Shihan Paul Arel is the founder and International Director of the International Kokondo Association (IKA). He has been an instructor of martial arts since 1952, has been inducted into the N.E. Black Belt Hall Of Fame, and has also been listed in Who's Who in Martial Arts. Shihan is a title earned through a lifetime of sacrifice and hard work. Extraordinary skill and accomplishment are just the beginning; Paul Arel has worked diligently to become the IKA's Shihan. His jujitsu training began in 1950 under Sensei Sudo. Shihan Arel gives the most credit to this sensei for his core martial art techniques. After years of intensive training under the close guidance of his sensei he earned his black belt, placing him among the youngest legitimate black belts in the United States. In actuality, this rank established him as one of the few black belts of any age in the country; Shihan Arel became one of our country's first occidental jujitsu black belts. Before returning to Japan, Mr. Arel's sensei appointed him as the dojo's new instructor. Shihan Arel continued training in traditional jujitsu exclusively until the mid 1950's when he entered the United States Marine Corps. His leadership qualities, in addition to his status as a black belt, afforded Mr. Arel many advantages. For example, he was soon instructing Marines in unarmed and armed combat, including the most elite of the forces, certain special tactics units and various other government entities. While with the famed Fleet Marines, Shihan Arel received elite training in the Orient. He concentrated on fighting styles originating in Japan, Okinawa, and China. He became an expert in kata, was introduced to karate, Judo, Aikido, kobudo, knife, bayonet, and firearms as well as other traditional techniques. He also successfully competed in many tournaments. To help make ends meet, Shihan Arel "kept the peace at a bar off Camp Geiger." Those with military training may remember this spot as "the second front." Few martial artists these days get to use their skills in a real street-type situation, a situation the IKA stresses as one that hopefully no member ever has to be involved in. Because of timing, circumstances, duties, etc., Mr. Arel's experience in the field has helped to determine in many cases which martial art techniques are applicable or appropriate to which circumstances. This experience includes service operations, fieldwork, his work as a bouncer, and security. Throughout the 1960's, while continuing his study of jujitsu, Mr. Arel was also a private student of Mas Oyama and one of the first branch chiefs of Kyokushin Karate in the United States. Mr. Arel opened the first karate class in Connecticut, USA. In addition, Mr. Arel received principle training from Don Nagle and H. Ishikawa. His skills helped bring one of the first large-scale shiai (tournament) to North America. He has worked, in one capacity or another, with a great number of familiar martial artists. They include Koichi Tohei, Gary Alexander, Peter Urban, Henry Cho, Daeshik Kim, Maung Gyi, K. Ueyno, H. Nishiyama and many more. By the late 1960's Mr. Arel was recognized as the world's leading authority on Jukido Jujitsu and was awarded the title of Shihan. His profound concern for the public's well-being led him to blend his jujitsu experience with his training in Judo, Aikido and karate into a dynamic and devastating system of self-defense. This culminated in his founding of Kokondo karate and the International Kokondo Association in 1970. As time went on Shihan Arel continued to perfect his art. Publicity led to numerous radio and television appearances, including the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. After working with Woody Allen and actress Barbara Nichols, Mr. Arel produced and was featured in the motion picture Art of the Ancients. In 1998, he earned the rank of 10th Dan in Kokondo Karate and 10th Dan in Jukido Jujitsu. This achievement made Paul Arel Shihan of both Jukido Jujitsu and Kokondo Karate. Today, Shihan Arel is a world record holder and instructor of people from virtually every walk of life. His school teaches two dynamic and powerful arts: Jukido Jujitsu and Kokondo Karate. Mr. Arel continues to work with law enforcement agencies throughout the country. As Chief Instructor of the International Kokondo Association, Shihan Arel teaches an elite club of black belts, and remains available for professional lectures to black belts, corporations, women's groups and various parent organizations. For a more complete timeline of Shihan Paul Arel's life in the martial arts, please click here.

Back

Home

An image above and the majority of this text was taken with permission from www.ikja.com.