Links:

Explore the influences shaping Taikyoku Budo's development through the following links.

Ellis Amdur created the original Taikyoku Kuzushi concept, which we have extended to be the basis for the physical expression of Taikyoku Budo. Ellis continues to write on martial arts and conflict de-escalation at edgeworkbooks.com, and at kogenbudo.org. He and a number of associates continue to research these principles at taikyokuarakiryu.org.

Itten Dojo - the oldest school of traditional Japanese martial arts in South Central Pennsylvania founded by Sensei Robert Wolfe in 1992. The original idea of Taikyoku Budo was incubated at this dojo in the 2000s and founding Taikyoku Budo member Jevin Orcutt teaches Iaido as part of the dojo staff.

In order to have confidence that what you train has merit, it’s important to have a setting in which to practice against increasingly live resistance. Alliance Jiujitsu Paoli opened in 2025. Andrew Fitzpatrick is the head instructor and has created a wonderful culture for folks to train, test themselves, and build their capabilities.

Kogen Dojo - Taking the name from Ellis Amdur’s distillation of old “Ko” and new “Gen” approaches to martial arts training, Kogen Dojo carries on the spirit of Taikyoku Budo through its programs in Brazilian Jiujitsu and Muay Thai kickboxing. Kogen Dojo Co-founder and early Taikyoku Budo founding member Robert Van Valkenburgh also writes at Holistic Budo.

The original site of the Taikyoku Budo collective can be found here at Taikyoku Mind & Body. The legacy content here represents an ongoing and evolving point of view over the last ten years, with each member now focusing on their own specializations.

Radius Factor is the website of Joel Levan. Joel has a wealth of experience bridging multiple disciplines and teaches the Kickboxing and Combatives courses at Alliance Paoli, and also offers a unique perspective on personal protection, self-defense, and awareness for a range of personas covering many different perspectives.