Founder & Owner

Training since 1967. Currently Hachi Dan 8th degree black belt) in Wado-Ryu Karate and Sho Dan (1st Degree black belt) in Judo/Ju-jitsu. Primarily trained in Wado by Shihan Cecil T. Patterson, the highest ranking occidental (non-Japanese) Wadoka in the world and credited with bringing Wado-Ryu to America.

Sensei Vanatta has also trained with most of the great worldwide Wado masters including founder Hironori Ohtsuka, Grandmaster Hironori Ohtsuka II (Jiro), Tatsuo Suzuki, Koji Takamatsu, Masafumi Shiomitsu, and Kazataka Ohtsuka. He has also trained with Karate legend, Joe Lewis, and Jujitsu Master Wally Jay, as well as Escrima Master Remy Presas.

Sensei Vanatta has served many of the major Wado organizations, including roles as assistant director for the United States Eastern Wado Ryu Federation (USEWF) and on the board of directors for the USA branch of the Wado International Karate Federation (WIKF) He has also served on the Technical Committee for the United States National Karate Federation.

He is a retired police officer, and was formerly in charge of special security at the Tennessee State Courthouse. He is a Certified Police Defensive Tactics Instructor and Certified FBI Firearms Instructor.

Sensei Vanatta is currently in charge of instructing Defensive Tactics for the Tennessee State Guard Military Police Unit and is a Sargeant for the Hendersonville Police Department’s Defensive Tactics Training Division.

Special interests include classic traditional martial arts practice as well as martial arts history, philosophy, and strategy.