Arturo Worrell
Encyclopedia
Arturo Worrell is the founder of the Panamanian Association of Karate Shotokan (APKS). His interest in martial arts started at the age of 12 when he began judo
. He practiced judo for 10 years and obtained the brown belt. In 1964 he signed up to the Dai-Ichi-Karate-Kai (First School of Karate
) with Vincent A. Cruz and continued to train both judo and karate, obtaining Sho-Dan (first black belt) in both martial arts. He was hired as an instructor to the Panamanian National Guard and opened the first permanent Shotokan Karate dojo the "Estudio de Karate Worrell Internacional" (now just "Estudio de Karate Worrell") in the mid-70's. He continued to compete in both judo and karate until 1983, when he decided to dedicate himself to Shotokan Karate alone.
In 1984, he invited Teruyuki Okazaki
(9th dan ISKF) to Panama for the first time to give an open seminar. In 1988, Worrell founded the Panamanian Association of Shotokan Karate (Asociacion Panameña de Karate Shotokan), which currently numbers 15 member dojos and is affiliated to the Japan Karate Association
- World Federation, of which Worrell is regional representative.
In 2003 he was promoted to 6th Dan by the Japan Karate Association
, making him the highest ranking dan recognized by the Association in central America.
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
. He practiced judo for 10 years and obtained the brown belt. In 1964 he signed up to the Dai-Ichi-Karate-Kai (First School of Karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
) with Vincent A. Cruz and continued to train both judo and karate, obtaining Sho-Dan (first black belt) in both martial arts. He was hired as an instructor to the Panamanian National Guard and opened the first permanent Shotokan Karate dojo the "Estudio de Karate Worrell Internacional" (now just "Estudio de Karate Worrell") in the mid-70's. He continued to compete in both judo and karate until 1983, when he decided to dedicate himself to Shotokan Karate alone.
In 1984, he invited Teruyuki Okazaki
Teruyuki Okazaki
Teruyuki Okazaki , a tenth degree black belt in Shotokan Karate, is the founder, chairman and chief instructor of the International Shotokan Karate Federation . Along with Gichin Funakoshi and Masatoshi Nakayama, Okazaki helped found the Japan Karate Association's instructor training program.-Early...
(9th dan ISKF) to Panama for the first time to give an open seminar. In 1988, Worrell founded the Panamanian Association of Shotokan Karate (Asociacion Panameña de Karate Shotokan), which currently numbers 15 member dojos and is affiliated to the Japan Karate Association
Japan Karate Association
Japan Karate Association is one of the most influential Shotokan karate organizations in the world...
- World Federation, of which Worrell is regional representative.
In 2003 he was promoted to 6th Dan by the Japan Karate Association
Japan Karate Association
Japan Karate Association is one of the most influential Shotokan karate organizations in the world...
, making him the highest ranking dan recognized by the Association in central America.