It’s difficult to picture ASU martial-arts instructor Dan Hausel, a 10th-degree black belt and one of only a handful of grandmasters of Shorin-Ryu Karate, making a fashion statement.

After all, he has been inducted into 14 halls of fame around the world, is certified in 18 martial arts and holds a black belt rank in eight of those disciplines.

Yet, 44 years ago, Hausel was more concerned about his hair.

“I was in a rock ‘n’ roll band in Salt Lake City,” he said. “It wasn’t popular to have long hair at that time, so we decided to figure out a way to protect ourselves.

“In that time, there were two karate schools in our town, so we all signed up.”

In the 1960s, making the decision to have long hair was considered anti-establishment, but for Hausel, now 59, it was a decision that would change the course of his life.

“There’s a lot more to karate than most people would think,” he said. “Based on its origins, karate is two parts: self-defense and philosophy.

“When the martial arts were created, it was exercise blended with motivation. Most places advertise karate, but it’s not really karate. If you don’t have a philosophy, you don’t have a martial art.”

Hausel has been recognized for his lifelong contributions to martial arts, and in November, will be inducted into the U.S. Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

“I think karate has taught me to focus on things quite a bit,” he said. “Not only in martial arts, but in everything I do.

“[Karate] has also helped me to be a lot more self-confident. I think that’s a very important element of karate — to develop self-esteem from within. If not, it’s being taught wrong. Karate is about improving the individual who is taking martial arts.”

Hausel’s initial goal was always to become a third-degree black belt, the level of his first masters. But eventually, he decided to go a bit further.

Hausel was accepted as a probationary martial arts student at an exclusive clinic where he rose above everyone else.

“I demonstrated my martial arts, and my skills were quite a bit superior,” he said. “I received a lot of compliments. There were anywhere from 200 to 300 black belts there so I kind of made a name for myself. One day, the grandmaster of our association mentioned becoming a grandmaster to me, but it was never a goal of mine. I didn’t think it was possible.”

Hausel became the world’s only grandmaster of Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai, a style of karate that is indigenous to Okinawa, in 1999.

“That was quite surprising to me,” he said. “I’m the type of person [who] learned to achieve my goals through building affirmations. They are goals that I have stated in my mind as if they have already occurred; I practice that all the time.”

Now the grandmaster has his own students.

Hausel currently instructs Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo at ASU’s Student Recreation Complex and is providing some guest instruction in cardio classes during the fall semester.

He has also taught at the universities of Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming.

“[What] I like [about teaching at a] university is that you can establish a really good relationship with the students,” he said. “These students are coming to get an education, and I get to train people from all around the world. The only frustrating part is when they graduate, but a lot of them end up with a black belt certificate, so that’s exciting.”

Reach the reporter at emiley.darling@asu.edu.