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Sensei Ken Mammen began his martial
arts training in 1982 with a college Judo class. This sparked his
continued interest in the martial arts and lead him to a Goju-Shorei
Karate class at the local community college in Reno, Nevada. After two semesters of
Goju-Shorei Mr. Mammen tried other arts but quickly returned to Goju-Shorei Karate, studying under Master Joey Walker from 1985 to 1991. Mr.
Mammen received the rank of Shodan from Master Walker in June of 1990.
In 1991 Mr. Mammen began training with
Master Dave McNeill in Carson City. In 1994 Master McNeill promoted Mr.
Mammen to Nidan and Ken began teaching for Master McNeill in Dayton,
Nevada with Mr. Scott Rasner. Rasner left a year later, and Mammen continued
to teach in Dayton. In 1996
Master McNeill promoted him to Sandan. Later that year, the birth of Mr.
Mammen’s second child prompted Mr. Mammen to spend more time at home,
leaving the school in Dayton under Mr. Gene Green, another student of
Master Dave McNeill’s. At this point Mr. Mammen began training earnestly
with Master McNeill in Goju-Shorei Weapons, earning the rank of Shodan in
1997.
Sensei Mammen was promoted to the rank of
Yodan in Goju-Shorei Karate in April of 2001 and received the rank of
Roykudan in Goju-Shorei Weapons in October of 2000. Master McNeill
assigned him the task of developing the fan curriculum for
Goju-Shorei Weapons, which covers the requirements for the 6th Black Rank.
Mr. Mammen has won numerous first place
awards in open competition, in kumite, empty hand Kata and weapons Kata.
He received the Northern Nevada Coalition of Martial Artist’s “Instructor of the Year“ award and also placed “First
Overall in Kata” as well as “Second in Kumite” for the year 1994.
Mr. Mammen’s current interest is the
study of the healing arts and pressure point methods as he continues his
training with Grandmaster Alexander Archie and Master Dave McNeill, Soke.
Sensei Mammen is the current Director of Goju-Shorei Karate and
a member of the Board of Directors of Goju-Shorei Weapons.
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