Bio - Sifu Mike Skinner Jr. "SifuJJ"

Martial Arts started for Mike Skinner Jr. in 1975, shortly before he turned six years old. Training with Maria Warwick in the basement of the Weir Theatre was where he received his start. His father, Mike Skinner Sr was a colored belt at the time.

The school on H Street built by Mike Skinner Sr. and Barry Alexander would be the next full time stop, with classes occasionally held at the old Community Hospital campus on Simpson Avenue while the school was being built.

Mike Skinner Jr. competed in tournaments as a young practitioner, but due to a kidney injury sustained at one of those tournaments, he stepped away from the arts for about 8 years.

Returning to Shaolin Kenpo upon getting out of the Air Force, Mike Skinner Jr. began training again in earnest when Mike Skinner Sr was sharing floor space with Doug Hinsley. In addition to group classes, he was also taking private lessons from his father.

In the late 1980s, the economy in Grays Harbor was waning thanks to some spotted owls, and Mike Skinner Jr. signed up for job corps to learn a trade. While learning carpentry, Mike Skinner Jr. had a special exemption to introduce Shaolin Kenpo Karate to other members of the Job Corps. At the time he held the rank of Blue Belt and was allowed to share to Purple Belt requirements. His first teaching foray lasted about six months before homesickness brought him back across the state to begin training again in a group setting at the former site of Dan's General Jeans - his father, Mike Skinner Sr. still sharing floor space with Doug Hinsley who taught Tae Kwon Do.

An opportunity arose for Mike Skinner Sr. to open a school where he could teach more than one night per week, and with his private lesson students nearly begging him to open a school, and after first obtaining the blessing of his instructor Maria Warwick to both use the name and teach commercially, Mike Skinner Sr. entered into a partnership with John Kraemer, who taught Shim Pu Ren. Shim Pu Ren is the traditional name for Butokukan. Mike Skinner Sr. taught on M-W-F and John taught on Tu-Th-Sa. These two schools would operate independently of one another until Aberdeen Kenpo Karate closed its doors in 2001.

Mike Skinner Jr. was the first individual to obtain the rank of Black Belt at the new location for Aberdeen Kenpo Karate, achieving the honor 12-23-92. He was recognized in February of 1999 as a 3rd Degree by the International Shaolin Kenpo Association at the Historic Gathering of Eagles in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mike Skinner Jr. was the lone representative for Shaolin Kenpo from Washington State.

Moving to Las Vegas in 2001, Mike Skinner Jr. began training in Jiu-Jitsu with Martial Arts Hall of Fame member Joseph Barnes Jr. Mike has also trained to varying degrees in Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Iron Crane Gun Fu, Chi Gung, and American Kenpo.

In January of 2023, Bob Alexander contacted Mike Skinner Jr. via Facebook Messenger and invited him to start training again and that Sibok Clay Micheau, whom he has known most of his life was in charge of the school, Mike Skinner Jr. began training again in Shaolin Kenpo in April of 2023.

In addition, Mike Skinner Jr. bears the responsibility for the building of this website with the help of those who have sent him information regarding Shaolin Kenpo Black Belts in Washington State.