Sensei Ridlon
Sensei Ridlon has been in the Kokondo Karate system for the past 25 years. She instructs approximately 20 students between two locations in Los Alamos and White Rock. You can find more information about classes at the class information page. Her students range from 7 years old to 55 years old. Sensei Ridlon's class emphasizes self-discipline, respect for others, physical fitness, proper breathing, ki, and mental focus. Skills are taught individually and by learning self-defense karate weapons systems.
Martial arts forms taught are Kokondo Karate and Jukido Jujitsu. They are derived from the most effective techniques from Japan, Okinawa, and China Wushu. Kokondo means the way of the past and present.
Appropriate skills are taught to students ranging from young children to adults.
Kokondo Karate and Jukido Jujitsu
From the official IKA Web site:
Within the International Kokondo Association (IKA), there are two distinct arts: Kokondo Karate and Jukido Jujitsu, both of which are traditional Japanese styles that emphasize practical, effective self defense.
Shihan Paul Arel founded Kokondo Karate in 1970, based on his studies of several Karate systems as well as his mastery of the Japanese Jujitsu training he received from Sudo Sensei and as a Marine stationed in Japan. Shihan Arel uniquely developed three guiding principals which informed his retention of the thousands of techniques he learned from his earliest training. He used these principals to further understand and develop the techniques he learned from: SanKata Karate, Isshin Ryu Karate and Kyokushin Karate. These Principals are Kuzushi, Shorinji and Jushin. While Kokondo’s techniques and Kata are similar to the systems stated above, these three principals are unique to Kokondo’s Founder in both concept and application. The further development of them is also uniquely Kokondo’s as taught by the founder’s successor Greg Howard Kaicho.
Shihan Paul Arel also developed Jukido Jujutsu. This art was named in 1959. Jukido is a jujitsu system with an emphasis on self defense. Shihan Paul Arel’s legacy of three unifying principals to Martial arts, Kuzushi, Jushin and Shorinji are used in Jukido as they are used in his other art Kokondo Karate. In the first stages of Jukido there is an emphasis on self defense drills which allows the student to become familiar with Escapes, Throws, Blocks, Locks and Strikes. These drills eventually evolve into infinite applications liberating the Jukido student from having only one defense for a specific attack. These five facets also blend into a self defense style that is recommended for anyone needing a no-nonsense approach to self defense. Since Jukido utilizes the attacker’s strength against them this art is especially popular for the young. Classes begin for children at 5 or 6 years old and continue throughout adulthood.