6th Degree Black Belt
Sensei Dieter von der Marwitz is a 6th dan karate and 4th dan kobudo black belt with over 30 years of karate experience. Sensei Dieter started his karate career in South Africa at the age of 6 and has not stopped since then. He trained, competed, and taught in South Africa, representing South Africa in the 1998 World Championships and becoming a Grand South African Champion in 2000.
He began teaching in the USA in 2003, opening his own dojo in St. Anthony, Minnesota. He has been in St. Anthony ever since, instructing both adults and children in traditional Okinawan Shorin Ryu Shorinkan Karate and Kobudo (weapons). He and his students have become quite accomplished in competition. Several students have become AAU Junior Olympic Champions , AAU Karate National champions, and WUKF World Champions.
Sensei Dieter medaled in the TAFISA World Martial Arts Games in South Africa in 2016, representing the USA. He then went on to join the AAU National Team in Romania at the 7th European Champions Cup in 2016 and took home gold, silver, and bronze medals. He travels extensively both nationally and internationally to Okinawa to teach and attain knowledge to pass on to his students. He additionally trains in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to provide knowledge on groundwork.
He is committed to ensuring a positive learning environment for both adults and children and truly believes that the dojo is his family. Sensei Dieter’s passion for teaching and infectious personality make Shorin Ryu Minnesota the best place in Minnesota for both children and adults of all ages to train.
Okinawan Kobudo
We offer traditional Okinawan weapons training (kubodo) at our school for both teens & adults!
Kobudo is the art of traditional weapons training. There are five farming and fishing tools which were adapted and used as weapons in Okinawa: the bo, nunchaku, tonfa (tuifa), kama and eku. Sai is the only weapon created with the purpose of being a weapon.
