Burton Maben, Hanshi, 9th Dan
"The Road to Excellence is Always Under Construction"
Burton
Maben's martial arts career started in 1973, at the age of twelve. His
first instructor was Jim Jordan, a Tang Soo Do stylist who ran a small
dojang in Highland Park, Michigan. Mr. Maben recalls, "we trained at
Liberty School in Highland Park twice a week, my friends and I all
wanted to be like Bruce Lee."
He
trained in Tang Soo Do for over two years achieving the rank of brown
belt and eventually left the class to pursue high school sports.
In
1979, during his freshman year in college, Sensei Maben signed up for a
class at a local karate club in Albion, Michigan. "I remember the
instructor's name was Bob Dearman and he taught Isshinryu Karate. I was
taught the 15 basic upper and lower body exercises, Seisan, Sanchin, and
Naihanchi kata."
After a few months of training Bob Dearman's dojo closed and Sensei
Maben was left without an instructor or a place to train. In March,
1980, upon the invitation of a friend, he visited Grand Master Willie
Adam's North American Karate Club and knew he had found a home, "there
was something spiritual about that dojo and I felt drawn to it as soon
as I walked in. My first impression of Master Adams was that he was
extremely knowledgeable, very charismatic, a gentleman, and held a
genuine interest in his students."
Under Grand Master Adams tutelage, his martial arts skills blossomed.
He enjoyed a long tournament career amassing over 600 trophies for
kumite, kata, and weapons. Sensei Maben was rated in the top ten
nationally by the Professional Karate League, North American Sport
Karate Association (NASKA) and National Black Belt League (NBL).
His Black Belt tournament wins include:
* Gold Belt Kata and Silver Belt Kumite, 1986 World Belt Championships
* 1st Place Kumite, 1986 American Okinawan Karate Association Grandnationals
* 1st Place, Kumite, 1989 Isshinryu Hall of Fame Championships
* 1st Place, Kumite, 1993 Connecticut Karate Championships
* 1st Place, Kumite, 1993, AKA Grandnationals
* 2nd Place Kumite and 3rd Place Weapons, 1994 WUMAF World Championships
* 3rd Place Weapons (Sai), 2001 Okinawa Rengokai World Championships
In
addition to Grand Master Adams, Sensei Maben considers Grandmaster Don
Nagle and Grand Master Donald Bohan as his principal instructors in The
Isshinryu system. He trained at Grand Master Nagle’s Dojo
in Jersey City, NJ from 1984-1986 and with Grand Master Donald Bohan at
the Southfield Martial Arts Institute starting in 1990 until Mr.
Bohan’s retirement.
Sensei Maben also has trained extensively in Ryu Kyu Kobudo and is recognized at a 4th Dan in “Old Style” Kobudo by Kiichi Nakamoto, 10th Dan, Head of the World Okinawa Karate and Kobudo Association.
In
1984, Burton Maben founded the University of Rochester Isshinryu Karate
Club in Rochester, New York. He has also served as the head instructor
of the Romulus Karate Club in Romulus, Michigan, Riverfront Karate Club
in Detroit and the New Orleans Karate Club at the Naval Air Station in
Belle Chase, LA.
Today,
Sensei Maben is the owner and Chief Instructor of New Orleans Karate
Institute. The dojo, located in Belle Chasse, LA boasts an active
enrollment of over 200 students and has been recognized by Educational Funding Company as Championsway as one of the top traditional karate schools in the United States. The dojo has received numerous awards
for service to the community including recognition by the United States
Marine Corps, United States Navy, St. Jude’s Hospital and numerous local
schools and churches. The school was also recently featured in New Orleans Living Magazine.
The New Orleans Karate Institute is a member school of the Karate
International Association of Isshinryu and the National Association of
Professional Martial Artists.
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