Bob Beal

Hachidan (8th Degree Black Belt)

2025 Kudan (9th Degree Black Belt) Candidate

My training began in 1975, my reason for training was self-defense. What I learned went far beyond self-defense. There are countless moments in the past 50 years of practice. What I like most is to see indefensible people begin training and get stronger.

Both my sons are Black Belts, they earned their black belts from Sensei Durkin and their success in life is directly related to their Uechi training.

I am a retired locomotive engineer, as an engineer I operated the train like a kata, everyday taking notes on my performance and improving. I was also a field instructor teaching student engineers. When teaching I applied what I learned in the dojo, praise and correct. PC is an important part of the Atkinson Dojo. It works building self-esteem in karate students as well as locomotive engineers. I think perfection is an ideal, and it can never be achieved, however, each training moment we get closer to it, never arriving, just inching away closer and closer.