ryu Dojo in the world, and one of the largest traditional martial arts schools in the United States. There are also several karate programs directly affiliated with the Shihan Walker, the most notable of which are located in Champaign, Illinois; Chicago, Illinois; and Naha, Okinawa. The Academy now boasts 17 world champions, many of which are multiple-title holders.

In 1985, he was promoted to 5th Degree Black Belt, or Go-Dan, and earned his International Referee Certification. In 1986 he toured Asia with Trias as a member of the United States Karate Association team. On that trip he threw the World Koshiki Champion in his first match. A year later he won the first Koshiki match in America. He became the World Koshiki Grand Champion in 1990 and defended his title again in 1991. That year he formally retired from competition, though he would periodically come out of retirement over the years.

In 1989 he passed the written test for Chief Instructor with one of the highest grades world-wide. Trias appointed Walker Assistant Chief Instructor. In 2003 Shihan Joseph Walker was appointed Chief Instructor of Shuri-Ryu Karate-Do. In 2006 he returned to competition and won the Master's Kata Division at the World Karate Championships. He again entered competition in 2007 and is the current world champion in Master's Kata division. In total, Shihan Walker has been a world karate champion four times. Today he holds the rank of 8th Degree Black Belt, or Hachi-Dan.

Shihan Walker is extremely active in the martial arts. He teaches approximately 25 classes a week at his various schools. Also, he regularly teaches at various seminars throughout the United States. He is also noted as a rather versatile martial artist, with extensive training in Karate, Kobudo, Judo,Iai-jutsu (Japanese Sword), and Haganah, to name a few. In the spirit of Grandmaster Trias, Shihan Walker still finds time to continuously seek out new information on the martial arts.It should be noted that Shihan Walker acquired his first school from Randy Holman.An original practicing chief instructor.