Background and Qualifications

Russell McCartney began his martial arts training over fifty-five years ago in Okinawan-based Karate. His first instructors were top-ranked U.S. karate pioneers who received direct transmission for their training in Okinawa. This experience set the tone for the rest of his life to seek the most traditional aspects of martial arts.

From an early age, his father's modest knife collection nurtured a fascination with blades and he developed a special interest in swords. Eventually, these experiences and interests turned his attention to the Japanese sword arts and the empty-hand techniques of Aikijutsu, the original form of modern aikido.

From the mid-1980s for the next ten years, his daily practice in Toyama Ryu and Nakamura Ryu was a dedicated daily training schedule. Eventually, in the mid 1990s, he was being recognized for his efforts and accepted an offer to be the American west coast representative for a prominent Japanese sword style.

As time passed and his influence and accomplishments multiplied, his participation developed into world-class sword competitions on four continents.

His wide range of experience also led him to international competitions and opened the doors to multiple global events and specialty competitions, starting with his first international competition in Korea where he placed second in their 1999 event. This was followed by over twenty years of regional and national events leading to two world record achievements in 2000 and 2008.

Eventually, his accumulated experience and overall background gave birth to an innovative approach to a sword system and a specific instructional methodology of complex techniques, training methods, and a specific strategy that creates the highest 'success-to-attempt' ratio approach for consistently safe and successful swordsmanship. So complete is this system that it can be metaphorically applied to 'any' situation as a predictable and repeatable formula for success.

Over his five-plus-decade martial arts journey, he has studied under masterclass martial arts professionals in Aikido, karate, Wing Chun, Tai Chi, and Kung Fu styles and first and foremost, he trained alongside some of the most iconic sword styles in Japan.

Of all the various sword training genres, he was particularly enamored with Battodo target cutting sword styles and also for its close relationship with Aikijutsu.

His passion for all things sword has been a multi-decade-long immersion that led him to world champion status in two separate categories.

Beginning with 1998, he was invited to Korea with another contingent of swordsmen from Japan to the South Korean 'World Target Cutting Championships' in Taegu. At this event, McCartney Sensei surpassed all Japanese competitors to earn second place in the overall Kata and cutting competition to a Korean swordsman. This was a pivotal moment in his career after which he redoubled his efforts and dedication to this craft.

After the World Target Cutting event in Korea, as one of the world's top swordsmen, Russell was challenged by the then-current Guinness World Record holding target cutting swordsman, to attempt to break the new benchmark this Japanese sword instructor had recently set for target-cutting swordsmanship.

Using the uniquely diverse techniques of Ishi Yama Shin Koryu Battojutsu, McCartney Sensei shattered the previous World target-cutting Record by 5 cuts and a full 25 minutes, all without a single missed attempt. But he didn't stop there. By the finish of this effort, had pushed the record up to a total of 1181 cuts, 181 cuts beyond the old record, and still eleven minutes thirty-six seconds under the previous time, and all without a single missed attempt from a 'kata' based approach, which was a lot more technically difficult than the previous effort.

This new Guinness world record of eleven hundred eighty-one consecutive cuts without a single missed attempt is a phenomenal testament to the validity of those techniques he used as well as a profound statement to the resolve of the human spirit cultivated through decades of sword training.

Then again in 2008, McCartney Sensei set the world 'speed cutting' record for swordsmanship as - 'Four Cuts on One Target', in an amazing 1.16 seconds.

Both these 'World Record Achievements' are still unmatched and unbroken after 24 and 16 years respectively.

Throughout the past 40 years, he has slowly and meticulously developed his process-oriented approach to sword instruction for an innovative teaching and training practice that is also a combat-effective strategy and sword style.

This specific and revolutionary approach to sword training and technique is a complete methodology that cultivates the highest principles of better living through sword metaphor as a complete philosophy for both children and adults.

His instructional approach, drawn from a lifetime of athletic pursuits and diverse martial arts education, developed a philosophy and catalog of techniques known as 'Shin Koryu' (meaning 'New Tradition').

Here are some additional highlights over twenty-five years of service to the martial arts and personal development:

1991
Returned to Seattle from an intensive 5-year long immersion study of sword training that started in 1983 to share those years of his martial arts experience for Swordsmanship, Aikido, and Jo, the four-foot staff.

