Sensei Larry Hall was born in 1943 in Cripple Creek, Colorado (the richest square mile on earth).  His father was a gold miner, and Larry spent his youth in the mining towns of Telluride, Colorado and Monticello, Utah.  Larry (along with his 7 siblings) finally moved to Denver, Colorado where he completed high school and immediately enlisted in the U.S Army. After he completed basic training and AIT, he attended jump school in Fort Benning, Georgia and was sent to Okinawa, Japan. He was assigned to the 503rd Airborne Brigade (which became the 173rd Airborne , AKA the “Sky Soldiers” who were the first units to enter the Vietnam conflict).  

While on Okinawa, Larry was introduced to Seibukan Karate (Shorinji Ryu) by his lifetime friend Walter Dailey. The Seibukan hombu dojo (under construction at that time) was located in Jagaru, Okinawa and under the direction of Sensei Shimabukuro, Zenryo. Sensei Shimabukuro had studied for 10 years under his only karate teacher, Sensei Kyan, Chotoku. Larry became a student of Sensei Shimabukuro, Zenryo and attained his Shodan (1962) and Nidan (1963) certificates from him before returning to the United States.

Sensei Hall returned to Denver, Colorado and opened the first Seibukan dojo in the state in 1965. He then spent a period of time in Prospect Park, PA with his mentor and best friend Walt Dailey where he assisted Walt in teaching karate and self-defense for women. During that time he helped Walt in finalizing the design of the current Seibukan Karate logo. Returning to Colorado, Larry joined the Leadville, CO Police Department and began teaching Seibukan Karate and Kubujitsu (bo, staff, and sai) to local law enforcement officers. He operated two Seibukan dojos (in separate counties) and taught continuing education karate courses for the Community College for the next 5 years.  

Sensei Hall relocated to Grand Junction, Colorado in 1974 and joined the Grand Junction Police Department. He opened the Seibukan Karate Dojo, and continued to teach continuing education through Mesa State University. In 1980, Larry became affiliated with the International Seibukan Karate Association under Sensei Edward Takai, was given a school charter, and was promoted to Sandan. He became the mid-west Director of the association and was a member of the ISKA Kata Board. 

In 1975, Larry also began teaching mentally and physically challenged inmates at the Colorado State Home and Training Facility in Grand Junction.  Sensei Hall states that this has been the highlight of his martial arts career.  “Teaching children who find it hard to learn, and expecting nothing more than tears of joy and slobber on my gi, is an incredible feeling that very few Senseis will ever know!  These moments are worth every ounce of effort I have ever given to the martial arts.”