Chow Hoon Goshin Jitsu
Professor John Chow Hoon (1927-1988)
“While studying Danzan Ryu Jujitsu at the Kaheka lane dojo, Prof. Chow-Hoon was also studying the art of Koshoryu Kenpo with his brothers William and Frank. When his brother Prof. William (Kwai Sun) Chow graduated from James Mitose’ school of Kenpo Jujitsu, he opened his dojo at the Chow home. When Prof. Chow-Hoon’s father left Hawaii to go back to China, Prof. Chow took everything out of the house and knocked down a couple of the walls, including a piano shop next door in order to transform their home into a regular dojo.”
Photos of Prof. John Chow Hoon
Chow Hoon Goshin Jitsu Instructors. The beads around the neck represent Hawaiian Knighthood.
Professor Larry G. Bethers, 10th Dan-Provo Jujutsu Club Founder and Chief Instructor
Martial Arts History and Lineage
I began training in Shotokan Karate at Brigham Young University in 1967 at the age of 16. Ralph Morris was my instructor. During my first year of training I attained the rank of go kyu (5th kyu). The first five ranks in this system are white belts and start at 8th kyu. At the end of 1969 I achieved the rank of san kyu (3rd kyu brown belt). In 1969 I enrolled at BYU and continued my karate training. In 1970 I was ranked Ikkyu 1st level brown belt by Master Ohshima.
Warren Peterson, Master Ohshima, Ken Higa and Larry Bethers circa 1968.
In 1972 I attended Winter Special Training in Long Beach, California. I graduated from BYU in 1973 and went on active duty with a Regular Army Commission. After initial officer training and airborne school I was assigned to Fort Ord, California. There were no schools in the area that I found acceptable so I attained special permission from Master Ohshima to open a club. During that time I trained with Jon Evans, a Sandan and one mean sucker.
Captain Larry Bethers and SFOD A-136. Jungle warfare course, Guam 1985.
In 1975 I met John Chow Hoon, a sixth dan in jujutsu. With his help I became acquainted with jujutsu though I spent most of my time teaching Shotokan Karate to his students. From this association I was able to attain my shodan rank in Shotokan. In fact I scored the highest of all the shodan candidates in my test group. This was on my second try. Nobody said it would be easy.
In 1977 I returned to Provo, Utah and became involved with marathon running, Special Forces, and primitive survival training. In 1979 I again formed a karate club and began working hard. The club operated until 1981 when I started working for the Utah County Sheriff. Right after I went to work for the sheriff’s department I was injured in a night parachute jump and was unable to continue training.
In April 1984 I met Dennis Estes and began training in jujutsu. In May I received my for promotion to go kyu. In July of that year I underwent back surgery and had to refrain from training. In April of 1985 I received my brown belt rank of san kyu. In December of 1985 I was promoted to nikyu. In 1986 I began a training class for the staff at Juvenile Court. In November of 1987 I received my dojo shodan (they do that in jujutsu) but was not allowed to test for national recognition at the March 1988 convention because I lacked additional mat instruction from an outside instructor. We did have a kata contest in which I and LaRell Baker took first place.
Professor Wally Jay, founder of Small Circle Jujitsu at Wally’s dojo in Alameda, CA.
My family has also been actively involved in jujutsu. Each of the four older children, Gary, John, Linda and Angie have a youth ranking in jujutsu but at this time Linda and her twins are the only ones actively involved. In the already mentioned kata contest John took first place in the brown belt division. This was his second first place award.
May 1990 has proven to germinate some changes. Gary is now involved seriously in the study of karate and jujutsu and John has gone to work for Kentucky Fried Chicken and does not participate in the arts. In March of 1991 I had my back fused at L 4, L5 and S1 and I had to quit training for about nine months. 1992-1993 I returned to school to become a paralegal. During that time period I studied Kenpo karate as a PE class.
Combat Machete Course
In 1994 I began training with Jason Moore in Hwa Rang Do. I also got to take over the BYU Shotokan Club. In November 1994 I severely broke my right leg and dislocated my ankle. I missed one class at BYU. Being a stubborn person by heritage I would balance on my crutches and practice kicks with my left leg.
I achieved an almost instant rank of 3rd Dan in Hwa Rang Do and an immediate promotion to 4th Dan in the Jasukai Close Combat System.
In 2003 I was invited in an all -expense trip to Denmark to teach the Jasukai system. It was the same year that I broke my association with Mr. Moore. One day I was sitting in my living room pondering my future course in the martial arts when I heard a thump behind me. For some unknown reason Wally Jay’s book on Small Circle Jujitsu had fallen on the floor. Seems like a sign, eh? I then got involved with Jujitsu America. While at a gathering in California for Jujitsu America I encountered Pauline Chow Hoon, John’s widow. It was there I learned of Chow Hoon Goshin Jitsu. I was adopted into the organization and now I have a full professors rank, 10th dan.
Now that I am 72 years old (2023) and my body is broken and battered I am turning over my instructional duties to my senior students.
Matt Hess, 5th Dan, Bob Kent 10th Dan, Larry Bethers 10th Dan,
Alex Ellwood 4th Dan. The event was the 50th Anniversary for Chow Hoon Goshin Jitsu.
