Matthew Saindon

Hachidan candidate at the 2025 UechiCon

BUTOKUKAN - Forty-One years old - Began training in 1991

As many kids did, I started studying karate in the early 90s when the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were very popular.   Fortunately for me I lived less than 5 minutes from Buzz Durkin’s Karate School so I attended class often and it became a second home. 

Even with high school, going away to college, and moving to Boston for work, I never stopped training so was able to build many life long relationships.  Studying karate but specifically studying under Sensei Durkin is a major reason for what I have been able to accomplish outside the dojo. 

After my move to CT about 10 years ago, Sensei John Griffin of the Hartford CT dojo welcomed me.  I’ve been able to build more life long relationships with my fellow karate-ka in Hartford.  The dojo is a place where people come from all walks of life so we all have something to offer.  One of the many things I love about the dojo is once you bow, you leave everything at the door and everyone is there to help improve one another.   

For me, it’s a way of life so part of my daily routine and embedded into every aspect of my life.