Okinawan Shorin Ryu Lineage and History of COMA
Sensei Co Chinn and Sensei Ben Chinn both started training in Shorin Ryu Kobudo (weapons) under Hanshi Clarence Murray (9th Degree Black Belt) in 2014. In 2015, they also started training in Shorin Ryu Karate with him, eventually earning the rank of Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt) with him in February 2019 and Nidan (2nd Degree Black Belt) in December 2021.
Sensei Murray trained under Kyoshi James Coffman (7th Degree Black Belt). He also trained with Hanshi Bill Hayes (9th Degree Black Belt) and Hanshi Frank Hardgrove (9th Degree Black Belt).
Kyoshi Coffman trained under two different Okinawans. The primary Okinawan was Hanshi Fusei Kise (10th Degree Black Belt) and the other Okinawan was Hanshi Honan Soken (10th Degree Black Belt)
Due to the COVID Lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, when the Sportsplex in which the Murray’s Okinawan Karate dojo was located would not allow them to meet for health safety reasons, Sensei Co was giving private lessons to a number of Murray’s Okinawan Karate students. Subsequently, Sensei Co pursued an option that would allow the students to continue training in person, and with the blessing of Hanshi Murray, founded Chinn’s Okinawan Martial Arts, LLC, opening the doors of the dojo in June 2022.
Sensei Co and Sensei Ben have also had the privilege to study with a number of highly advanced martial artists, mainly consisting of Hanshi Ali Shabazz (9th Degree Black Belt Aikijujitsu), Hanshi Doug Perry (10th Degree Black Belt Shorin Ryu), Kyoshi Rik Lostritto (7th Degree Black Belt Uechi Ryu), and Hanshi John Carria (9th Degree Black Belt Uechi Ryu)
