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Lucas Yochum
16th September 2009, 06:06
Good morning, everyone-
I'm sure this has been asked before by someone, but I'm a total newbie (technically, not even that) in the area of Koryu sword styles, so if anyone can help.....I've spent the past few weeks looking for a Koryu Kenjutsu style in the St. Louis, MO area, and have come up completely empty-handed.

Does anyone know where I might have some luck with that, or is St. Louis only have Kendo available?

Any info, positive or negative, would be deeply appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
-Lucas Yochum

morpheus
18th September 2009, 16:52
Mr. Yochum,

I would say that you are indeed lucky. St. Louis has instruction available in a couple of weapons based ryu.

Mr. Dave Lowry teaches both Shinto Muso ryu and Yagyu Shinkage ryu. he is a member of this forum and is available via private message. He is a great guy and has a fabulous group of students. Feel free to send him a private message.

Good luck and maybe we will train togehter in the future.

Jeff

Lucas Yochum
18th September 2009, 17:39
Jeff-
Thanks for the reply! I will have to do just that.
-Lucas Yochum

morpheus
20th September 2009, 17:00
Lucas,

No problem. Dave is a great teacher and great guy. You are definitely in a good spot. I hope everything works out for you.

Jeff

Lucas Yochum
21st September 2009, 02:53
Jeff-
Thanks again. It's funny; I had taken an interest in Koryu styles a bit back, and as a matter of research, read "Autumn Lightning." I really enjoyed it, so it was an interesting coincidence to get that message from you.

So just out of curiousity, what form do you study, and for how long? Why did you get in to the old Japanese styles?
-Lucas Yochum

dewey
1st October 2009, 21:04
Yes Lucas,

Mr. Lowry is indeed the only legitimate koryu instructor in the St. Louis area. I'm also from St. Louis, so I understand the frustration of searching out such instruction. There's plenty of frauds and "my-ryu" guys in the bi-state area who study under Sensei YouTube...be sure to steer clear of them. I travel to Kansas City to train with my koryu instructor, FWIW.

Lucas Yochum
2nd October 2009, 04:51
Brian-
I've been lucky enough to make contact and observe Mr. Lowry in action and I was not let down! He's a really nice guy who has been more than happy to talk to me (and thankfully, be honest with me!) about Muso-Shinto Ryu and Shinkage Ryu.

And as luck seems to shine on me now and again, I wasn't ever hit with any McRyu stuff...though it's been my experience in this town in regards to other styles. Previous to looking in to Japanese styles, I had studied under a traditional Kung Fu Sifu, and he always made it a point to be skeptical. The proof is in the pudding; I've seen more than my share of fake Kung Fu.

If it's not getting too personal, what style do you study? I'm not even good enough to be called a newbie in any traditional Japanese style and would love to know as much as possible about the world of Koryu.

Thanks for the reply!
-Lucas Yochum

jfkcotter
2nd October 2009, 05:46
Good start is to get the name right!

> Muso-Shinto Ryu
Shinto Muso Ryu

Lucas Yochum
2nd October 2009, 15:27
Good start is to get the name right!

> Muso-Shinto Ryu
Shinto Muso Ryu

I guess that's what I get fot typing while uncaffeinated.

:laugh:

-Lucas Yochum

dewey
2nd October 2009, 17:06
Brian-
I've been lucky enough to make contact and observe Mr. Lowry in action and I was not let down! He's a really nice guy who has been more than happy to talk to me (and thankfully, be honest with me!) about Muso-Shinto Ryu and Shinkage Ryu.

Yeah, My. Lowry is a great guy, and you can't go wrong with studying under him. He is a font of knowledge. When you say that he was honest with you about studying the koryu arts...I presume you got the clear message that they are not something one casually trains in. It takes dedication. Koryu isn't for everybody. All of us who study koryu arts here have learned that lesson at some point during our training.


And as luck seems to shine on me now and again, I wasn't ever hit with any McRyu stuff...though it's been my experience in this town in regards to other styles. Previous to looking in to Japanese styles, I had studied under a traditional Kung Fu Sifu, and he always made it a point to be skeptical. The proof is in the pudding; I've seen more than my share of fake Kung Fu.

Glad to know that you're already keen on this issue...that puts you ahead of most newbies.


If it's not getting too personal, what style do you study? I'm not even good enough to be called a newbie in any traditional Japanese style and would love to know as much as possible about the world of Koryu.

Thanks for the reply!
-Lucas Yochum

I study Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido (of the Seitokai/ZNIR variety) and I honk around with ZNKR iaido with the local Kendo group on occasion. As I said in my previous post, other than Mr. Lowry, there is no other legitimate koryu sword instructors in the St. Louis area to my knowledge...and believe me when I say that I've left no stone unturned! My instructor resides in Kansas City, so I travel to him.

The first online resource I'd recommend you consult is koryu.com...take a lazy afternoon and read all the articles and ryu lists. That'll give you good basic overview.

Lucas Yochum
2nd October 2009, 17:30
Yeah, My. Lowry is a great guy, and you can't go wrong with studying under him. He is a font of knowledge. When you say that he was honest with you about studying the koryu arts...I presume you got the clear message that they are not something one casually trains in. It takes dedication. Koryu isn't for everybody. All of us who study koryu arts here have learned that lesson at some point during our training.




Glad to know that you're already keen on this issue...that puts you ahead of most newbies.



I study Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido (of the Seitokai/ZNIR variety) and I honk around with ZNKR iaido with the local Kendo group on occasion. As I said in my previous post, other than Mr. Lowry, there is no other legitimate koryu sword instructors in the St. Louis area to my knowledge...and believe me when I say that I've left no stone unturned! My instructor resides in Kansas City, so I travel to him.

The first online resource I'd recommend you consult is koryu.com...take a lazy afternoon and read all the articles and ryu lists. That'll give you good basic overview.

Oh yes. Between meeting him face-to-face and emails, he put that out there in no uncertain terms. Honestly, I'm looking for discipline and focus right now. I think it was largely the element of "It's not for everybody" that made look in to it. I have no issue with the "standard" styles (Aikido, Judo, Karate, etc) but they don't do anything for me on a mental level.

I'll have to look in to our style....I'm interested in learning whatever I can about Koryu arts, if for no other reason than frame of reference.

And Koryu.com is a great site. I spent a few hours over the past few days reading the essays there. It has been a valuable resource, to say the least.

-Lucas Yochum