Our Karate Instructors
Renshi Sensei Courtland Blade
4th Dan Black Belt- Shorei Goju Ryu
3rd Level Okinawan Kobudo; Head Instructor
Renshi Sensei Courtland Blade is the owner and head instructor of Blade Family Martial Arts Academy, dedicated to building strong students through disciplined training, confidence-building, and a family-centered dojo culture. He leads the academy with a focus on developing mind, body, and spirit—helping students of all ages grow in skill, character, and community.
Experience & Background
Karate (Shorei Goju Ryu): 4th Degree Black Belt (Lead Instructor)
Tae Kwon Do (U.S. Chung Do Kwan): 2nd Degree Black Belt
Okinawan Kobudo: Instructor (Bo, Sai, Tonfa, Kama, Nunchaku, Eku)
PKC: Member of the PKC Elite; Assistant Director of PKC Region 2
National Shorei Goju Ryu: Assistant Chief Instructor and Board Member
Role at Blade Family Martial Arts Academy
As head instructor, Renshi Sensei Courtland oversees curriculum, student development, and rank progression, while also mentoring future leaders and instructors within the academy. He is actively involved in competition training and community events, helping students set goals, stay motivated, and represent Blade Family with pride.
Sensei Rachel Blade
3rd Dan Black Belt- Shorei Goju Ryu
Instructor; 1st Level Okinawan Kobudo
Sensei Rachel Blade is a dedicated instructor at Blade Family Martial Arts Academy, known for her supportive teaching style and commitment to helping students build confidence, discipline, and strong fundamentals. She plays a key role in creating the welcoming, family-centered environment that Blade Family is known for.
Experience & Background
Karate (Shorei Goju Ryu): 3rd Degree Black Belt (Instructor)
Okinawan Kobudo: Level 1
Competition: 2025 USKA Women’s Middleweight World Champion
Role at Blade Family Martial Arts Academy
Sensei Rachel assists with curriculum instruction, student development, and rank progression—helping students of all ages grow in skill and character. She works closely with the Blade Family teaching team to ensure classes are structured, encouraging, and focused on steady improvement.
Sensei Angel BLade
SandanBlack Belt- Shorei Goju Ryu
3rd Level Okinawan Kobudo
Sensei Angel Blade is one of our instructors at Blade Family Martial Arts Academy, known for her strong technique, leadership, and ability to connect with students of all ages. She brings a focused, encouraging presence to the mat—helping students build confidence, discipline, and competitive excellence in a family-centered training environment.
Experience & Background
Karate (Shorei Goju Ryu): 3rd Degree Black Belt
Tae Kwon Do (U.S. Chung Do Kwan): 2nd Degree Black Belt
Okinawan Kobudo: Level 3
Competition Achievements (USKA 2025):
Women’s Lightweight Kumite World Champion
Women’s Kumite Grand Champion
Role at Blade Family Martial Arts Academy
Sensei Angel supports student development through structured instruction, hands-on coaching, and strong technical demonstrations. She works closely with the Blade Family teaching team to help students improve fundamentals, sharpen performance, and train with confidence—whether they’re brand new or preparing for competition.
Instructor Amaziah Blade
Nidan Black Belt- Shorei Goju Ryu. Instructor;
1st Level Okinawan Kobudo
Instructor Amaziah Blade is a dedicated member of the teaching team at Blade Family Martial Arts Academy, committed to helping students build strong fundamentals, confidence, and discipline through consistent training. With a supportive, focused approach, he helps reinforce the academy’s family-centered culture while encouraging students to improve step by step.
Experience & Background
Karate (Shorei Goju Ryu): 2nd Degree Black Belt
Okinawan Kobudo: Level 1
Role at Blade Family Martial Arts Academy
Instructor Amaziah assists with class instruction, technique coaching, and student development for students of all ages and experience levels. He supports the teaching team by demonstrating techniques, reinforcing dojo etiquette, and helping students progress steadily toward their next goals.
KoSensei Corey Blade (Assistant Instructor)
Shodan Black Belt- Shorei Goju Ryu
Kosensei Corey Blade serves as an Assistant Instructor at Blade Family Martial Arts Academy, helping students build strong fundamentals, confidence, and discipline through consistent training. With a steady, supportive approach, he reinforces our family-centered dojo culture while encouraging students to improve step by step.
