The
Martial Arts Gym is owned by Yondan Sean Griffin. He is a Fourth
Degree Black Belt, or Yondan, in Kanshin Ryu Kempo under Soke Chris
Couch (9th Degree Black Belt). Yondan Griffin began his training
in Chinese Kenpo under Mark Champagne in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
He holds a First Degree Black Belt in Chinese Kenpo.
In 1994, Yondan Griffin earned his First Degree Black Belt (Shodan)
in Shorinji Kempo Karate, under Soke Couch and Master Irwin Carmichael.
Yondan Griffin also holds a Shodan in the weapons art of Kanshin
Ryu Kobudo.
In addition to training
here in the US, Yondan Griffin has also had the opportunity to live
and train in East Asia. Yondan Griffin lived in Thailand where he
trained Muay Thai Kickboxing, in addition to living in Japan, where
he trained Shorinji Kempo and MA Kickboxing at the Shidokan.
Yondan Griffin believes
in the importance of education, and has set the example for the
kids at the Martial Arts Gym, by earning a Bachelors Degree in Political
Science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His
degree is a concentration in international politics, and he holds
two minors, history and international studies (concentration in
the Far East).
Yondan Griffin is the
Chief Instructor for the following programs; Kanshin Ryu Kempo,
Kanshin Ryu Karate Do and American Kickboxing. Despite being an
instructor, Yondan Griffin always considers himself a student of
the martial arts, first! Yondan Griffin continues to study under
Soke Couch and is currently an International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) promoter. Yondan Griffin understands that one of the great
benefits of the martial arts is that there is always knowledge to
be learned and skills to be improved. He considers the achievement
of Black Belt to not be the end goal, but only one of many goals
in the martial arts that can continuously be set and achieved over
the period of an entire lifetime!
Sensei Griffin spent July 22 training with B.J.Penn, the new UFC Lightweight champion.
Shodan Debbie Gaither
Debbie Gaither is a First Degree Black Belt in both Kanshin Ryu Kempo and Tae Kwon Do. She began her martial arts training in 2002 at Griffins Martial Arts Gym, when she enrolled in the kickboxing program and then decided to give Karate a try. She quickly discovered that she loved the Martial Arts and decided to stick with Karate. She also received her Tae Kwon Do training at Griffin’s Martial Arts Gym under Sa Bum Nim Rich London, receiving her Black Belt in July of 2005. Shodan Gaither received her First Degree Black Belt in Kanshin Ryu Kempo under Yondan Griffin in December of 2006. Her son, James is also a student at Griffin’s Martial Arts Gym also holding a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and a Black Belt in Karate-Do.
David Clapper
David Clapper is an instructor of the American Kickboxing program at the Martial Arts Gym. He began his martial arts training in 2000 at Griffins Martial Arts Gym. He holds an amateur full-contact kickboxing record of 1-0. Mr. Clapper continues to train in kickboxing, as well as MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), at the Martial Arts Gym.
The
Martial Arts Gym is owned by Yondan Sean Griffin. He is a Fourth
Degree Black Belt, or Yondan, in Kanshin Ryu Kempo under Soke Chris
Couch (9th Degree Black Belt). Yondan Griffin began his training
in Chinese Kenpo under Mark Champagne in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
He holds a First Degree Black Belt in Chinese Kenpo.
In 1994, Yondan Griffin earned his First Degree Black Belt (Shodan)
in Shorinji Kempo Karate, under Soke Couch and Master Irwin Carmichael.
Yondan Griffin also holds a Shodan in the weapons art of Kanshin
Ryu Kobudo. 
Debbie Gaither is a First Degree Black Belt in both Kanshin Ryu Kempo and Tae Kwon Do. She began her martial arts training in 2002 at Griffins Martial Arts Gym, when she enrolled in the kickboxing program and then decided to give Karate a try. She quickly discovered that she loved the Martial Arts and decided to stick with Karate. She also received her Tae Kwon Do training at Griffin’s Martial Arts Gym under Sa Bum Nim Rich London, receiving her Black Belt in July of 2005. Shodan Gaither received her First Degree Black Belt in Kanshin Ryu Kempo under Yondan Griffin in December of 2006. Her son, James is also a student at Griffin’s Martial Arts Gym also holding a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and a Black Belt in Karate-Do.