Kyoshi Jim O’Brien took his first karate class at the age of 10 and has been a lifelong student ever since. Karate was instrumental in helping him to overcome his shyness as a child. It was while he started training at a dojo in Pawtucket, RI that he discovered this was a sport where everything made sense.
The majority of Kyoshi Jim’s training is in Kenpo karate, a martial art based on modern day street fighting, that applies logic and practicality. As a young student of Kenpo, he aspired to become a teacher. Kyoshi Jim joined the United States Marine Corps and learned survival and self-defense techniques that aligned well with his Kenpo training. After his honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, Kyoshi Jim continued his martial arts training and became a Sensei (teacher). As a teacher, he refined his lessons incorporating the best of his military training and experience to further enhance his martial arts technique and philosophy.
Over the years, Kyoshi Jim has trained in many forms of martial arts, but his passion remains in the Kenpo and Kenjustu systems. Kyoshi Jim trained with Shihan Carlos Miranda, a student who trained directly with Professor Nick Cerio. Professor Cerio was the founder of the Nick Cerio’s Kenpo where he brought together his teachings from American Kenpo, boxing, kung-fu, jujitsu, judo, and shotokan. In addition, Professor Cerio introduced many open hand and weapon kata (forms) still widely used today and has become the foundation of Jim O’Brien’s Kenpo Karate. Kyoshi Jim was awarded his 1st degree black belt by Shihan Carlos Miranda. His 2nd through 5th degree black belts were earned through his training with Grandmaster Mark Sheeley, who also trained directly with Professor Cerio. Grandmaster Sheeley granted Jim the title of Shihan (master instructor). Kyoshi Jim’s 6th and 7th degree black belts were earned through his training with Soke Wali Islam of Komushin/Zanshin Kenjutsu. Through his extensive training, Kyoshi Jim has attended seminars taught by Professor Cerio as well as many other seminars with notable martial arts instructors to enhance his own learning and instruction to his students.
Kyoshi Jim has been teaching locally for over 23 years and has led several corporate self-defense seminars and many teen and women’s self-defense workshops. He has been inducted into the Kensho Ryu Hall of Fame and has had his 6th and 7th degree black belts reconfirmed through the International Karate Council of Grandmasters (IKCG). Kyoshi Jim wants to pass the many benefits he has gained from karate and the love of martial arts to children and adults. He wishes for all students to take away the same enjoyment, discipline, sense of self, and self-esteem that he has experienced since childhood.
In class you challenge us, test us, push us past what we think are our limits so that we can move beyond what is easy and become more than we thought we could, yet never breaking our spirit… You encourage our young ones to persevere, to work hard in school so they can do whatever they aspire to do… It’s not about the place we train, the dojo. I told you once, you could teach in a hallway and I would follow you there. You are a gifted teacher and a mentor.
In June 2017, in front of his students and their families, Jim was tested and promoted from Shihan to Kyoshi (Professor or expert teacher) by Soke Wali Islam. Above is an excerpt from a speech given in his honor.