Karate simply means "Empty Hand." It has evolved over the centuries from ancient self-defense techniques from Asia. The Island of Okinawa is the home of karate.

Karate was first used as a system of self-defense by the Okinawan people as a means of defending themselves from foreign invaders. It grew and prospered for centuries. After World War II, our service men, who were stationed on Okinawa, were looking for something constructive and positive to occupy their time away from family. It was during this time that our current Grand Master, 10th
Degree Black Belt Lewis A. Lizotte (Sensei), began training under the Okinawan Isshinryu Master Tatsuo Shimabuku.

Grand Master Lizotte continue's to teach this art to the Black Belt staff at Inner Peace. His is further assisted by 7th Degree Black Belt Master William Salinardi and 6th Degree Black Belt Master Maria Rodriquez.

Many of America's finest, the United States Marines, enjoyed the art of Isshin-Ryu Karate. It featured no fancy techniques and was adaptable to the American physique. It had natural stances, close fighting techniques and incorporated the best from the older styles of Goju-Ryu and Shorin-Ryu. Its Grand Master, Tatsuo Shimabuku (SENSEI), was a likable man and attracted the attention of our men in uniform by banging nails into a two by four with his bare hands. Many of these service men held ranking belts from Judo, Jujitsu and other more popular styles of Martial Arts in America. They also towered over the average Okinawan Karate man, which was a little over 5 foot tall. With all these odds against them, the Okinawan Karate men easily defeated the Americans in sparring competitions. These empty handed warriors and their Isshin-Ryu Karate impressed the Americans.