Khalid C. Newton, Shihan
Senior Instructor and Organiization Vice President
Khalid C. Newton, Shihan holds the rank of eighth (8th) degree black belt, Hachi Dan, Kyoshi grade and is sixth generation of Orthodox (Seito) Goju-Ryu Karate Do. Newton, Shihan has over forty (40) years experiencetraining and teaching in the martial arts and is the Pennsylvania representative for ICHIKAWA HA GOJURYU KARATE – KOBODO SOTOKAI, Zen Beikoku GojuRyu Karate Do Sosuikai. He is the highest ranking African American in Ichikawa, Sosui Sensei's world organization.
Newton, Shihan has been a student of Robert Choji Taiani, 9th Dan, Hanshi Grade, Kaicho of Ichikawa-Ha Gojuryu International Karate-Do SosuiKai, for over 30 years and have received all rankings and teaching certification from Taiani, Kancho. In 1986
Newton, Shihan was the grand champion in kata and won second place in kumite at the Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate Championship hold in Long Island, New York. His reputation as a fighter is not from tournament competition,but from the no rules, no holds bared world of dojo fights during the early 70’s, when no protective equipment was used.
Newton, Shihan, under the auspices of Robert Choji Taiani, Kaicho, was the coach for the American team entry to the annual ALL JAPAN GOJURYU KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS in 2005, held in Sendai, Japan. The tournament was held by Chiba Kenjiro, Sensei, Kaicho – Zen Nippon Gojuryu Renmei. This was Newton Shihan’s second trip to Japan.
On Shihan's first journey there in 1998 with his teacher, R. Choji Taiani, he had the distinct privilege to receive instruction from the, then living, treasure of Japanese Budo, Ichikawa Sosui, Kensei. He was also known as the father of Bubishi in Japan.
Meeting O’Sensei was an enlightening experience and showed me that Goju Ryu Karate is more then mere punching and kicking.
In October of 2009 teh TenKenKan Dojo again participate in the ALL JAPAN GOJURYU KARATE CHAMPIONSHIP held in Sendai. Our members competed in kata and Keith Davis, Sandan, took third place. However, before leaving Tokyo for Sendai we met and receive instruction from Tsubamoto Kazunobu,Sensei, the inheritor of Ichikawa Sensei teachings. Newton Shihan was presented with an authentic copy of the coveted BUBISHI manual. A great honor and distinction.
Khalid Newton is a state certified instructor of DEFENSIVE TACTICS for police and other law enforcement agencies. He is also a certified ASP Baton instructor. He has also received training and certification in Critical Incident Management from
the Pa. State Police and in Ordinance Recognition and Bomb Scene Forensic from the F.B.I.
Newton, Shihan is also a second level practitioner of the Japanese healing modality of Shiatsu.