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My Primary Instructors
This page is dedicated to my primary Instructors over my lifetime. These are the individuals who were instrumental in shaping the martial art that I practice today. There were many other people who contributed to my learning, each an amazing martial artist, and I might include them in the future, but these are the people of who I claim to have been a student (listed in chronological order)
Sensei James Hartley - Okinawa Matsubayashi-Ryu Karatedo
Sifu / Guru Zachary Jenkins - Praying Mantis Gung-Fu, FMA, Indonesian Silat
Guru Ken Pannell - FMA and Indonesian Silat
Taba Kensei Sensei - Okinawa Shogen-Ryu Karatedo and Kobujutsu
Maeda Kiyomasa Sensei - Okinawa Shogen-Ryu Karatedo and Yamane Ryu Bojutsu
Sifu / Guru Zachary Jenkins - Praying Mantis Gung-Fu, FMA, Indonesian Silat
Guru Ken Pannell - FMA and Indonesian Silat
Taba Kensei Sensei - Okinawa Shogen-Ryu Karatedo and Kobujutsu
Maeda Kiyomasa Sensei - Okinawa Shogen-Ryu Karatedo and Yamane Ryu Bojutsu
About Tony Partlow, Head of System - Minamoto Combat Science
Tony Partlow is the Founder and Chief Instructor of Minamoto Combat Science. His father had studied Matsubayashi-Ryu Karatedo and Judo back in the early 60's and provided a strong self-defense and fighting foundation for his young son. Tony’s official martial arts training began when he wrestled during his middle school years and then transitioned to Okinawa Karate in 1987 at the age of 14. In late 1986, his father was reacquainted with an old friend, Sensei James Hartley. Sensei Hartley, who had begun karate in 1964, was now a Godan. Tony, his father and younger brother all became students of Sensei Hartley and his partner, Sensei Jack McPeek, Godan.
Tony received his Shodan in 1991 from the World Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Federation (WSKF) headed by Sensei Frank Grant, Nanadan. He received his Nidan in 1993, also from the WSKF and his Sandan as a member of the World Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do Association (WMKA) headed by Takayoshi Nagamine Sensei.
Shortly after receiving his Sandan, Tony became tired of the politics associated with Matsubayashi-Ryu and disassociated himself with all organizations for about seven years. During that time, he continued Karate training under his teacher, Sensei Hartley and studied other arts to explore the relationship they had to Okinawan Karate.
In his senior year of high school, Tony was introduced to Staff Sergeant Zachary Jenkins, the new army recruiter for his town. While Tony had his sights set on college and was not interested in enlisting out of high school, Tony and Staff Sergeant Jenkins had other things in common. They were both artists and martial artists. Sifu Jenkins was a Black Sash in Chinese Praying Mantis Gung-Fu and became Tony’s teacher. In addition to learning Praying Mantis, Sifu Jenkins began sharing the Filipino and Indonesian Martial Arts he was learning. After a few years of training, Sifu Jenkins was transferred to Germany and Tony sought out the man teaching him the FMA and Pencak Silat but that man moved to California. A few years later, Tony was invited to a school in a nearby town by a student he met on an online martial art discussion page. When he went, he was introduced to the instructor and discovered that this instructor, Guru Ken Pannell, was one of the men teaching Sifu Jenkins. Tony spent the next several years training extensively in FMA and Pencak Silat with Guru Ken and being introduced to many other highly regarded international instructors.
In 2002, Tony rejoined the WMKA and was later promoted to Yondan by Sensei Hartley, now a Rokudan. However, in 2003, Tony discovered the Okinawan Shogen-Ryu Karate-Do Association and contacted the communications director for Shogen-Ryu in North America. After several conversations with some of the North American Shogen-Ryu members, Tony decided that Shogen-Ryu had the "family" feel that he missed and that Kensei Taba Sensei best represented the karate that Tony had practiced and wanted to continue learning.
In 2004, Tony had the opportunity to go to Canada and train with Taba Sensei and a few others from Okinawa. The experience was incredible and Tony knew he had found the Master that could teach him true Okinawan Karate-Do. In March of 2006, he was able to bring Taba Sensei to the U.S. for the Arnold Classic, a very large fitness and martial arts event held every year in Columbus, Ohio. Although some poor planning and organization by the event staff caused a less than desired turnout, those in attendance received some excellent instruction and were very pleased. During Taba Sensei’s stay, Tony was tested and promoted to Godan. Meetings were also held in the U.S. and Canada to provide some additional organization to the growing Shogen-Ryu system. The Association was restructured and Tony was appointed the position of U.S. Director.
