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shinai_swinger
6th March 2006, 02:54
I know there's not much of a chance, but I'm looking for a sword arts dojo in SE AL, or SW GA. Even a dojo near Panama City, FL would be OK.

I found one in Pensacola, FL, but that's about a 3 hour drive, and it looks like they only have classes on Monday nights. There's no way I could make a 6 hour round trip, 2 hours of training, and still be able to go to work :) . If it was a weekend, that would be more workable.

K Lee
6th March 2006, 13:24
There's a couple places in Birmingham if you were willing to make that drive.

The best you could probably do is these guys:

http://www.isf-alga.com/

Never trained with them personally, but I've heard good things.

Mark Barlow
6th March 2006, 16:28
Gene Gabel teaches iaido in Mobile, AL. She has a small but very dedicated group that trains at a local YMCA.

Mark Barlow
6th March 2006, 16:58
Oops! Gene is a he, not a she. Sorry for the mistake.

Keith,

Do you train with Chris Magyar?

Mark

K Lee
6th March 2006, 17:16
Yup. Trained with Van Bushnell for a few years as well. I only mention that because I came down to your Gulf Coast seminar one time with him. Had a good time!

The Sambo club has been going great as well. I've only been there a year and a half or so, but alot of people have been coming in. We've had a lot of cross-pollination lately with Chris Connelly and his guys over at Steel City as well. That being said... Chris (Magyar) and a bunch of other guys were over at my place on Saturday to watch UFC 58 when Chris drops the bomb that he is going to have to move away for a couple of years! It won't be for another 4 months or so, but we're starting to look for a new place to keep the Bham Sambo Club going.

Mark Barlow
6th March 2006, 20:11
Please give Chris Magyar my regards. He's an excellent instructor. We're still running the Winter Camp down here and you're always welcome. Larry Beard will be hosting a Summer Camp on the JSU campus in July.

shinai_swinger
9th March 2006, 05:22
There's a couple places in Birmingham if you were willing to make that drive.

The best you could probably do is these guys:

http://www.isf-alga.com/

Never trained with them personally, but I've heard good things.

Shinkendo in B'ham? Cool! I'm up there a couple times a month to tend to a rental property anyway. That would be perfect.

Thanks!

shinai_swinger
9th March 2006, 05:25
Yup. Trained with Van Bushnell for a few years as well.

Small world. My wife trained with Sensei Bushnell, and I went to high school with his son....

K Lee
9th March 2006, 13:20
No problem. Yeah, small world!

If you're at all interested, feel free to swing by our gym:

http://www.bhmsombo.com/BHMSombo/ (Warning, 90s era webpage contained in that link)

Maps, etc. are there. It's free to boot. Good luck with your training!

shinai_swinger
9th March 2006, 14:19
And it just got smaller. Does Quinton McCombs still train with you guys? I took over for him at my last job. Very talented coder....

K Lee
12th March 2006, 16:25
No, not anymore. I don't think he's trained here for quite awhile. A few of the guys knew him, but I wasn't attending regularly when he trained at the club. But yeah, small world. Like I said, feel free to swing by when you're in town.

ShaneLayton
3rd April 2006, 00:25
I know this is an old thread, but there are a few Bujinkan groups in Alabama. I don't know how close to Monroeville you are (I don't even know where that place is, to be honest, except south of BHM), but Jim Hiltgartner (I probably butchered that, sorry Jim) just passed his godan in Japan a week or so ago. He is affiliated with BTSD (Phil Legare's organization). There is also BTSD in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. There is a non BTSD Bujinkan training group (where I train) run by Lee Drew. Our most senior training dummy is a godan, Zane Prater, who passed a couple of months ago. I will be going to Japan in May. In addition, there is an ABD (Richard van Donk's organization) in Pelham, a suburb of BHM. Bujinkan swordplay may not be what you are looking for, but I thought I'd throw it out there for you. There was a seminar with Karl Koch, shihan, in Tuscaloosa this weekend focusing on cutting. I had to miss it (darn job!), and I'm eagerly awaiting Zane's report. If you are interested our MSN group is Birmingham Bujinkan Dojo (http://groups.msn.com/birminghambujinkandojo)