About Muso-Kai
Muso-kai Karate's mission is to help people master their holistic awareness to make them better members of society.
We welcome all backgrounds and ability levels of those who are interested in self-improvement by challenging themselves through the virtues of karate-do. From a stylistic perspective, Muso-Kai aims to learn from and reproduce the teachings of old Okinawan karate masters such as Bushi Matsumura and Motobu Choki, who were around a century ago when karate was known as "Te".
Muso-Kai shares many of the same katas and techniques as other well-known karate styles such as Shorin-ryu, Goju-ryu, Uechi-ryu, Kyokushin, and Shotokan; however, differences emerge when it comes to the science behind power generation, application of the kata, and principles for the techniques. Our curriculum focuses on learning the principles to utilize one's potential energy by way of gravity and pairing it with the kinetic energy generated through biomechanics of the human anatomy. And through this principle, we train using our katas, applications of kata (bunkai), full/light contact sparring, and Ryukyu kobudo (Bo and Sai).
Instructors
Shihan Bryan Davies
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SLC Muso-Kai Branch Chief & US representative for Okinawa Karate-Do Muso-Kai 5th Dan under Grandmaster Shihan Arakaki Shihan Bryan was born and raised in Utah, but spent most of his childhood summers in his mother’s native Okinawa to keep him “in touch with his roots”. To that end, she also enrolled him into Okinawa Karate Do Muso-Kai where he studied for over 30 years under Grandmaster Shihan Arakaki. In 2019, Shihan Bryan’s professional career as an engineer provided him the opportunity to live in Tokyo for three years during which he was able to teach and train members from the various Muso-Kai branches in Japan. It was a great honor. This formative experience catalyzed his long existing passion for learning about body mechanics, which underlie all Okinawan martial arts, for his own edification and advancement in Muso-Kai into an even greater desire to also share that knowledge with others. Shihan Bryan received his 5th Dan in October of 2024 at the final promotion test held in the Okinawa Karate Do Muso-Kai dojo that had been his second home for over 30 years. It was the last official act of Shihan Arakaki before retired from teaching at the SLC headquarters, and the USA writ large. At Arakaki’s behest, Shihan Bryan and a few other instructors created an official SLC branch to keep Muso-Kai alive in Utah. Location, class schedule, and more information can be found here. Bryan is an engineer who lives in Salt Lake City with his wife, their dog, and has a future little black belt - their first - on the way.
Sensei David Denio
David Denio has been interested in martial arts from a young age. However, he did not start training karate until he was 18 years old. He has trained in multiple karate styles including Shotokan and Shito Ryu prior to training in Muso-Kai.
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Jason Nguyen
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I am the kids’ class instructor and a third-generation black belt. Both of my uncles are black belts, and our family has been with Muso Kai since the 80’s with all of us starting when we were kids. I started when I was 6 and have trained at Muso Kai cumulatively for over 10+ years. I only recently started teaching the kids’ class last year when Shihan Kiyoshi Arakaki retired from teaching. What compelled me to take on the responsibility of teaching was how fondly I look back on my time in the kids' class. What I see now as an adult that I didn’t when I was a kid is that anyone can learn how to fight because you can fight with more than just your fists. Shihan Kiyoshi Arakaki taught me that, and I think that he is responsible for much of who I am today both professionally and personally. Shihan Kiyoshi Arakaki taught me so many valuable life skills and lessons as a kid that I carried into adulthood, and I would like to pass those on to the next generation as my way of thanking him and passing on the torch.