Ihor Rymaruk - Uechi-Ryu Karate

Happy Father's day all! Hug your kids if you can.

Thank you to the Mayor and City of Amsterdam for recognizing our dojo and my accomplishment of serving the community and surrounding areas for 50yrs. Not done yet. We're at the dojo Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7pm if you'd like to see what we're all about.

In recognition of 50 years of operation as a small, independently owned business, the City of Amsterdam recognizes, thanks, and commends the Uechi-Ryu Karate School and its Master Instructor, Ihor Rymaruk.

Ihor, a Ukrainian immigrant, came to the United States in 1949. He served honorably in the United States Marine Corps, including a tour of duty in Vietnam. He was the first in his family to graduate college, and established his own karate school on May 6, 1974. In 1982 he was granted his Instructor certification by Master Uechi in Okinawa.

During this past half-century, Ihor has mentored thousands of people in the Amsterdam community and surrounding areas, teaching at local colleges, giving seminars for police, and helping students to develop self-confidence and to learn self-defense skills.

In addition, Ihor has authored two books and released two DVDs on the art of Uechi-Ryu Karate, further sharing his knowledge world wide.

Amsterdam is proud to be home to the Uechi-Ryu Karate School and is honored to have Ihor Rymaruk as a member of our community.

Fond memories or trekking to tournaments and seeing my students' hard work pay off. Enjoyed seeing some of these faces at my anniversary party.

Lots of memories over the years and looking forward to making more.

Grateful to all those who shared their knowledge and wisdom over the decades.

Still selling through our website and through Asian World of Martial Arts

https://www.uechiryu-karate.com/store/iron-arm

Always enjoyed attending the summer camps Masters Mattson and Durkin would host. Great environment for knowledge and cultural exchange. Also a great opportunity to stay connected to the Okinawan masters.

Looking forward to seeing you at the school and to helping you meet your fitness and self-defense goals. 🥋💪

Congratulations to Lexi and Jordy on earning their yellow belts. Whoever messes with these young ladies is going to get double trouble. Both are strong and and aren't afraid to ask questions. We enjoy watching your confidence grow and look forward to helping you develop your skill and power.

Always end with self-defense

Congratulations Sam on your 6th kyu promotion and Josh on your 7th kyu promotion. You both work hard and it shows. Both of these gentlemen bring positive energy, respect, and determination to the dojo. We look forward to helping you delve further into your study of Uechi-Ryu.

Testing night! Nice job gentlemen 👍🏽

Class tonight 7pm...Practice. Self-defense techniques require repetition to become muscle memory. Muscle memory helps to reduce reaction time. Reaction time can make the difference between blocking and missing a block. Missing a block is painful. Practice. See you at 7. 👊🏼😎

If you're looking for a gift that they won't outgrow and will be useful all their life...

I'd like to congratulate one of our students, not for his accomplishments in the dojo this time, but in his professional career. Larry is the recipient of a 2023 Stars of Life award for his work as a paramedic. It's a tough job that can be both rewarding and draining, but he does it well. We hope you never have to see him at work, but if you do, you're in good hands. Congratulations Larry! Much respect. 🏅🏆

Join us in congratulating Joe on his green belt. Joe is the kind of student every teacher has an eye out for. Inquisitive, self-motivated, puts in the time and effort, mixed with natural ability. This young man is humble and willing to help the younger students learn. He brings good energy into the dojo, and we look forward to assisting him as he furthers his journey into martial arts.

Wishing our Sensei a very happy birthday. You know you've made an impact when past students return to celebrate you. Here's to many more years in and outside of the dojo. 🥳

Special thank you to Amber for organizing and to Paul for the delicious cake.

Well loved book and well loved kitty. 🥰🐈‍ Have you gotten your copy of the book? What did you find most interesting or helpful?

Reminder...don't hold fireworks between your teeth...also no class Tuesday 🎉

Join us in congratulating Jonathan on a successful yellow belt test. Fighting off some some pre-test jitters, he dug deep and showed his warrior spirit. Jonathan has a strong kick and strong support from his family. Always ready to try his best, we look forward to seeing this young man build his confidence and Uechi skills.

Spunky, speedy, and strong, this young lady has the potential to go far. Congratulations to Brooklyn on her sucessful yellow belt test!

Congratulations to our newest yellow belts! Your hard work and zeal for learning shows. Your positive energy can be felt throughout the dojo. We greatly enjoy working with you all and look forward to helping you hone your Uechi skills.

Special thank you to Instructors Rick and Justin for your leadership and tireless dedication to getting the class ready for their tests.

Summer hours start today. Class 7pm 🥋

Congratulations to Savannah and Olivia, our newest yellow belts! Your commitment and pererverance is a testament to your desire to learn and achieve. We look forward to helping you to hone your skills and to watching your confidence build further. We're proud of you ladies 🥋

The loss of Master Frank Gorman sits heavily on my heart. He was my teacher from 1976-1996, but more importantly, a dear friend for over 40yrs. I’m glad I was able to spend time with Frank before he returned to Florida for the last time. He was so excited to get back to his community, smiling ear to ear while he talked about the place and people that meant so much to him. My deepest sympathies to Frank’s family, students, and all those who knew and loved him. He left his mark, will be missed, and fondly remembered by all of us.

Sensei Frank greatly enjoyed taking his students to study on Okinawa with his teacher, Master Nakamatsu, and to visit other dojos. I am fortunate that I was able to accompany him on such a trip in 1988. I learned much from Frank, and admired his great relationships with the Okinawan masters. While on Okinawa, we trained at Master Nakama's new dojo and Master Shinjo’s Dojo was a special treat. Master Shinjo stayed with Frank in Pittsfield when he visited the USA. We visited with Master Takamiyagi and Yonamine and many other senior Uechi-Ryu Masters. A testament to Frank’s warmth and character.

Frank, we will get together in your new dojo on the other side. Keep a little space for me and greet me with your big friendly smile.