Sensei Meier began his learning of martial arts in 1955 when he was taught a jiu-jitsu hold by his cousin who had learned the technique as a frogman in WWII.  Mr. Meier was taught a knife defense technique that had been used on a Japanese swimmer who had attacked the frogman at the invasion of Kwajalene Island.  In 1959 several other techniques were learned from Mr. Meier’s father who had studied jiu-jitsu while stationed in the Panama Canal Zone between the wars.  Among these techniques was a wrist lock, and a thumb lock still taught by Mr. Meier today.  In 1963 Mr. Meier began learning the basics of karate out of Mr. Nishiyama’s book, Karate, the Art of Empty Hand Fighting, practicing diligently every morning for an hour, and learning Heian Yondon, the kata presented in the book. In his junior and senior year in high school, he practiced jiu-jitsu under Mr. Profitt, who formerly had been a guard at the Nuremburg Prison in Germany.  He had learned jiu-jitsu from the British as a tool to control prisoners in the prison.  Mr. Meier became the training partner of the son of Mr. Profitt, Larry, an accomplished technician in jiu-jitsu techniques.  It was during this time that Mr. Meier saw first hand the effectivness of the techniques when a school bully attacked Larry on the school grounds, and was quickly dispatched by the application of a technique.  From that time, all the bullies steered clear of Larry Profitt and his training partner Ray.

Later, after graduating from high school, in 1965 while in college, Mr. Meier enrolled in a judo class at the Wichita Falls, Texas YMCA.  This class was taught by Sensei Bob Neil.  Sensei Neil introduced Mr. Meier to the class and instructor at Shepherd Air Force Base.  It was during this period that Mr. Meier was able to make the acquaintance of Mr. Ace Sukigara of Dallas, Texas, and was given instruction in the throwing technique tai-otoshi in which Mr. Sukigara excelled.  Returning to Amarillo in January of 1966 Mr. Meier enrolled in the karate class taught by Sensei Austin Box.  This class ran from 7 pm to 10 pm Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  Mr. Meier enrolled also in the judo class on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Amarillo Community Center taught by Sensei Dale Elliott.  During this time Mr. Meier participated in several tournaments, held at the Tim Joe School of Judo in Amarillo, earning a bronze medal for third place in one of the tournaments.

After enlisting in the U.S. Navy, Mr. Meier studied jiu-jitsu on the weekends off base at the Kuro-neko Jiu-jitsu School under Sensei Todd Mason, meanwhile practicing karate digilently on base usually two hours a day most week days.

After being ordered to duty in Germany Mr. Meier continued to practice the basics, combinations, and katas taught to him by Mr. Box at the base gym, and participating in the kumite’s at the downtown dojo in Bremerhaven, Germany.  It was during this time that he was recommended for black belt by Sgt. Jim Stokes, and Airman Gary Jones, receiving the advancement in February 1968 from the Dai Ichi Karate Association of America.  During the time in Germany, Mr. Meier went to several karate camps under the direction of the Bundestrainer (head instructor of karate in Germany) Mr. Schmidt.  During his service in Germany Mr. Meier started a class on base beginning with 100 students in a handball court, soon eliminating the number to a solid core of eight serious students.

Returning to Texas after discharge from the service in 1969, Mr. Meier started teaching a class at the YMCA in Amarillo, while at the same time learning jiu-jitsu at the Kodenkan Jiu-jitsu Academy under Sensei Bill Beach.

Mr. Meier continued to practice one to two hours most days and receiving from Mr. Box rankings as the time passed.  Twice a year, he took a pilgrimage to Mr. Box’s instruction in various locations in Colorado.  Mr. Meier has never asked for nor sought any rank in karate beyond 1st degree black belt.  These were presented to him by his teacher Mr. Box for diligent practice, and ability in the kumites.

In December of 1990 Mr. Meier approached a friend of Mr. Box’s, Sensei Clyde Rivas about receiving some black belt rank in jiu-jitsu.  After demonstrating his knowledge and skill in jiu-jitsu, Mr. Rivas advanced Mr. Meier to 5th degree black belt.

In 2005 Mr. Meier located his grand teacher, Mr. Vincent A. Cruz, and was reunited with him at a seminar conducted by Mr. Nishiyama.  Each year for almost a decade Mr. Meier would reunite with the San Ten Karate Association at the Summer Camp in California.  Mr. Meier was advanced to 6th degree black belt by his grand-teacher Mr. Cruz in 2006.

Mr. Meier’s interest has always been in self-defense martial arts.  His interest in tournament martial arts has been minimal.  He has trained many black belts in both jiu-jitsu and karate that have relied upon their training when attacked.  Some were in a law-enforcement setting, some in military combat situations, others in defense of assault when passing through social settings, some in multiple attack assault, some in less than serious situation, and others defending against all manner of weapons.  Mr. Meier has taught many self-defense classes to men and women, as well as security personnel.

The karate that Mr. Meier practices, and teaches is dynamic, direct, and effective, utilizing the application of physics to physiology, with the observation of economy of energy.  The main tool of training is repetition of basics and katas.  The main tool of experimentation are the kumites, namely one step sparring, three step sparring, one step free style sparring, and free style sparring.  The exercise of five on one kumite (Go-rin-no-sho) is the test of the karate-ka’s ability to demonstrate his training.

Mr. Meier continues to train in his later years.  He was advanced to 9th dan by the Dai Ichi Karate Association of America in October 2003.