Sensei Paul Dal

President and Chief Instructor

Sensei Dal is an experienced karate teacher having begun his training in San Diego in November of 1983. By 1988, he had attended numerous tournaments and held a brown belt. Yearning to further his skills, he traveled to Osaka, Japan to train under the world renowned Grand Master Teruo Hayashi, 9th degree and head of Hayashi-ha Shito Ryu, living National Treasure of Japan. He remained under the great teacher's tutelage for five years. During his stay, he also trained in Iai-do (quick draw sword) attaining 3rd degree, attended four semesters of full time Japanese language study at a private school, and practiced Japanese calligraphy. He returned in 1993 to complete his university studies. In May of 1996, he served as Grandmaster Hayashi's personal interpreter and assistant during the Grandmaster's scheduled seminar in Southern California. Sensei Dal returned to Japan in June of 1997 as an exchange student at Doshisha University studying Japanese Cultural History in Japanese. He was indoctrinated into the university's karate team and endured the infamous university workouts while continuing his competition. In the summer of 2000, he attended the USA National Karate Federation National Tournament in Sacramento, CA where he passed the board certification for USA NKF Coach, the only officially recognized Olympic governing body for karate in the US, and passed the examination for 3rd degree black belt in the same organization. At the same event Sensei Dal also passed the 4th degree test in Hayashi-ha Shito Ryu Kai in the presence of the Grandmaster himself. Sensei also holds a 1st degree black belt from Zen Nihon Karate (the official governing body of karate in Japan) as well as 1st degree, Zenkuuren Shodan, from the Doshisha University Karate Team. In June 2001 Sensei Dal received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mircobiology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Japanese Studies from the University of California in San Diego at Revelle College. Sensei Dal continues his full time professional karate instruction at the main dojo in Clairemont and the other locations around the county. In recent years, he has taken up marathon and half marathon running as well as triathlon competition of varying lengths including sprint, Olympic and Half Iron distances.