Tony hosted another, much larger seminar for Taba Sensei in March of 2007 and in December of 2007 he traveled to Okinawa to train with Taba Sensei at the Honbu Dojo. On June 1, 2008, Tony opened the Minamoto Dojo as a not-for-profit corporation in a small building in Dayton, Ohio. In October of 2008, Tony made his second trip to Okinawa taking his wife and oldest daughter, Riley, giving her the opportunity at age 10 to visit and train in the birthplace of Karate-Do.
During September of 2009, Tony made a third trip to Okinawa. He was only able to make a brief visit consisting of only five full days on the island, but the time was well spent. Tony was given the responsibility of teaching visiting blackbelts from Australia for a couple of hours each day followed by several more hours of training led by Taba Sensei. A wealth of knowledge was gained by Tony and at the end of his time training in Okinawa, he was informed he would be tested. Tony was evaluated on a broad range of kata and technique and afterwards was awarded the rank of Rokudan. In addition, Taba Sensei awarded Tony the teaching title of Renshi due to his demonstrated ability teaching at his own dojo in the United States and at the Honbu Dojo during his time there.
In June of 2012, Tony and his wife made the decision to move their family to the Houston, Texas area and Tony turned his class over to his senior student. On July 7, 2012, Tony’s teacher, Taba Sensei, passed away in Okinawa. While not able to travel to Okinawa on such short notice, Tony was able to speak with several family members of Taba Sensei, including his wife and daughter, and convey his condolences to them in addition to the telegram that was sent in accordance with tradition.
Due to communication issues, Tony had been in contact with many of the former senior members of the Okinawa Shogen-Ryu Karate-Do Association that had formed a new association, but he was not able to get back in touch with the Okinawa Shogen-Ryu Karate-Do Association and its new president, Kiyomasa Maeda, Hanshi, Judan, until 2016 when the Taba family worked to reunite them and strengthen the original organization. However, while he noticed some possible health issues with Maeda Sensei as early as 2011, it was after rejoining that he was made aware that Maeda Sensei had significant health issues and was losing function. Unfortunately, the senior members of the Honbu Dojo had no interest in keeping the association alive, even reverting some of the teachings of Taba Sensei back to Matsubayashi-Ryu style, and calling any suggestion that Tony made for the betterment of Shogen-Ryu an insult and disrespectful.
So began Minamoto Combat Science
In addition to his Martial Arts training, Tony Partlow is a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) having received his Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) from the University of Cincinnati and completing the transitional doctorate program through the University of Michigan – Flint. He also has a Bachelor of Science degree (BS) in Exercise Science and a Master of Science degree (MS) in Anatomy from Wright State University. He is a licensed Physical Therapist, Mastery Certified in Manual Therapy (MCMT), a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and a Certified Sports Nutrition Coach (CSNC) through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). Tony works as a physical therapist in Cypress, Texas and has worked as an adjunct instructor teaching anatomy and biomechanics at various institutions of higher education in Ohio and Texas.
Tony received his Shodan in 1991 from the World Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Federation (WSKF) headed by Sensei Frank Grant, Nanadan. He received his Nidan in 1993, also from the WSKF and his Sandan as a member of the World Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do Association (WMKA) headed by Takayoshi Nagamine Sensei.
Shortly after receiving his Sandan, Tony became tired of the politics associated with Matsubayashi-Ryu and disassociated himself with all organizations for about seven years. During that time, he continued Karate training under his teacher, Sensei Hartley and studied other arts to explore the relationship they had to Okinawan Karate.
In his senior year of high school, Tony was introduced to Staff Sergeant Zachary Jenkins, the new army recruiter for his town. While Tony had his sights set on college and was not interested in enlisting out of high school, Tony and Staff Sergeant Jenkins had other things in common. They were both artists and martial artists. Sifu Jenkins was a Black Sash in Chinese Praying Mantis Gung-Fu and became Tony’s teacher. In addition to learning Praying Mantis, Sifu Jenkins began sharing the Filipino and Indonesian Martial Arts he was learning. After a few years of training, Sifu Jenkins was transferred to Germany and Tony sought out the man teaching him the FMA and Pencak Silat but that man moved to California. A few years later, Tony was invited to a school in a nearby town by a student he met on an online martial art discussion page. When he went, he was introduced to the instructor and discovered that this instructor, Guru Ken Pannell, was one of the men teaching Sifu Jenkins. Tony spent the next several years training extensively in FMA and Pencak Silat with Guru Ken and being introduced to many other highly regarded international instructors.
