Phillip J Sauer
Mr. Sauer has been head of the martial arts program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee since 1979. An 8th degree black belt in Shorin Ryu karate and Suikido Martial Arts, Mr. Sauer has been practicing martial arts for over 40 years and has trained in Estonia, Greece, Bulgaria, Japan, and across the United States. Click here for more information on Mr Sauer.
Mr. Sauer began his martial arts career in Milwaukee in 1967 studying Go Shin Do, an Okinawan system of martial arts. He trained at The Milwaukee Academy of Karate, the first karate school in the Milwaukee area.
In 1972 he started Ki Mind and Body, a martial arts school in Shorewood WI. KMB is now celebrating 40 years in business – one of the longest standing martial arts school in S.E. Wisconsin.
In 1979 Mr Sauer began teaching “for credit” classes in martial arts at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.
In 1981 Mr. Sauer also developed a woman’s self defense program and cardio kick box program for the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.
1985 he developed the Young American Martial Arts program for kids, which he still personally teaches in the North Shore of Milwaukee at select locations for children from the ages of 4 to 12.
Beginning in 1988 he began an adult martial arts program for UWM, as well as a children’s program at the Childrens Center at UWM.
In 1975 Mr. Sauer founded a concert security company. Traveling around the Midwest, he and his personally trained team provided expert security for goups, including Van Halen, Rolling Stones, Crosby Nash Young, Def Leppard. Diana Ross, Prince and many others. When not working concerts, his training put him in demand for security in local nightclubs and restaurants. This security work gave him firsthand and practical experience at what was effective and Mr. Sauer brings this practical experience into his approach in teaching the martial arts.
In 1970 Mr. Sauer began training with Master Tadashi Yamashita. Mr. Yamashita is recognized internationally as a master of martial arts from Okinawa Japan specializing in Shorin Ryu weapon less fighting and Kobudo (Okinawan weapons.) Noted for his speed and skill, Yamashita was included in many early martial arts movies.
Mr. Sauer trained intensively with Mr. Yamashita for over thirty years. As one of his top students, he was honored to travel with Mr. Yamashita throughout the United States, Europe and Asia demonstrating and instructing others in Yamashita’s specialized form of martial arts called Sui Ken Do.
Mr. Sauer’s approach in his teaching of martial arts blends the traditions of Shorin Ryu with the progressive principals of Sui Ken Do. Mr. Sauer’s open source blended approach to martial arts training is called Sui Ki Do, literally translated as the “way of the water spirit.”
Mr. Sauer is an 8th degree in Shorin Ryu, and a 5th degree Black Belt in Kobudo.
_________________________________________________