Instructors

Graylon Brunson, Kyoshi

Graylon Kyoshi began his martial arts journey in the fall of 1984 during his sophmore year in high school. He joined Harold Mitchum’s Isshin-ryu karate school in Albany, Ga. Mitchum Sensei’s son, Leon, was Kyoshi’s primary teacher.

After high school, Kyoshi began training in Motobu-ha Shito-ryu (Richard Baillargeon lineage) at a local gym. After 12 years of training with the instructor at the gym, Kyoshi resigned his position at the school in the Fall 1999 to search for a higher skilled instructor to advance his training. In early 2000, Graylon Kyoshi joined an organization based in another state to help further his training, but quickly learned that this group only cared about membership dues. So he  resigned his membership and parted ways, purposely refusing to join any organization due to politics. 

In January of 2001 Kyoshi found a teacher to progress and advance his skill and knowledge in the martial arts. He began studying under Duane Vincent, Kyoshi from Warner Robins, Ga. in Okinawan Goju-ryu.

During the mid to late 90’s, Graylon Kyoshi competed in numerous tournaments in Georgia, Florida and Alabama always placing in the top 3 for his division. 

In November 2001, with help from his brother Shaun, created Brunson Martial Arts and began teaching a kid’s class at the Baconton Community Charter school in Baconton, Ga.

In 2004, Brunson Martial Arts opened a dojo in Albany, Ga and has been at the same location since.

Graylon Kyoshi took an early retirement in 2015 from Proctor & Gamble paper company, after 24 years of service, to teach martial arts full time. 

In 2019, Graylon Kyoshi began training under James Semmes, Hanshi in Shorinken karate from Valdosta Georgia.