The concept of Missing Link has a long history. On the one hand, in terms of traditional martial arts that all of our founder circle and master circle members have studied for many decades. On the other hand, in the way way our own community developed.
In the 90s, we started the Hatsuun Jindo Akademie in Germany, with the aim to create learning opportunities for Karateka who wanted to look beyond their respective styles. This idea was born from the cross-over experiences of the Academy members, working for the German police and training with experts from many different fighting arts. The Hatsuun Jindo Akademie organized seminars in Spain and Germany and had a main footprint in management coaching and training, including Qi Gong, but also self defense.
In 2000, the Academy transformed into a more open concept. The ShoShin Projekt connected martial arts teachers from very different backgrounds and offered seminars, ideas and constant exchange between high ranked and experienced martial artists from very different backgrounds. While the idea of "Business Karate" was still an important part of the work, the focus shifted to train the trainer concepts, bringing a wide field of education for martial arts teachers. The ShoShin Projekt also saw the first book publications.
In 2010, the founder members of the Missing Link Community made an important decision. Within the ShoShin Projekt, all work was focused on avoiding politics, administration and things like gradings. That left many students homeless, since they didn't feel right in existing associations and foundations. Our community was born from as an attempt to create a community that stays clear of the boundaries and limitations of organised sport, but gives structure and background for students and teachers to grow, while inspiring each other. Missing Link was also open for beginners, for whom the ShoShin Projekt didn't have much to offer. The book "Missing Links of Martial Arts" defined the new concept.
Since then, the Community grew from Germany to England, Scotland, Finland, Denmark and Malta, usually with small groups of eager martial artists, training together on seminars and since the pandemic also in regular Online Classes.
Our next step is an ever growing collecti0n of knowledge online, offering every Missing Link member and any interested martial artist input and ideas. This happens via our Online Resources on the Missing Link website, available for members for free. On social media, we offer an all new approach on TikTok and YouTube, introduced in this video:
The hurdles are high. Our community is very busy with training face to face, creating new ideas and growing new schools, so our posts are not as regular as we would want to. But the goal remains to keep growing, not just in membership, but also in knowledge.
Our social media posts are split in two categories:
Everybody is welcome to join this journey: www.missinglinkmartialarts.com
Sensei Tony Bolton, Manchester, addresses a particularly difficult issue In recent years, UK police statistics have highlighted a concerning trend: as children transition from primary to secondary school, their risk of becoming either victims or perpetrators of antisocial behavior and criminal activities increases dramatically. While social media and rapid news circulation may amplify these concerns […]
Self-defense in the context of martial arts—now there’s a topic that has been discussed endlessly, yet still leaves room for fresh perspectives. What new insights could possibly be added to this well-trodden subject? Let’s start by acknowledging that many martial arts don’t actually focus on self-defense at all. Instead, they emphasize combat and fighting, which […]