Genuine Samurai Martial Arts of Dallas

This school’s goal is to preserve and promote the unique training method adopted by some pre-1600 samurai. Nothing else will suffice.

(See also https://koryumatters.wordpress.com/ & our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIOcSEYMGjmEpPDuSTtj9bw )
Some pre-1600 samurai adopted a methodology for combat training that was unique amongst ancient warriors in that it didn't include sparring and was based on a highly sophisticated form of psycho-physical manipulation. Consequently, the samurai taught by this method may t

heoretically have been capable of the great prowess that is routinely attributed to the samurai--despite their very limited military achievements. Reasons why this may be the case include the unprecedented degree of psychological realism the method adds to training, as well as its potential to drastically reduce the warrior’s level of stress during battle. However, in order for this method to be even somewhat successful, let alone exemplary, the manner in which its exponents trained was crucial. More even than any other warrior-type, practice had to be not only very frequent but physically and mentally arduous, routinely dangerous and as far as possible take place in the conditions in which the techniques were designed to be used. For today’s students wanting to understand the potential of this method their only recourse is to spend a minimum of a decade adopting not only the regimen but also the mindset of the method's medieval predecessors. Unfortunately, today it seems that very few of the pre-1600 schools that have survived are requiring this level or type of commitment. Consequently, while these schools can verify their age and ours cannot, ours is certainly more genuine in that it provides its students with training that is closer to the original model and which is far more able to create battle-ready warriors. About the school:
This school has a very extensive curriculum that includes all the major samurai weapons as well many other supporting systems. The instructor, Phil Trent, has been a student of the school for 43 years and is one of only three non-Japanese to receive a teaching license from it. The training is unique but requires an extremely large commitment on the part of its students because practice becomes progressively more grueling both physically and mentally. As a result, students are also expected to practice on a daily basis in their own time. Also, any grades awarded are not permanent and are subject to reevaluation if a student's standards are felt to have dropped below appropriate levels. Classes are extremely disciplined, however they do not have the formality that is mistakenly thought of as being traditional with Japanese martial arts. Principally for safety reasons, there is a maximum of five students allowed so although this ensures that instruction is always very personalized it also means that there may not always be openings. This is not for anyone looking for a casual pastime

Previous experience in martial arts is not necessary and since this is primarily a study of medieval combat in general the training will complement and enhance any HEMA interest a student might have. For more information on the school's background:
https://koryumatters.wordpress.com/2016/04/30/elephantintheroom/

If you are interested in applying to become a student and live in the Dallas area, please contact me at [email protected].

“Internal” Martial Arts for Life (Part 2)

02/28/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1G4wo6gAB6/

“Internal” Martial Arts for Life (Part 2) Everyday Life Benefits Introduction In Part 1 I said that most Tai Chi practitioners don’t realize the extent of the benefits their study could produce because they are unaware that it is an “Inter…

12/12/2025

https://koryumatters.wordpress.com/2025/12/12/internal-martial-arts-for-life/

Internal Martial Arts for Life Introduction These days it would probably be difficult to find anyone who hadn’t heard of Tai Chi and who didn’t know that it involves slow, graceful sequences of movements. Also, most people have …

Secrets of Iai (7b): Iai’s Original Purpose (Part 2)

11/28/2023

So here is the final essay in my Secrets Of Iai series. The series amounts to about 57000 words and has taken over 7 years to write! Happy to be able to move onto more modest projects...

Secrets of Iai (7b): Iai’s Original Purpose (Part 2) In the previous essay I asked why some 400 years ago Iai would have been developed at all given that there appears to be no justifiable rationale for it as part of combat training—something that I …

鎖鎌 Kusarigama (ball-and-chain sickle) vs. Sword

11/19/2021

This is an excellent demo and the students should IMO be commended for their efforts. However, whenever I see the kusarigama being used in this way, the question I always ponder is whether or not the students are being taught that the techniques are viable in combat. To be clear, with a couple of exceptions nothing in these kata has anything but the absolute remotest chance of working against any swordsman who is anything more than a complete and utter novice. In theory this reality becomes obvious to the student without having to be told by their sensei IF they are taught correctly, and the student therefore then sees this training as mostly just an excellent way to develop their distance appreciation and timing. Not to say that the kusarigama can't be effective in a combat, just that aside from the vast amounts of training that are required even to become competent, how it can be utilized is extremely limited so far as the ball & chain components. (It only takes training with the "live" --actual chain and metal weight/ball--version of this weapon to appreciate its limitations and the inanity of these kata)

鎖鎌 Kusarigama (ball-and-chain sickle) vs. Sword

03/17/2021

I have the greatest of respect for Mr. Boylan in terms of his dedication to the arts he practices. However, this essay demonstrates how incredibly little understanding of both breathing and structure there is amongst the so-called budo community. The title of the essay absolutely speaks truth, but the author does not appear to understand in almost any sense why this is so! (For one, expanding the chest during breathing should be completely unnecessary except during prolonged, high-intensity activity) As is ALWAYS the case these days apparently with Japanese MA exponents--even after decades of practice--the author seems utterly experientially unaware of the role of hara in both breathing and structure. Very sad since without hara the ceiling will forever remain very, very low.

06/07/2020

Secrets of Iai (Pt. 6): Combat Training Introduction This is the second essay in this series that lays out the case for why I believe that it is the profoundly and fanatically Hara-centric methodology I described in the first 4 essays an…