Detroit boasts a rich history in martial arts, marked by institutions dedicated to community empowerment and individual excellence. From traditional Japanese Judo to innovative approaches in martial arts therapy, Detroit's martial arts scene has left an indelible mark.
Alkebu-lan Village: Martial Arts for Afrikan American Youth
Founded in 1978 as the Alkebu-lan Martial Arts Federation, the organization's original purpose was to provide affordable martial arts training for the Afrikan American youth.
Marvis Cofield, the founder and CEO of Alkebu-lan Village has been a martial artist for over 50 years and is a 7th degree Black Belt. As an instructor, he has introduced thousands of students to the martial arts and has trained and promoted over 200 students to the rank of Black Belt. As an educator and the CEO of Alkebu-lan Village, Mr.
Over the years the organization has expanded to include youth and adult sports and fitness, leadership training, visual and performing arts, homework assistance and tutoring, youth entrepreneurship training and community service. In November 2000 the organization launched its new identity as Alkebu-lan Village to reflect this growth and program expansion. Alkebu-lan Village currently provides educational, cultural and recreational programs to over 1,000 Detroit youth and their families each year through on-site and outreach programs.
Detroit Kung Fu: Ving Tsun System
Michigan Ave Location InfoDetroit Kung Fu teaches the Ving Tsun (wing chun) system of martial arts, for self-defense, plus mental-physical health and fitness. Ving Tsun training is disciplined, relaxed mind-body exercise, and it develops fighting skills that can overcome size and strength.
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Learn to stand strong on your feet, with hands that can block-and-hit at the same time. Private lessons and group classes are available. There are three Detroit Kung Fu schools; this one is on Michigan Ave, nearby where the 75 and 96 meet, and close to the 94. Eastern Market and Downtown are a mile away, and Chadsey Condon, Corktown, Central Southwest, Hubbard Farms and Mexicantown are nearby.
Judo in Detroit
Locally, Judo has a strong tradition in Michigan and the metro Detroit area. The Detroit Judo Club was founded by Hiroshi “Hiro” Fujimoto. Perhaps one of the most well known instructors of the Detroit Judo Club was John Osako, a former Pan-American Champion.
The Club was at one point the largest non-profit judo club in the United States and produced many practitioners, included several who still practice and teach Judo today. Today, Judo in Michigan is promoted by Konan Judo, the Yudanshakai (or regional association of black belts) under the USJF that serves Michigan and surrounding Midwestern states.
Plowden's Championship Martial Arts Academy
Episode 5 ft Richard Plowden
Richard Plowden says his lifelong passion is the martial arts. His story begins on Detroit’s west side near Dexter Avenue and Elmhurst Street. When he was 13, he says his older brother Raymond came home excited as talked about signing up for karate.
“And my dad pointed at me and says, 'Take him with you,'” Plowden recalled. That was October 1973. The rest, as they say, is history. Today, he is a 9th degree black belt and five-time martial arts world champion.
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Plowden is the grandmaster at Plowden's Championship Martial Arts Academy at Franklin Athletic Club. He teachers students as young as 3 years old all the way up to the current oldest student who is in her late 50s.
“The martial arts is a conduit to getting inside the heads of young and old people, being able to motivate them," Plowden explained. "It’s more than just kicking and punching, and that’s what I’ve embraced since I opened my school in 1988."
“For me, being able to look in a martial arts magazine and see some of these stellar stars who happen to be African American, that was a huge part of my motivation," Plowden added.
He's traveled the world and competed against other top competitors like Steve “Nasty” Anderson, Billy Blanks and Terry Creamer.
Plowden says there are seven black belts in his family, including his wife Debra and their two children Morgan and Richard Avery. He says his children are two of the top competitors in the world. “I am blessed," Plowden said.
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His martial arts academy is a family affair. He says it's a way to mentor, teach behavior modification and motivate students as they progress from one belt to the next.
When he’s not at the academy, Plowden is the chief martial arts therapist for Kids Kicking Cancer worldwide. In that role, he even met Winnie Mandela before she passed.
“And what we do there is we use the martial arts to help kids that have sickle cell, cancer and other diseases. We teach people who are in wheelchairs, we teach people who have a number of, maybe, different physical limitations. But they do the best that they can do with what we give them," he explained.
Plowden says he is also a big proponent of education and that's something else he got from his father.