SHO CHIKU BAI ("Pine-Bamboo-Plum")
Sho Chiku Bai is a philosophy common to holistic martial arts systems. Traditional Japanese culture holds that the pine tree (Sho), bamboo tree (Chiku) and plum blossom (Bai) are representative of strength, suppleness and endurance respectively. These qualities are not just physical, but also mental and emotional/spiritual. The connotation is that they are qualities that are interdependent on one another and must be developed simultaneously. Sho Chiku Bai is a concept that the structure of the Seizan Ryu Kempo Jujutsu system is based on. Seizan Ryu schools seek to provide an atmosphere in which Seizan Ryu students can develop proactive defense skills, enhance their ability to maintain composure and defend themselves at critical levels of conflict, be they physical, mental or emotional. It is our purpose to help each student realize and maximize his/her true, individual potential both physically and mentally. Holding true to that philosophy of excellence, we seek it in ourselves, while guiding our students along the same path. The complete modern warrior has refined these physical and mental traits, and makes it a lifetime task to keep them in balance.
Seizan Ryu ("West Mountain System")	Seizan Ryu, or "West Mountain system", derives its name from the region where the teaching concepts were formalized. Seizan or "West Mountain" is named so because the teaching methodologies were formulated in Westmont, Illinois and in the Rocky Mountains, west of Denver, Colorado. The term "Ryu", system, denotes "a flow of knowledge". Seizan Ryu is formalized from expertise in a number of systems including Japanese, Chinese, Filipino and Indonesian martial systems. Seizan Ryu, however, is not an eclectic system, but is based on the philosophy that "truth is arrived at by studying the similarities amongst systems" and is therefore based on the principles which unify those arts. In other words, Seizan Ryu is not unique because it advocates striking in a certain way or choosing a grappling strategy, but acquires its uniqueness by teaching the best ways of striking and grappling in terms of the natural laws that pertain to all movement. The Seizan Ryu curriculum is structured so that our students develop an understanding of the most appropriate time to employ various tactics be they striking, grappling or a combination thereof. In everyday language, students of Seizan Ryu study technique and strategy, learning "what to do" (technique), "when to do it" (tactics) and understand "why it works" (conceptual understanding of natural laws). The term Kempo Jujutsu refers to the techniques and tactics employed by Seizan Ryu practitioners. To provide the "Cliff Notes" version, Kempo ("Striking Principles") consists of sophisticated striking tactics that use the hands, feet, arms, legs, elbows, knees and even the head to target vital points on an opponent's body. Jujutsu ("Supple Science") consists of efficiently blending with incoming force and makes use of nerve strikes, throws, joint locks, immobilizations, chokes, and certain hand held weaponry to disable or control an adversary. Therefore Kempo Jujutsu is a complete system of technique and tactic designed to render an adversary powerless while minimizing the practitioner’s exposure to harm. For more information regarding the Seizan Ryu system, contact the Colorado Academy of Martial Arts. Click Here for Colorado Academy
Roland S. Roemer sensei is the chief regulator of the Seizan Ryu system and the Director of the Colorado Academy of Martial Arts. Pauley sensei, Tharp sensei and Hakim sensei are part of the Seizan Ryu heritage.