Banks-sensei began studying Isshinryu in January, 1994, at the Ryu Kyo Dojo in Casper, Wyoming. It was there, under Rik Plass-sensei, that he attained the rank of Sho-dan. He reached the Ni-dan rank in the dojo of Joe Arvidson-sensei in Newburyport, Massachusetts, in 1999, and was promoted to San-dan in 2006.
Banks-sensei joined Isshinryu Karate-do at MIT in July, 2001, and due to time constraints, is now a Visiting Instructor.