I was looking around my town for a Jujutsu class to supplement my Isshinryu training and stumbled across an Soryu Karate dojo. I've done a web search and cannot find any meaningful information about this style. Is this a legit system of martial arts or some modern day construction?

Here's the dojo website address:

http://shinryukan.us

Edited September 12, 201213 yr by mathemajikian

Well, I can say that Caldwell Shihan is highly respected within the Kwanmukan. He's very well known as a master of kobudo (okinawan weapons). He's lived in Okinawa and speaks the language fluently. Very intelligent man. You're likely to get a very traditional karate, kobudo, jujitsu hybrid.

The base martial arts of the Kwanmukan (the main organization through which he is affiliated) is Shotokan Karate and Tae Kwon Do. I know this becuase I am a nidan within the organization. The other arts within the organization are Aiki Ju Jitsu and Kobudo.

Now, he's likely had training in other arts as well, but that's what you'll learn there. So, if you're looking for brazilian Jiu-jitsu, he does not teach it. He's affiliated and certified through the USJJF (https://www.usjjf.org) and will likely sell you on their system of jujitsu. But it is not BJJ.

I have a shodan in Kwanmukan Jujitsu as well and have competed, even took runner up at their nationals, in their jujitsu events. But it is not BJJ. I'm a 4 stripe brown belt in BJJ and know the differences very well.

So, to answer your question, he is an extremely legitimate instructor and master martial artist. Just be sure it's what you want. If you want brazilian jiu-jitsu, he does not teach it. In fact, the kwanmukan actually looks down on BJJ and training it got me kicked out of the organization.