In 2002, Tony rejoined the WMKA and was later promoted to Yondan by Sensei Hartley, now a Rokudan. However, in 2003, Tony discovered the Okinawan Shogen-Ryu Karate-Do Association and contacted the communications director for Shogen-Ryu in North America. After several conversations with some of the North American Shogen-Ryu members, Tony decided that Shogen-Ryu had the "family" feel that he missed and that Kensei Taba Sensei best represented the karate that Tony had practiced and wanted to continue learning.
In 2004, Tony had the opportunity to go to Canada and train with Taba Sensei and a few others from Okinawa. The experience was incredible and Tony knew he had found the Master that could teach him true Okinawan Karate-Do. In March of 2006, he was able to bring Taba Sensei to the U.S. for the Arnold Classic, a very large fitness and martial arts event held every year in Columbus, Ohio. Although some poor planning and organization by the event staff caused a less than desired turnout, those in attendance received some excellent instruction and were very pleased. During Taba Sensei’s stay, Tony was tested and promoted to Godan. Meetings were also held in the U.S. and Canada to provide some additional organization to the growing Shogen-Ryu system. The Association was restructured and Tony was appointed the position of U.S. Director.
Tony hosted another, much larger seminar for Taba Sensei in March of 2007 and in December of 2007 he traveled to Okinawa to train with Taba Sensei at the Honbu Dojo. On June 1, 2008, Tony opened the Minamoto Dojo as a not-for-profit corporation in a small building in Dayton, Ohio. In October of 2008, Tony made his second trip to Okinawa taking his wife and oldest daughter, Riley, giving her the opportunity at age 10 to visit and train in the birthplace of Karate-Do.
During September of 2009, Tony made a third trip to Okinawa. He was only able to make a brief visit consisting of only five full days on the island, but the time was well spent. Tony was given the responsibility of teaching visiting blackbelts from Australia for a couple of hours each day followed by several more hours of training led by Taba Sensei. A wealth of knowledge was gained by Tony and at the end of his time training in Okinawa, he was informed he would be tested. Tony was evaluated on a broad range of kata and technique and afterwards was awarded the rank of Rokudan. In addition, Taba Sensei awarded Tony the teaching title of Renshi due to his demonstrated ability teaching at his own dojo in the United States and at the Honbu Dojo during his time there.
In June of 2012, Tony and his wife made the decision to move their family to the Houston, Texas area and Tony turned his class over to his senior student. On July 7, 2012, Tony’s teacher, Taba Sensei, passed away in Okinawa. While not able to travel to Okinawa on such short notice, Tony was able to speak with several family members of Taba Sensei, including his wife and daughter, and convey his condolences to them in addition to the telegram that was sent in accordance with tradition.
Due to communication issues, Tony had been in contact with many of the former senior members of the Okinawa Shogen-Ryu Karate-Do Association that had formed a new association, but he was not able to get back in touch with the Okinawa Shogen-Ryu Karate-Do Association and its new president, Kiyomasa Maeda, Hanshi, Judan, until 2016 when the Taba family worked to reunite them and strengthen the original organization. However, while he noticed some possible health issues with Maeda Sensei as early as 2011, it was after rejoining that he was made aware that Maeda Sensei had significant health issues and was losing function. Unfortunately, the senior members of the Honbu Dojo had no interest in keeping the association alive, even reverting some of the teachings of Taba Sensei back to Matsubayashi-Ryu style, and calling any suggestion that Tony made for the betterment of Shogen-Ryu an insult and disrespectful.
So began Minamoto Combat Science
In addition to his Martial Arts training, Tony Partlow is a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) having received his Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) from the University of Cincinnati and completing the transitional doctorate program through the University of Michigan – Flint. He also has a Bachelor of Science degree (BS) in Exercise Science and a Master of Science degree (MS) in Anatomy from Wright State University. He is a licensed Physical Therapist, Mastery Certified in Manual Therapy (MCMT), a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and a Certified Sports Nutrition Coach (CSNC) through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). Tony works as a physical therapist in Cypress, Texas and has worked as an adjunct instructor teaching anatomy and biomechanics at various institutions of higher education in Ohio and Texas.