Experience & Background
Karate (Shorei Goju Ryu): 1st Degree Black Belt
Role at Blade Family Martial Arts Academy
Kosensei Corey assists with class instruction, technique coaching, and student development for students of all ages and experience levels. He supports the teaching team by demonstrating techniques, reinforcing dojo etiquette, and helping students progress steadily toward their next goals.
Master Keith Boggs
Master Boggs is a respected martial artist with decades of experience across traditional and combat disciplines. After closing Broad Ripple Martial Arts and retiring from operating his own dojo, he has joined Blade Family Martial Arts Academy to remain active in training and to support our students and teaching team.
Experience & Background
Shorei Goju Ryu: 40+ years
Boxing & Kickboxing: 50+ years
Role at Blade Family Martial Arts Academy
Master Boggs continues to stay engaged in martial arts through regular training, workouts, and assisting instructors—bringing seasoned insight, encouragement, and leadership to our academy community.
Assistant Instructor Jonathon Mullens
Shodan Black Belt- Shorei Goju Ryu
Mr. Jonathon Mullens is an Assistant Instructor at Blade Family Martial Arts Academy, dedicated to helping students build strong fundamentals, confidence, and discipline through consistent training. Known for a focused, encouraging approach, he supports a positive, family-centered environment where students can grow at every level.
Experience & Background
Karate (Shorei Goju Ryu): Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt)
Role at Blade Family Martial Arts Academy
As an Assistant Instructor, Shodan Jonathon helps lead classes, demonstrate techniques, and coach students through drills and fundamentals. He works closely with the teaching team to reinforce dojo etiquette, support student progress, and help students stay motivated as they work toward their next rank goals.
Shorei Goju Ryu
The history of Shorei goju ryu
Many Okinawans traveled to China to learn about the Chinese methods, then would return to Okinawa and combine their new learnings with the existing Okinawan fighting arts. This method became the basis for many of the styles which exist today. Anytime a person studies more than one style and becomes skilled enough to teach, and does not teach just one style but a combination of styles, he has the dilemma of what name to call it. To be totally correct, he cannot call it by either name, but instead must create a new name.
Shorei came from Hsing Yi and Kosho Karate Kempo or Shuri-Te. Hsing Yi was a combination of six Chinese arts: three hard, or external; and three soft, or internal. (External - Shaolin-chun, Chuan Pei, Hung Kun; Internal - Chuan-fa, Tai-chi-chuan, Pa-Kua.) Kosho Karate Kempo or Shuri-Te was the existing Okinawan art taught by Chojun Miyagi.
Robert Trias learned Shuri-Te and later Goju Ryu. In 1946, he incorporated some of the Goju Ryu katas into the Shuri-Te, which was the beginning of our system as we know it today.
Most of our basics can be traced to three different origins: 1) a study of basic science, learning how to apply the maximum number of muscles and the maximum body weight into each technique, which enables us to use the strength of our entire body against the weakness of our opponent; 2) a period in China when monks studied animal movement and tried to duplicate these movements in human beings so he could strike the acupuncture points used in Chinese medicine to attack the energy, or "Chi"; 3) a period in Okinawa when all weapons had been confiscated, so they used their hands and feet as their knives, spears and clubs.
Our system represents the ancient theory of "No Limitations" of knowledge or technique. Many of today's styles are very limiting. For example, one style has only four hand strikes and four kicks, which were considered by one man to be the very best of all techniques. Another style has 70% kicking with very few hand strikes and was created as a sport to eventually be used in the Olympics. In these systems and many others, it is considered offensive to do anything which is not taught in that system.
Our style, on the other hand, contains every type of strike, block, kick, wrist, lock, arm bar, sweep, takedown or pressure point which can be used, giving the student the option of choosing which best fits his physique, personality, and situation. The style of Shorei Goju Ryu is so complete that it has something for everyone. One does not have to be tall and thin or short and stocky, or a top athlete to study this system. It is adaptable to every size and personality.
Written by: O’Sensei Herb Johnson 10th Dan
student creed and dojo kun
Student Creed
I will build true confidence through knowledge of the mind, honesty of the heart, and strength of the body. I will offer Friendship to others and strive to build a strong community. I will, as a black belt, win the battle within myself and never fight to achieve selfish ends.
Dojo Kun
Karate begins and ends with courtesy. Actions have consequences. We lead by example. We are responsible. Therefore, there is not excuse for bad manners.
No SAturday Class Feb 7th Due to Upcoming Shorei Goju Semina
Click learn more for more information for Shorei Goju Ryu Annual Seminar and/or contact Renshi Blade.