Grand Master West is currently a 9th degree Blackbelt instructor in the Dillman Karate International (DKI). He started his Karate training in the 1980's at Washburn University under the direction of Head Instructor Ronnie Moore. He trained in judo at the Topeka Judo Academy and studied judo/jujitsu from instructors Ron Vowel (Carbondale, KS) and Katsumasa Nohara (Japan). He trained under Sensei Moore for close to nine years. In 1995 he attended a World Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do Association (WMKA) seminar. There he met Grand Master Shoshin Nagamine, founder of Matsuybayashi Ryu Karate and his son Takioshi Nagamine. It was then that he learned of the many opportunities to train with the Masters from Okinawa and deepen his understanding of the art. While in Canada testing for his San-dan rank, he was shown a tape of Grand-master George A. Dillman and was amazed at what he discovered. Though the Masters from Okinawa often spoke of the pressure points and the advanced breakdown of kata application, they were reluctant to show it in such a large seminar setting.
Grand Master Ruben West started studying the books and tapes of Grandmaster Dillman. He attended a live seminar where Grandmaster Dillman demonstrated a touch chi knockout on him. He applied and was accepted into the DKI organization. Though he has worked in surgery along side various surgeons for over 15 years, he attributes his pressure point knowledge to the DKI masters who have given him personal instruction.
