Sensei Ben Lujan

Benjamin E. Lujan III was born in November of 1980 to Benjamin E. Lujan Jr. and Diane Markell Lujan. While the family lived in San Carlos, CA for several years, Ben and his younger sister Monica were primarily raised further north in Santa Rosa.
It was shortly after the time of the move, at ages 6 and 5, that the siblings began training and competing in judo and Danzan Ryu Ju Jitsu at Honshin Kan, under Professor Robert Hudson. Ben later took up full time judo training under Coach Terry Kelly at Santa Rosa Junior College while pursuing his A.A. degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences. Transferring to the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2002, Ben began training in aikido under Yoshihito Shibata Sensei, and simultaneously resumed training in both Danzan Ryu and judo with Professor Dale Kahoun. After graduating with a B.A. in English Languages Literatures with Highest Honors, Ben began training with Associate Professor Hans Ingebretsen in Campbell, CA. While continuing to develop his Danzan Ryu and judo repertoire, Ben also began the study of and received student rank in Ku’i Lima Kenpo, Kaihewalu Lua, and the Inayan System of Eskrima. Ben was also appointed to the Kilohana Martial Arts Association Executive Board for the 2008-2009 term, serving as Secretary/Sergeant-at-Arms, as well as Editor of Kilohana’s newsletter, The Kilohana Chronicles.
In early 2010, Ben moved back to Santa Rosa where he took on the role of primary instructor of the Seika Ryu Martial Arts Danzan Ryu Ju Jitsu program, and also began focusing more intensely on competitive judo training. By spring he had won medals in a number of black belt level tournaments, and went on to win the California Judo Institute’s State Championships (-100kg). He was injured shortly thereafter during judo certification testing for ikkyu rank, nage no kata, coaching, and, as uke, for goshin jitsu no kata. While having maintained his work with the Danzan Ryu program, Ben has returned to judo training, receiving his shodan in December of 2011. In November of 2011, Ben tested for and then received his sandan rank in Danzan Ryu Ju Jitsu at the annual Kilohana Awards Banquet, where he was also named Instructor of the Year.
Ben currently works for DNL Builders in Sonoma County as a painter and carpenter; primarily focusing on custom residential remodels and has resumed editorship of The Kilohana Chronicles.. He is especially thankful for the blessings put upon his path within the past few years: a good job with great people; a wonderful woman; a supportive and loving family; a solid dojo and ohana; and Sugo Trattoria’s weekly ravioli special.