For Sean Robinson, a Global Martial Arts University (GMAU) student leader based in Jamestown, North Carolina, the path to the dojo started with a blade.
Robinson grew up in Texas, where he joined a fencing club in high school and spent the next two decades immersed in the sport — first in Olympic-style fencing with the foil, épée, and sabre, and later in historical recreation fencing with rapier and dagger.
When that chapter of his life eventually wound down, he found himself searching for the next step in what he calls his “martial arts evolution.” That search led him to the GMAU, where he has completed two programs: Ultimate Bo and Shotokan Karate.
Finding Martial Arts Training That Fits
Like many GMAU students, Robinson began his search the way most people do these days — online. He researched the dojos in his area and found no shortage of quality martial-arts schools nearby. None of them, however, fit his schedule or his lifestyle.
That’s what ultimately drew him to the GMAU’s online model. Freed from the constraints of fixed class times and a physical dojo, Robinson could train on his own schedule, in his own space, at his own pace — a flexibility he credits as central to his martial-arts success.
Reflecting on the experience, he put it simply: “I think choosing an online platform to learn a martial arts was the absolute best way to go.”
A Weapon First, Then a Second Discipline
Robinson’s GMAU journey began with Ultimate Bo, drawn in part by his fencing background and a curiosity about weapons-based martial arts. The six-foot staff appealed to him as a natural next step. About a month into the program, he added a second discipline, enrolling in Shotokan Karate as well.
Today, Robinson holds a 3rd Black Chevron in Ultimate Bo and 2nd Dan (Nidan) Black belt in Shotokan. He’s also a student leader in both programs, meaning he teaches and coaches other GMAU students in these styles.
The Balancing Act of Training in Two Programs
Juggling two martial-arts disciplines simultaneously is no small feat, and Robinson developed his own system for making it work. His advice to students considering a similar path comes down to one word: pace.
He recommends splitting training time evenly between disciplines — roughly 30 to 45 minutes, or up to an hour, on each — rather than letting one crowd out the other. In his own experience, even a week away from karate is enough to feel a dip in his skills, which is why he treats the balance as a daily priority rather than an afterthought.
the Ultimate Bo Live 2022 event in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
The Hardest Part: Finding a Partner
One challenge that stands out in Robinson’s GMAU experience is not the training itself but finding someone to train with. As he advanced in rank, the pool of available partners narrowed.
He regularly checks the GMAU’s student-locator tool in search of someone nearby of comparable rank and availability, but coordinating schedules with a local training partner has always been challenging.
Enjoying the Journey, Not Just the Destination
Beyond the logistics of rank and scheduling, Robinson offers a broader philosophy for GMAU students working toward their goals. He’s noticed that many students name Black Belt as their ultimate objective — a goal he respects, but one he views differently.
For him, the value lies less in the destination and more in the process itself: “What I want to be able to do is enjoy the journey to the Black Belt, and knowing that Black Belt is not a finishing spot, it’s a starting point.”
Recently, Robinson attended a 3-day Shotokan Karate seminar in Cincinnati, Ohio. This boot camp was taught by 8th Dan, Kancho Nobuaki Kanazawa of the the Shotokan Karate International Federation (SKIF). At this event, Robinson successfully tested for his SKIF Nidan Black Belt.
in Cincinnati with Kancho Nobuaki Kanazawa (far left)
Robinson says, “I was quite surprised at the announcement. I was extremely gassed out once the exam started and was sure that I did not meet the standard to pass parts of the test. Once some announcements were made, Kancho Nobuaki called my name, raised his hand to gesture and paused, in what seemed a full orbit of the Earth around the Sun, before he made a downward chopping motion with his hand to me and said, ‘Nidan!’“
When asked whether his GMAU Shotokan training gave him a good grounding for earning his SKIF Nidan rank, Robinson said: “I completed my formal training with GMAU about the same time I started training with SKIF. Without GMAU, I do not think I would have had a firm foundation and basic understanding of karate that allowed me to further pursue the art…”
Robinson is also an active presence in the broader GMAU community, browsing other students’ profiles to see who else is training and what they’re working toward. He welcomes fellow students to reach out to him, particularly those interested in tips or curious about his experience training two programs at once — a reminder that the GMAU’s student locator and discussion forums aren’t just tools for finding training partners, but a way to build connection across a community of students training on their own terms.
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