Welcome

Samurai Martial Arts Tacoma is the Self Defense, and Martial Arts program at TAISO Fitness in the Proctor District of North Tacoma. Based on ancient traditions from historic samurai arts and adapted to modern challenges, this program provides a unique opportunity for personal development. It integrates mindful problem solving that incorporates awareness, conflict resolution, and overcoming physical threats.

The Lead Instructor for our program is Butch Trail. Butch has been practicing and teaching Jujutsu and other Japanese martial arts since 1985. He is a retired Marine with 21 years of service, and holds a MA Security Management and a BSc Social Psychology. He has black belts in several traditional arts as well as Instructor certifications in modern combatives systems, and a variety of related qualifications.

Overall, our program places an emphasis on practical self-defense. It is equal parts striking and grappling, standing and ground, armed and unarmed. There is an emphasis on the use of, and defense against, the flashlight, knife, pistol, and stick.  The program is based on strategy and principles, not just collections of techniques.  

Historical skills and techniques are explored at the higher belts, sometimes just for fun, or more often how they relate to modern applications. At brown belt we have an in-depth study of the six-foot staff (bo) and the sword (katana). 

We teach very specific pre-assault behavioral cues, crowd behavior, de-escalation techniques, legal and moral considerations, and other critical skills. This is not a sport form. 

We believe you must pressure test your skills against live, resistant opponents. But, we also believe your training should not be injuring you. We are all adults who get up and go to work the next morning and our “hobby” should not interfere with that. 

The total number of students in the program is limited to insure you get the individual attention you need. We welcome men and women in our program but we do not train anyone under the age of 20. To get started contact us to find out if there are any current openings.