Chris Pollman Karate Academy

I clicked five stars and would click 10 out of 10 if ten were there! I have known Chris Pollman since we trained together under the instruction of Ichiro Takahata in the early 1970's. He has faithfully continued to teach the traditional style of Okinawan Goju-Ryu Shoreikan Karate (the style that is exemplified by "Mr. Miyagi" in the karate kid movies) that we learned from Takahata-Sensei (who in turn learned from Master Seikichi Toguchi, who himself was a senior student of Chojun Miyagi, the founder of Goju Ryu karate). Along with the traditional, you will also find real life self defense instruction as a routine part of the curriculum and can also get instruction in competitive full contact fighting if desired. Over the decades since Chris started the dojo in Weatherford, I have visited the school from time to time with acquaintances including high ranking karate Black Belts from several different styles, a former regional champion "tough man" competitor, and a former OSU wrestler all of whom were surprised and impressed by the level of instruction they found there (as I KNEW they would be when I took them). The staff there, for their part, took all of my "ringer" friends in stride like "a normal day at the dojo" (which did not surprise me either). Chris Pollman Karate is the sort of place where a unique and comprehensive traditional sytle of karate (striking, throws and joint-locks/submissions) may be learned in an environment designed to raise everyone up and improve the character of everyone who walks through the door. I would leave the smallest/frailest child under their care with no reservation whatsoever or would take the toughest person I know there, both with the certainty that they would benefit from the character-based instruction of the awesome instructional staff. - Kevin Lee