Leading Edge Martial Arts

**rickmma** · Posted On: 10/06/2006 10:59pm

Wondering if anyone has been to leading Edge Martial Arts in Kanata (west end Ottawa)
http://www.lema.ca/home.html

would appreciate any comments.

**Askari** · Posted On: 10/29/2006 12:34pm

Arthur Smolarkiewicz, or Shihan Arthur as he is known to his students, has spent a third of his life in martial arts. A student of Karate for the past ten years, he is a member of the Canadian National Team that competes annually in World Karate Championships. Two years of Jiu-Jitsu training and two years of Full Contact Kick Boxing make him a well-rounded Sensei. Currently a 4th-Degree Black Belt (Yondan), he goes for his 5th-Degree next year. Weight training is one of his hobbies. While all of this may make Shihan Arthur a formidable foe in the ring, it is his dynamic, dedicated teaching style which sets him apart from other karate instructors.

So we have a 30 year old guy, who calls himself Shihan and thinks 2 years of Jiu-Jitsu and 2 years of kickboxing make him a well rounded Sensei? The place is a bit Mcdojo in its advertising, but what is it like inside? How do they treat someone who walks in the door? have you gone and checked it out?

He at least competes in bodybuilding, in drug tested competitions.
http://www.fameworldtour.com/events/results/FWC06.asp
So he cant be all that bad. Then again he also does point fighting so its a bit suspect.

What are you looking for in an instructor and a club? If it is fitness and fun, this looks like a place you could get in shape. Your not going to be training with any UFC fighters but you'll get what you pay for.

**slamdunc** · Posted On: 10/29/2006 12:51pm

With his hair down in his right eye, I'll bet I could fake jab and then left hook him and he'd never see it coming. Of course that would piss him off and he would take me to the ground and submit me, with that JJ experience under his belt.

**rickmma** · Posted On: 10/29/2006 5:35pm

Thanks Askari,

I am looking for a club that does not place all its focus on kids and overweight adults. A school similar to Ronin or OAMA out in kanata/Stittsville would be ideal but I have not found one yet.

**TKD Black Belt** · Posted On: 10/29/2006 5:38pm

Originally Posted by Askari

Well he can't lace up his wrestling shoes so I can't imagine that's a 'good' sign....

TKD

**Jorec** · Posted On: 10/29/2006 5:50pm

Its pretty much your prototypical Karate dojo, lotsa katas and KIA!!!, if its still the same as it was years ago and I don't see why it would change.

**flor** · Posted On: 3/15/2008 11:35pm

Ok, for anyone that may come across this page now, the club, isn't bad I have been training there, for most of my life, and I find it enjoyable, the people are great and Arthur, isn't as bad as people try to make him, yes they do focus a little on children (we do have a lot of over weight children in the world) and for the over weight adults, you get what you give, if they come to the class and not try hard, or they only show up once every few weeks then they aren't going to change, Oh yes by the way, the club is under new management with a new name, so No more Leading Edge.

**Askari** · Posted On: 3/16/2008 8:41am

Hello Flor,

What is the new name and management?

And what are the bad things people say about Arthur? All this thread pointed out is that it is a McDojo that wont produce a pro-fighter.

**flor** · Posted On: 3/16/2008 4:57pm

Ok, the new club is under owner ship of Ben Stewart, it is called Steve Anderson karate, it is still located at the same location and Leading edge was, Arthur is a good fighter, he has, and several member of that school had world championship medals under Team Canada, which he coached, to be honest with all this McDojo stuff, I think it's stupid, you get what you put into it. I can't say what the club is like under new management, for what I hear, it's now into a sport karate instead of the tradonal like it was with Arthur, IE the katas.