Rudy Crosswell-hanshi began his martial arts training just outside New York City in 1960, at the age of 13. While Crosswell-hanshi's formal training began in a dojo that studied isshin-ryu karate and judo, he went on to also study shotokan and shito-ryu karate in his early years of training. In June 1965, Crosswell-hanshi joined the US Air Force where he studied shorin-ryu, tang soo do and goju-ryu karate for the next three years. In 1967, Crosswell-hanshi was awarded his shodan, first dan, black belt in goju-ryu karate. In 1968, Crosswell-hanshi was relocated to the US Air Force base at Fuchu, Japan, just outside Tokyo. While living and working in Japan, Crosswell-hanshi met and became a student of Kuniba Shyogo-soke and Hayashi Teruo-soke. These two master instructors taught motobu-ha shito-ryu karate and Okinawan kobudo. After three years of intense studying and training, Crosswell-hanshi returned to the United States in 1971 with a yondan, fourth dan, in motobu-ha shito-ryu karate, accompanied by a sensei certificate and a shodan, first dan, in kobudo, all awarded to him by Shyogo-soke. While finishing off his military career, Crosswell-hanshi established a dojo in Minot, North Dakota. He additionally taught at the local university in Minot, and was recognised as the North Dakota State Kata Champion. In 1973, Crosswell-hanshi completed his military duty and moved to Phoenix, Arizona to establish a new dojo. And in 1974, Crosswell-hanshi formed the United States Shito-Ryu Karate Association and arranged for Hayashi-soke to visit annually to tour the dojo in America. In addition to Hayashi-soke's annual visit, Crosswell-hanshi visited Japan several times over the following decade for special training. In 1985, Crosswell-hanshi was awarded his first shihan shogo (title) by Teruo Hayashi-soke, followed by his rokudan, sixth dan, black belt in hayashi-ha shito-ryu karate later that year. Two years later, Crosswell-hanshi also received his yondan, fourth dan, in kenshin-ryu kobudo, also from Hayashi-soke. As Crosswell-hanshi continued to share and expand his knowledge, he co-founded with John Sells-shihan the US Kobudo Association in 1989. Shortly thereafter, in 1992, Crosswell-hanshi was awarded a rokudan, sixth dan, in Okinawan kobudo by Kuda Yuichi-sensei. Crosswell-hanshi further publicised the budo arts in 1992 when he became a major contributor and Editor-in-Chief for Budo Dojo magazine. During this same period, Crosswell-hanshi began to train with Obata Toshishiro-soke in the study of Japanese sword. Over the years, Crosswell-hanshi has trained in, performed and taught the art of shinkendo under Obata-soke. Crosswell-hanshi has been awarded the teaching rank of kyoshi, and has also been awarded a tokui rank in the art of shinkendo. In 1992, Crosswell-hanshi was introduced to Mabuni Kenzo-soke, the second son of the founder of shito-ryu. After numerous communications between the two, Crosswell-hanshi began to host Mabuni-soke on regular visits to the US. As Crosswell-hanshi trained with Mabuni-soke, he was awarded a nanadan, seventh dan, certificate in seito shito-ryu as well as a shihan menjo (licence) and membership of the shihankai for the style. Crosswell-hanshi continued to train with Mabuni Kenzo-soke until 1996. As well as being graded and licensed to teach three different schools of shito-ryu karate, namely motobu-ha, hayashi-ha and seito, Crosswell-hanshi has also interacted and trained with several other senior shito-ryu instructors over the years. This list includes Demura Fumio-shihan of Sakagami's itosu kai, and Negishi Yuichi-shihan and Murayama Kunio-shihan of Kenei Mabuni's shito kai. As a result, Crosswell-hanshi teaches the students of the International Shito-Ryu Karate Federation and the honbu dojo at the Arizona Budokan with a broader view based on his wide experience and knowledge. Additionally, Crosswell-hanshi is well known for his informative seminars covering areas from multiple shito-ryu styles, both in the US and internationally. Crosswell-hanshi has also been a contributor and participant in the International Seibukan Martial Arts Association for several years. This international association, headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, is a multi-art group which supports and endorses the expansion of martial arts around the world. This association recognised Rudy Crosswell-hanshi's contributions to the martial arts by awarding him a kyudan, ninth dan, and a hanshi menjo in shito-ryu karate, and a kyudan, ninth dan, and a kyoshi menjo in Okinawan kobudo. In March 2002, Crosswell-hanshi was honoured with two new recognitions: first, he was inducted into the Hanshi no Iinkai, a European-based organisation made up only of reputed hanshi from around the world; second, he was awarded an hachidan, eighth dan, in hakutsu-ryu karate for his years of dedication and research into its techniques, kata and how it has influenced the development of shito-ryu karate. In March 2004, after 44 years of continuous study and training, Seibukan Kai recommended Crosswell-hanshi for the promotion to judan, tenth dan.