tennessee martial arts university has open house

The Tennessee Martial Arts University, located on Maryville Highway in Seymour, put itself on display Saturday, opening its doors to visitors while showing off a new ‘traditional oriental garden’ that provides different methods of training and pays tribute to three of the school’s students who have died since 1995.

Michael Garner and his wife, Melisssa Garner, are owners and instructors at the school that specializes in training students in a variety of different forms of marital arts.

George Alexander, a 10^th degree black belt from the Chattanooga area, was a guest speaker and instructor at Saturday’s event. Alexander enlightened some of the estimated 100 visitors in disciplines of traditional Okinawan Karate with a demonstration that lasted for more than an hour.

Shawn Mosher, a student at The Tennessee Martial Arts University since relocating to East Tennessee from Oregon in 1995, said Saturday’s open house-type event can only be described as a success for everyone involved.

“It was definitely a success, not just for us but for the community,” said Mosher. “A lot of people were educated today on the martial arts that we teach and they had a chance to see the family atmosphere that we feel like we have here.”

The Tennessee Martial Arts University offers classes six night a week. Mosher said the largest class of the week is the Karate, Kung Fu class held on Mondays and Thursdays. He estimates 20-to-30 students attend the Monday and Thursday night classes.

Mosher said that Tuesday night’s yoga class has around 10 or 15 students and is growing. On Wednesdays the school offers a class in Dai Hashiryu. Fridays are designated for open training and Saturdays are set aside for kid’s karate and kung fu.

One of the aspects that make the Tennessee Martial Arts University unique is the fact it boasts four master instructors on staff. Along with Michael Garner, who has been practicing martial arts for more than 30 years, Henry Jones, James Gill and Michael Caldwell are also qualified as master instructors and are each available as teachers at the school.

Michael Garner said what he feels makes the Seymour martial arts school special is the friendships and respect that have grown over the years from what he started as something to help share his passion with others.

“We really view each other here as a family,” he stated. “It really is all for one and one for all. We learn from each other. We welcome everybody from (age) 5-to-85.”

Garner said the completion of the oriental garden is a real source of pride for anyone associated with Tennessee Martial Arts University. He said it is now the only martial arts school in East Tennessee with such a garden on its premises.

The garden features the three stones with the names of the fallen members from the school as well as training stations set within a picturesque setting of vines, trees and flowers.

“This is a combination of things I’ve seen in different such gardens,” Garner explained. “We’ve been in this location for 12 years now and I’ve wanted to have a garden like this since we started here. We’ve been working on it for a year and a half and it was all volunteer labor.

Along with the featured speaker, the demonstrations and the opening of the garden, there was a dunking booth, an obstacle course and a $300 door prize given away at the all day event.