Assistant: Mr. Adam Smith
Adam Smith began his martial arts training in 1998 studying American Kickboxing while attending the University of Pittsburgh. In 1999, he began training in an Americanized style of Karate at the same dojo under the instruction of Mr. Gary Suley. Mr. Smith competed as a novice rank at many local and national karate tournaments earning recognition in sparring and kata from the PKRA and PKC.
In 2002, Mr. Smith started training in Wado Ryu under the instruction of Sensei Bill Herzer. Mr. Smith, along with Mr. Suley and Mr. Terry, attended weekly classes that were exclusively taught by Sensei Herzer. In 2003, Sensei Herzer left Pittsburgh and returned to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Mr. Smith, Mr. Suley, and Mr. Terry still attended at least one class a year with Sensei Herzer. Mr. Smith received his Shodan from Sensei Herzer in 2005, and currently holds the rank of Nidan that was given to him in 2007.
Mr. Smith has had the opportunity to train with various Wado Ryu practitioners . Mr. Smith has participated in formal classes at the Sugar House dojo in Salt Lake City under Sensei Toshio Osaka, and Bill Taylor’s Bushido School of Karate in Murfreesboro under Sensei Steve Holt. Mr. Smith has attended seminars instructed by sensei Kasatka Otsuka and Sensei Masafumi Shiomitsu.
Curently, Mr. Smith is a research engineer for the U.S. government and resides in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. He is married to Mrs. Larissa Smith, who also practices Wado Ryu and holds the rank of Shodan. Mr. Smith is currently an assistant instructor at the Pittsburgh Bushido School of Karate.