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While most parents may catch up on work or cheer from the sidelines while their children hones their karate skills, Washington Township dad Matthew York  decided to join in.

Five years later, York and his 11-year-old twin boys Patrick and Zachary are glad he did. All three marked a milestone in their martial arts training, after earning their black belts together at Champions Martial Arts’ Black Belt Extravaganza last month.

“Karate is something I did when I was a kid, but I never got the chance to finish and get my black belt. When I got [Zachary and Patrick] into this, I saw Champions had kids in one room and an adult class going on in the other room,” York said. “I figured since I’m going to be there anyway, it made perfect sense for me to get in there, work out and finish up a goal I’ve always want to accomplish.”

Looking back on the changes he’s seen in himself and his sons — he’s down 35 pounds, and with the boost to their self confidence, his sons no longer worry about bullies — York’s amazed at the impact karate had not just in their physical health, but emotional as well.

“It’s something that we can share together. It was a really nice journey to our black belts,” said York, who also now teaches classes at Champions. “It’s something that very few people actually finish up and do. It takes a lot of dedication and perseverance to achieve.”

Sensei Nick Dougherty, head instructor at Champions, said that only five students in the 12-year history of Champions have earned an adult black belt, and he couldn’t be more impressed with the time and hard work the Yorks have poured into their training.

“When you go through a black belt test, you want to quit. You’re doing so many different push ups, going through training sessions, sweating, getting injured, but working with a family, they’re push each other. The support is there and everyone goes through it together,” Sensei Nick said. “The Yorks have never given any type of excuse. Quitting was never an option for them.”

They aren’t the first family to come through his doors to learn karate together, but it’s becoming less and less common as time and financial restraints weigh on families. It’s a shame, the sensei said, since there are so many benefits to working together as a family.

“It’s more of an individual sport, but when you go through it with family, you’re always working toward the same goals,” he said. “It’s an amazing accomplishment.

While the twins are technically junior black belts now, they’ll now move up and join their dad in the adult black belt class. They’ll be eligible to test again for their first-degree black belt in two years, and York will be able to test for a second-degree black belt in three years.

It helped they had each other to push and keep going, York said, adding he would run them through drills of their techniques at home in their “mini dojo” in the basement, and in return they’d drill him just as hard.

“It’s been a fun trip. I’ve been helping them, but they’ve also been helping me as well,” York said. “It was one of the proudest days of my life, getting my black belt with my kids.”

Aikido of Hilo hosted its annual Osensei Memorial Seminar April 27-28. Acclaimed aikido practitioner and Buddhist scholar, John Stevens was hosted as guest instructor.

Stevens is a 7th degree black belt in aikido and a world renowned master instructor. He was a noted professor of Buddhist Studies at Tohoku Fukushi University, in Sendai, Japan and has written more than 30 books on aikido, Buddhism and Asian culture.

Every year, aikido dojos around the world commemorate the April 26, 1969 passing of the aikido founder, Morihei Ueshiba, Osensei.

This year, practitioners from around the Big Island came to Hilo to practice aikido and learn some of the deeper philosophical teachings of the art. On the last day of the seminar, aikido students and the general public were treated to a class in Zenga (Zen brush art), taught by Stevens.

“It’s an honor for us to receive instruction in Hilo from someone like Stevens Sensei,” Aikido of Hilo student, Andrew Arakawa said.

Developed early in the 20th century, aikido principles were so profound and its martial art techniques so effective that there was tremendous public demand.

In the 1950s, aikido teachings were made public and have spread to become popular worldwide.

“Aikido is an art of peace and reconciliation. It’s important to have teachers like Stevens Sensei reinforce principles that we can all practice in the dojo and our daily lives,” said Klein Sensei.

Michelle Keip came to the creeks through the children in her pre-Aikido class, known as Samurai Sprouts. She wanted public service to be part of her students’ development in the art of defending life, and she found her inspiration in the plants and animals of the watershed practically outside the dojo door.

Making a living teaching martial arts was not a goal for Larry Meeks then, neither is it a possibility now.

What began as a hobby for Meeks gradually grew into a small business that is celebrating its 33rd year this month.

“I can’t make a living teaching martial arts but it’s certainly an enjoyable small business,” Meeks said. “The real rewards are not monetary. They are in seeing people of all ages benefit from a well-rounded exercise program and one that enables young people to be better athletes.”

Meeks teaches Hap Ki Do, a Korean form of martial arts, and grappling at his studio in downtown Troy.

“Hap Ki Do is standing defense and grappling, which is like wrestling, is ground defense,” he said. “They both train the mind as well as the body. The martial arts help you to be an all-around healthier person.”

Meeks said his interest in martial arts grew out of his desire to excel in a sport.

“When I was young, I played all sports but I was just mediocre,” he said. “I wanted to participate in a sport that I could excel in. I wanted to participate in a sport where I could make my own mistakes and then correct them. The martial arts was that sport.”

Meeks trained with Chris Dickinson and with Rick Hayes. The more he trained, the more dedicated and committed to the martial arts he became.

He realized the value of the training for men, women and children and opened his own martial arts training facility in Troy.

“We started meeting in different places, in barns and sheds, before we got a permanent place on South Three Notch Street,” Meeks said. “The interest in the martial arts increased as people began to know more about the art through television and the movies and, too, as people became more aware of the importance and need to be able to protect themselves.”

Meeks has trained people from all walks of life – including those in the military and in law enforcement.

“Right now, we have about 35 students of all ages,” he said. “We have young girls and a lady who is 59 that we call ‘Granny.’ She will soon be a black belt.”

Meeks said that, in today’s world, people of all ages and from all walks of life need to know how to protect themselves.

“With all of the bullying that is going on, it’s important for young people to know how to handle themselves in confrontational situations,” he said. “They need to be able to respond with ‘the bullying stops here.’ It’s just as important for women – and men — to know what to do if they are in a threatening situation. Knowing how to defend yourself if physically attacked could save your life.”

Meeks said that, most importantly, the martial arts teach day-to-day values that form a foundation on which character is built.

“The martial arts teach the traditional values of respect, honor, integrity and loyalty,” he said. “Students of the martial arts develop characteristics of good citizenship as well as appropriate judgment in confrontational situations.”