"Martial Arts is and always will be a passion. They say that a need is something required to survive. My passion is not a want to appease me. I need martial arts to survive!"
Sensei Brandon Allen

Brandon AllenAs many young children growing up in the 1990's, Brandon was intrigued by the martial arts on television with characters such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Power Rangers. But unlike other children, the passion for the martial arts was building up inside of him. At the age of seven Brandon received his first karate uniform for his birthday. After persisting and begging his parents to join karate for two years, he finally was handed a white gi and in 1993 the martial artist, Brandon Allen, was born…

Within his first few lessons, his sensei asked him how far he wanted to take his martial arts experience. Being the ambitious and imaginative child that he was, he answered, " I want to be a master, I want to be a champion, and I want to have a dojo." So far he has proved himself true to his word. His enthusiasm for the martial arts started to take effect on his entire family and soon his sister and mother had enrolled themselves as well. They were building a dynasty. In 1995, Brandon and his family decided to compete in local karate tournaments. Brandon did not fair well at tournaments in the beginning of his competition career, but he embraced the competition aspect of martial arts and never gave up. When asked about his desire to compete, Sensei Brandon commented, "You have a dream, so get it! I loved training in martial arts, and competition was just apart of it. I had dreams of being a champion, and my father always told me, you finish what you start, no matter what. When I would finally win a division I would set a new goal to be the state champ, then regional, national, and so on to worlds! I think deep inside, if I were to quit, then all of my martial arts training was for nothing, because we NEVER QUIT!"

In 1998-1999, all of his hard work and dedication paid off and the trophies started taking over the house. By the year 2000, Brandon entered the National Black Belt League, competing in his first national tournament downtown Chicago with the competition team, Midwest Force. His name was beginning to spread across the country. He met many friends along the way, the Burns from northern Michigan, Ski Alison, Willie Hicks, Travis Plowden, The Stones, Pitlocks, Craig Henningsen, Chris Brewster, Ty Hinds, Brendon Huor, Mike Chat, and so many more. He trained with martial arts great, Master Sharkey, Master Plowden, Master Roberts, and Master Price, By 2002 he was finishing top five in the NBL in 17 and under black belt Korean forms, open and musical forms, open weapons and team and individual sparring. In 2002 in Panama City Florida and in 2003 in Houston Texas he took home his first world titles in the NBL. In 2004, Brandon crushed his ankle under 500 pounds only six weeks before worlds in the World Sport Karate Federation, hindering his 4 number one seeds. But that did not stop Brandon. He had trained too hard and too long to give up now and competed anyways. He walked out of the tournament with his first World Champion title in Korean forms. Brandon became a champion. One of his dreams now under his belt…He has reached a level of status in the Martial Art Community that many admire him for. He can no longer walk into a tournament of any level without being recognized. People gravitate towards his kindness, determination, and passion for the art. One of these people was Grand Master Charles Platten of Toronto, Ontario Canada who later in life will impact Brandon's career and training to a whole other level.

In 2004, American Martial Arts became a part of the Allen family. The previous owner saw the genuine spirit and unconditional love for the martial arts in the Allen family and she entrusted her business to them. A week after Thanksgiving in 2004, the Allen family dojo became a reality and another dream of Brandon's completed. Brandon and his family have embraced martial arts as a way of life and see the importance of it in others. "Teaching is what a higher ranking belt should be doing, and not necessarily just black belts in a dojo. All of us who hold a rank above someone else have a responsibility to set an example of a martial artist in and out of the dojo. As a sensei we have started the journey of completing our selves. Therefore it is up to us share are experience with any one we can to develop better people and a better community. To know that we can make a difference is huge to me. I will sacrifice everything to help improve the quality of life. This is what we teach…LIFE!" To this day, Brandon continues to teach and motivate many at American Martial Arts. After three years of inspiring many, Grand Master Charles Platten came to Toledo and inspired Brandon at a seminar in the Allen's dojo. This was the beginning of a wonderful friendship. So far, Brandon had accomplished two of his goals that he set for himself as a small boy standing in front of his very first sensei back in 1993. Now, fourteen years later, Brandon was standing in the room of one of the greatest living legends in the martial arts. Not only that, Grand Master Platten was ready to take Brandon under his wing. This was it. This is when any athlete has reached the moment they dream of. Like many legends, they search for others willing to carry on their legacy. Of course, the legacy of Grand Master Platten will not be an easy task. But if anyone can live up to it, it's Brandon Allen. From Brandon's first experience with Grand master Platten, he "gratefully accepted and learned new forms of humility and what it really takes to be a black belt which I had for so long. I learned and continue to learn new levels of appreciation for the arts, the families in our dojos, and life. My family which includes all the martial artists I know and my students mean more to me than anything in the world." In the past year of 2008 he spent almost half the year in Toronto training with Grand Master, and Brandon says, "he will continue to do so until I reach the purist form of a martial artist just as Grand Master does."

Brandon now holds his 4th dan in American Karate, 1st dan in ITF, and green belt in Chukido-Kwan and Hapkido. He is a part of the Martial Arts Teachers Association, World Kong Shin Bup Association, and soon ITF and WTF. Brandon is a true martial artist. Not only in the sport, but in life. He demands the best from himself and by doing so others demand the best in themselves. "Martial arts is a way of life. Anyone who practices any art to the fullest will see improvement in all areas of life. A martial artist never compromises there integrity, they hold true to their morals, and will sacrifice. I think sacrifice is what more people need to get a grasp of in the world today. Our family along with Grand Master recently presented my father with an honorary black belt, because we do not know any one who sacrifices as much as he. Martial Arts can show a person how to conquer anything. The human mind and body is capable of anything, recovering from great illnesses, over coming disabilities, and doing the impossible. Martial Arts helps set the frame of mind to help mold amazingly wonderful people, with no prejudice."When asked who motivates him most in martial arts, he answered, "My family and Grand Master motivate me, and there will always be more. Their support is comparable to none. With out them I would have nothing. Everything I do is driven by what they have instilled in me. I continue my training and learning in hopes of bringing home the best for my family, Grand Master, and our students!  I do not know what I, or my family would do if we could not help mold or change lives through our dojo. Thank you to all of our students, family and staff who make it happen. I could also not go on without mentioning my big adopted sister Sensei Halsey. She is truly an amazing person who no one should miss out on. Every family and dojo should have a Sensei Halsey.
And Brandon leaves us with this…

"The only reason they say perfection is impossible, is the ones before us didn't work hard enough. No matter what level you are or experience you have, there is always something more you can strive for. A necessity of life should be to always grow and improve."