1994-98
'Celebration of Swordsmanship': an annual Competition/Tournament of forms/kata, Target cutting, and freestyle sparring called 'Goshinken' (sparring with specially designed padded swords), in Seattle.

1994-98
Taught extension classes at UW Experimental College, Seattle Central, Seattle South, and Discover - U in Seattle WA.

Member of Seattle King County school systems Lecture and Seminar series presenting 'Kids at Risk' programs for all grades of public and private schools.

1995
Opened the 'Pacific Center for Cultural Arts', a multicultural facility as a forum for maintaining and practicing traditionally based disciplines of all kinds.

1997
Voted 'Best in the West' for his presentations and approach to teaching at the annual national teachers' conference in Seattle.

1998

Achieved 2nd Place at the 'World Target Cutting Championships' in Tague Korea competing with a 13-member team from US, Canada, and Japan, taking on the South Korean sword community.

1999
Organized promoted and presented the 'First North American Tournament of Swordsmanship'. It was the first time multiple sword styles gathered in North America for tournament-type activity, where seven different sword styles ranging from Iaido to tameshigiri styles, with old traditional Koryu Japanese stylists, to modern 'Gendai' styles.

2000
On April 22, McCartney Sensei shattered the previous Guinness Book World Record formerly held by a Japanese sword Master of target cutting. This new 'Senbongiri Challenge' (meaning one thousand plus cutting duty) resulted in a new and still unbroken record for target cutting as:

1st) A New Record at 1005 consecutive cuts without a single missed attempt in 'one hour ten minutes', 36 minutes under the previous record. This was also from a more difficult kata-based (forms) based effort.

2nd) Pushed the record up to a total of 1181 consecutive cuts without a single missed attempt, still eleven minutes thirty-six seconds 'below' the previous record time of the former champion.

This effort was presented as 'Target test cutting' (cutting in the flow of movement to multiple directions to multiple targets in the natural flow of movement) which set a new benchmark for target-cutting swordsmanship.

*This event was also a benefit fundraiser for Muscular Dystrophy. That morning the event was viewed by nearly 1500 spectators at the Seattle Cherry Blossom Festival and was held in the 'Centerhouse' building at Seattle Center.

*Not one of the subsequent challenger candidates followed the specific 'Senbongiri Challenge' rules for their events due to the extreme difficulty of its criteria. Even though they tried to make their events easier, they still did not surpass McCartney Sensei's numbers for his world record Guinness event.

2001
Acceptance to the Legends, Masters, and Pioneers Hall of Fame in Rhode Island: Later this same year McCartney Sensei was inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame as 'Founder of the Year', and later that same year he formed the 'United States Sword Federation', the only nonpartisan and non-style specific sword tournament sanctioning body in the world.

2002
Received his Second induction to the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame as 'Instructor of the Year.'

2003
Presented the 'Spring Wind Tournament of Swordsmanship' in Seattle Washington.

A third induction USMA HoF induction and also selected as the featured sword demonstration during the evening banquette and induction ceremony at the United States 'Martial Arts Hall of Fame.'

Also that year was the formal codification of the 'IYRB Shin Koryu Certified Instructors Training' program detailing the 'true formula' of the IYRB methodology in a nine-book set of instructional manuals.

2004
Fourth Induction to the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame. McCartney Sensei was also presented with one of only three available memberships to the 'International Martial Arts Council' as a lifetime member of the 'Grandmaster's council'.

Presented the first annual 'USSF' U.S. Regional Tournament

2005
Appeared in Black Belt magazine

Became a contributing writer of articles for Black Belt Magazine and other various magazines and international martial arts publications.

Numerous public appearances, instructor trainings, and seminars as well as public speaking engagements.

Appeared in the January 2005 issue of Life magazine as one of the top fifty Guinness Book World Record Holders and participated at the Guinness Book 50-year Anniversary celebration for the top 50 record holders in Manhattan New York held in August 2004.

Sponsored the 2004 'U.S. National' Tournament of Swordsmanship.

2007
McCartney Sensei accepted his induction into the European Martial Arts Association in Serbia and was one of only three people inducted into the Grand Masters Lifetime Members group. He also served as one of the main headliners for the evening master class Demonstrations.

2008
Second European Martial Arts Association induction as Instructor of the Year. Set the still unmatched World Record Federation Record for the Fastest Four Cuts on One Target in 1.16 seconds. For more information please contact our group via email at: info@virtualronin.com.

Click here for a full listing of awards and certificates