The Martial Arts world mourns the passing of Sensei Robert Leong, Hanshi
This page is dedicated to Sensei Robert Leong, in celebration of Sensei’s life and devotion. Sensei Leong passed away on January 1, 2013, following injuries he sustained in a car accident the prior day. He was in the 90th year of his life.
Sensei Robert Leong was born on December 23, 1923. He was O-Sensei Richard Kim’s constant companion and right-hand man. With no wife or kids, Sensei Leong adopted karate and martial arts as his family. Although he met O-Sensei Richard Kim in 1947 in the merchant marines, it wasn’t until 1962 that Sensei Leong commenced his training in the martial arts at the Zen Bei Butoku Kai. He was a living testament to the benefits of martial arts training at any age.
At age 50, Sensei Leong retired from work and dedicated himself to studying the martial arts. In addition to empty-hand karate and aikijitsu, he was very skilled in Kobudo — the art of traditional Okinawan and Japanese weapons. Sensei Leong was a frequent guests at dojos around the US and Europe. Even in his late days, he continued to focus on proper posture and alignment as keys to success in the martial arts.
He is missed.
I would agree 3 years would be the absolute minimum even if with a very high ability. It’s not just ability that carries you through. You obtain an increasing level of understanding that can only come with time. Think of karate as a lifetime process of improvement. Although the black belt for most is the goal that’s probably around the point that you really start to understand. It’s a bit like driving: you can learn what to do but you only really learn to drive once you have passed your test. Although once you have learned a technique you think you know it, your knowledge of it becomes deeper and probably a couple of years into your training you will start to realize just how much you don’t know. Good Luck with your martial arts training. Keep an open mind. Get fascinated not frustrated.