White River Budokan

Information may not be reliable

What is WR Budokan?
White River Budokan literally means "The Budo School in White River". We practice traditional martial arts, Karate, JuJustu, Judo, Kobodo, Aikido and more.
Browse our site for more information.

During June, 2009 Master Josh Dingler and Master Luc Wright visited us for a seminar in our dojo. Master Dingler taught Jeet Kun Do techniques as well as Short Fist Hapkido. Master Wright taught grappling techniques he teaches to his cage fighting students. Both visiting instructors are members of The United Martal Arts Association based in Bloomington, Illinois. Sensei Treem taught, during the seminar, some techniques from Ko Tai Shin Ryu, the system he has formulated and introduced it on this day. A few weeks later both Sensei Treem and Sensei Herschel travelled to the TUMAA annual training camp in Bloomington. Sensei Herschel taught iaido and Sensei Treem taught a class in Ko Tai Shin Ryu and one in GojuRyu Karate Do.
The White River Budokan has also promoted many students over the past few months. We would like to congratulate them all for their hard work and dedication to our dojo. Here is a list of the students, new ranks and styles with which they were promoted.
Sensei Colin Treem - Yondan - Goju Ryu Karate-do

Kevin Birdsley - Yon Kyu - Goju Ryu Karate-do
Sensei Colin Treem was also recently promoted to Sandan in Jujutsu while attending a Ko Tai Shin Ryu seminar taught by Chief Instructor Ron Treem.

Ko Tai Shin Ryu translates as "the Old School of Body/Mind" and, in a way, fits the current title "Mixed Martial Arts". However, just as Karate or Tae Kwon Do practicioners, for example, may be considered kickboxers its all semantics after all. The White River Budokan offers training in the following arts:
1. GojuRyu Karate and kata and kihon from Shotokan, WadoRyu, Shiito Ryu, and Uechi Ryu.
2. Jujutsu with influences from classical jujutsu as well as modern self defense strategies, techniques, and needs.
3. Aikido with techniques from different branches of Ueshiba Sensei's teachings.(i.e. Yoshin, Shobu, and input from USMAA Aikido instructors)
4. Judo with interactions with teachers from the United States, Japan, and other practicioners
5. Chinese Boxing ranging from street oriented techniques to more formal Tai Chi Chuan and other Chinese Boxing schools.
6. Kobudo both Japanese and Okinawan
7. Iaido Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu with Ota Sensei as the chief influence from Kumamoto, Japan.

A question asked by visiting folks is "so what is it you do here?"...... and the wheels started turning in my head. Being rather bored with the current television trends that attract the masses I told an MMA friend of mine that I was a mixed martail artist. He chuckled and said: "Sensei I know what you think of MMA" but I wasnt being silly but, rather, trying to say that I believe, with studying the arts I do that I would qualify. Of course, here is another lesson in semantics. Folks don't consider someone like me as a Mixed Martial Artist. I know this by visitors to my dojo that, despite seeing rank certificates indicating the long term study of five or six disciplines, still say they were more interested in finding mixed martial arts instruction. Thus, I am trying hard to not misrepresent KoTai Shin Ryu. So let me say it is not mixed martial arts. Let me just say it is a system with the techniques and principles from KarateDo, Judo, Jujutsu, Aikido, and Ch'uan Fa. I do think the study of what is called KoTai Shin Ryu requires repetitions of the basics in all of these arts. Therefore, it is taught with the simple basics of highly effective self defense as a starting place. This puts the student on the continuum reaching to areas that pure instict, developed from thousands of repetitions of the techniques and principles of those arts mentioned, provides.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION MORE TO FOLLOW

O-Sensei Philip Porter, one of the highest ranked Judo practitioners alive today recently held a 2 day seminar at White River Budokan during May, 2008. The seminar focused on the arts of Jujutsu and Judo. Osensei is Treem Sensei's direct teacher in both those arts. Both competition Judo techniques as well as classical Judo philosophy were reviewed and worked. The self defense applications of the waza of Classical Judo and Jujutsu were taught and many repetitions were impressed into the minds of those attending.
We had about 26 students attend this seminar. We had many younger students attend and the kids did a fantastic job staying focused and working hard. All of the Sensei commented on how well the kids did. They are a great addition to semiars and hope their training continues.

(O-Sensei Phillip Porter, shown here with a student has instructed annually at White River.)
First, Thanks to everyone that helped make this weekend a success. Sensei Colin Treem and Sensei Comeau were a huge help with errands and entertaining our visitors. Thanks to Marie for opening the dojo and all the cleaning she helps with. Of course a thanks goes out to all the parents that waited. A huge thank you to Shawn for taking care of the Sensei dinners at Murphy's and anyone that kicked in a few extra dollars at meals. We run a tight budget and this kind of help makes a huge difference. THANK YOU!!

For everyone that couldn't make the training, I'm sure we will be reviewing techniques over the next couple of weeks. OSensei Porter and Treem Sensei have already started plans for a fall seminar.This will be advertised to BudoKai dojo and other schools interested.

This summer has been wet andfast. Our student enrollment has ebbed and flowed like the rain waters. All in all, Our dojo is remaining steady. We have some young students with some serious dedication. We have some adult students that are just as serious and developing as well.
Our affiliation with the USMAA continues. Sensei Treem is a regional coordinator for the organization which requires outreach to other dojo that are part of the USMAA within Vermont. We are also affiliated with TUMAA out of Bloomington, Illinois. Our chief instructor and others teach at the annual training camp there. Some of our students have been visiting schools in other states and interacting with folks that study different arts, styles, or ryu. We are non wavering about our commitment to self defense and no student studies here without learning the simple basics. We adhere strongly to the philosophy that every technique we teach is defensive. To be honest, it probably doesnt take much of an attempt at an attack for us to put an end to that so, yeah, i guess we might look like we go on the offense quick. Oh well ho hum another Celtic victory.

Sensei Treem and Sensei Comeau received promotions this fall from O-Sensei Porter. Sensei Treem was promoted to Godan in Judo and Shichidan in Jujutusu. Sensei Comeau received Godan in Karate from Sensei Treem, Yondan in Jujutusu and Nidan in Judo from O-Sensei Porter.