Kyoshi 6th Dan Chito-ryu Karate-do

Kyoshi Phillip Arnold was born in 1942 in Ironton, OH. His family moved to Georgetown, KY in 1946 where he spent his childhood and also went to college. He graduated from Georgetown College with a degree in Biology and Chemistry. From there he moved to Louisville where he began his teaching career. He first became interested in the martial arts in the 1960s and was fascinated by the training and the potential for self-defense.

In 1975 he decided to pursue his interest in the martial arts. He enrolled in a YMCA course in karate that lasted for four months. Referred by a friend, he ended up at the Louisville Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in a class taught by a black belt named Dan Francis. The school was a branch school of the United States Chito-Ryu Karate Federation based in Covington, KY. Sensei Francis was a gifted instructor and motivator. As a result of his instruction Sensei Arnold decided to dedicate his time and effort toward the perfection of the art.

He received his Shodan (1st degree black belt) in 1982. In 1984 Dr. Francis graduated from the Seminary and accepted a pastorate in Winchester, KY. Before he left he appointed Sensei Arnold to take over as the Dojo head, a position he has maintained to this day. Sensei Arnold received the title of Shihan in 2002 and in 2008 he was promoted to the rank of Rokudan (6th degree black belt).

Sensei 2nd Dan Chito-ryu Karate-do

Born in 1957 in Omaha, NE, Sensei Jim Berger started his journey in the Martial Arts in 1980 under Sensei Dirk Mosig at Kearney State College. His journey was a long and varied one, since Karate styles tend to be regional and as a teacher and computer programmer Jim moved quite a bit.

So twenty-four years, four styles, and three green belts later Jim, and son Michael, in 2003 joined Kyoshi Arnold at the Louisville Yoseikan to study Chito Ryu. The chief attraction was that Dr. Chitose’s style allowed people with physical disabilities (in this case a damaged leg and hip) to train around those disabilities and develop ways to overcome them.

In 2010, Jim received his Shodan (1st degree black belt), testing with son Michael, who was also promoted Shodan. In 2012, Jim was promoted to Nidan (2nd degree black belt), testing with daughter Lisa, who was promoted Shodan.

Sensei 4th Dan Chito-ryu Karate-do

Sensei Scott Simon was born in 1958 in Louisville, KY. He grew up in Louisville, attended local schools and eventually graduated from the University of Louisville in 1988 with a post graduate degree.

He first became interested in the martial arts in the early 1970's after Bruce Lee and David Carradine brought it to mainstream America via television. He first trained for about six months in Shotokan under instructor Yewell "Sonny" King. His instructor moved out of town, so he began to search for another traditional karate organization with which to train.

A childhood friend, John Howell, who at the time was a Shodan in Chito Ryu, invited him to visit the Louisville Chito Ryu dojo on Frankfort Avenue. He visited the dojo in August 1982 and decided to join the organization as he was very impressed with the head instructor, Dan Francis, and the training methods used.

He has been a member in training ever since, earning Shodan in 1996. He currently holds the rank of Yondan (4th degree black belt.)