David Ames Karate | Karate Akron OH 44310

Welcome to David Ames Karate!!  We are dedicated to teaching students of all ages! The traditional values of loyalty, sincerity, dedication, and respect are emphasized in addition to the sport and fitness attributes.  We teach Karate, Okinawan Weapons, Jujitsu, Kung Fu, Judo, Aikijitsu, Tae Kwon Do, and Tai Chi.  Please feel free to check out our FAQ or simply contact us if you have any more questions!

Favorite Quote: "We do not have excellence because we have virtue rather we have virtue because we have excellence.  You are what you repeatedly do, excellence therefore is not an act, but a habit." ~Aristotle

​

David Ames was born in Akron, Ohio on April 20, 1956. He attended King and Essex elementary schools, Old Trail, Litchfield jr. high and then graduated from Firestone high school in 1975.

In September of 1975 Mr. Ames attended Hocking Technical College in the field of forestry. In June of 1976 he transferred to The University of Akron where he graduated in 1978 with a business degree.

At the age of 11 Mr. Ames entered the Boy Scouts of America with Troop 11. In 1974 he achieved the Eagle rank, scouting's highest award. At this time in scouting only 1 in 5,000 scouts were to receive this accolade. In the same year Ames was also awarded the honor scout of the year in scout troop 11.

Mr. Ames' inception in the martial arts began in January of 1976 with the Ohio university karate club where he trained through May of 1976. In September of 1976 he began training with the Akron University karate club under the direction Mr. George Anderson. Mr. Ames remained a student of Hanshi Anderson until his death on August 6, 2009.

In August of 1978 Mr. Ames achieved his black belt in KwanMuKan karate. In 1984 he was placed on the USA team pool and selected for the PanAmerican Games to be held in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. It was in these games that Mr. Ames became the first man in the United States to win the PanAm gold medal in kata. From this point in international competition Mr. Ames gained many accolades and medals in his 8 years as a member of the USA Karate Team.

In 1985 he established David Ames Karate with a series of clubs throughout the Akron, Cuyahoga Falls, Seville and Medina areas. In 1991 David opened the Cuyahoga Valley Center for the Martial Arts Inc.  Beginning in January 2009, Cuyahoga Valley Center for the Martial Arts Inc. ceased to exist in name only, re-emerging and relocating to a new, larger facility as KwanMuZenDoKai Martial Arts Academy, LLC.

​

Mr. Ames is an 8th degree Black Belt in KwanMuKan Karate, an 8th degree in Kang Duk Won TaeKwonDo, a 7th degree in ChangMooKwan Taekwondo Central TaeKwondo Association, the USA Karate Federation, KwanMuKan jujitsu, 6th degree in Kobudokan kobudo (Okinawan weapons), an 8th Dan member of the senior masters caucus with the USA National Karate-Do Federation (national governing body to the USA Olympic committee), 7th Dan in United States Jujitsu Federation (USJJF national governing body to the USA Olympic Commitee), 6th Dan in the Dragon Wah Lum Tai Chi Association out of Hong Kong, 3rd degree in KwanMuZenDoKai Judo, 3rd degree in USJJF traditional Kodokan, and a 1st Dan with the United States Judo Association (USJA).

Mr. Ames is on the board of directors of USJJF, chairman of the athletes advisory committee with the United States Karate Federation (USAKF), chairman of the referee council of the USAKF, on the referee education committee , an International kumite referee, and holds a National A kata license with the USAKF.