Biography of Sensei Christopher (Chris) Weis

I was born in Alamogordo, New Mexico on October 18, 1985. I started practicing the Martial Arts when I was eight years old, when my brother had started. The Martial Arts have been a way of life for me and have helped me accomplish most of my goals.

Over the years I have studied mostly Shotokan Karate. My Father has taught me things from a couple of other forms: Judo, Karate, Aikido, Ju Jitsu, and Kung Fu, to mention a few. When I was eight my aunt and father enrolled my brother and me into Shotokan Karate at Way of Japan School of Karate in Alamogordo. There I meant my first Instructor.... Herman Luette, now a fourth Dan. Under Sensei Luette I attained the level of a Low Purple Belt, in about 2 years.

After receiving my Low purple belt my father was in the process of buying the Way of Japan School from Sensei Luette. In that time I had received my high purple belt. About a month or two later, our assistant instructor Sensei Swens took my belt away from me because the belt was sitting on an instructors book that was on the floor. I had the belt taken from me for 6 weeks. In that time I was instructed to take white belt classes instead of my regular class. After 6 weeks of not having my belt I got it back and learned how much respect I should have for my belt.

My father (Sensei Gerard (Jerry) Weis) bought the Way of Japan School from Sensei Luette and ran the Way of Japan for two years. After my father had bought the school my classes did not get any easier. I was working just as hard if not harder with my father being the head instructor/owner. I would find myself there as soon as I was out of school and would be there till the school closed for the night. It took me quite sometime to reach my goal of black belt.

I attained my Junior Black Belt at the age of 13 on May 28, 1999. After receiving my black belt I continued to study under my father until he closed the school in October of 1999. The reasons for this was; his personal health as well as family problems. Closing it was one of the hardest things I have seen my father go through. He felt as if he was letting all of his students down, all 119 plus of them.

After the school closed down I was at a lost point in martial arts as I was growing up and there where only one or two other schools in the area, but not of the same form as what I did. Even though I was not an active member of a Dojo I still trained on my own for a couple of months before I set my belt down to pick up at another time.

I had wanted to pick up my Gi and Obi so many times, but things beyond my control would stop me from doing so. My little brother and father started to take Tae Kwon Do, at American Spirit Tae Kwon Do under Jim Matthews fourth Dan. After taking my little brother to class I soon found my self longing to get back into the Martial Arts. After 6 years of not doing martial arts, I picked up my Gi and Obi to start my training once again.

On September 1, 2005 I began to train to retest for my Black Belt that I had gotten when I was 13. Now that I was over the age of 18, I could test to receive my Adult ranking and official Shodan in Shotokan Karate.

On October 28, 2005, Just 2 months after getting back into the martial arts I found myself testing for my 1st Dan (Shodan), in Shotokan Karate. Now that I have received the rank of Shodan in Shotokan. I plan to continue to study martial arts as much as possible to get ready to test for my 2nd Dan, Nidan, and continue till I am unable to anymore.

May 2, 2006 I gained the opportunity to finally get to open a new school, which will be much more comprehensive and incorporate all the different forms I have come to know and love into a well rounded method for complete self defense. Now is the time for me to bring the arts I have been taught and combine them for all my students, new and old to learn.

June 2, 2008 I moved Complete Martial Arts to a new location into its own building. The school now has its own home for the students and provides them a 6 day class week instead of a 3 day class week.

April 2009 After 11 years since I first tested for my black belt and 3 in a half years since I got my Adult ranking in Shotokan I have started my test for Nidan. On April 25, 2009 I finally made it along with my brother Joseph. We were promoted to Nidan after completing the rest of the test. Overall the test was completed at 33 hours. Now that I have received the rank of Nidan in Shotokan. I plan to continue to study martial arts as much as possible to get ready to test for my 3rd Dan, Sandan, and continue till I am unable to anymore.

Christopher G. Weis, Nidan Shotokan Karate