Mario began his training under Yoshitaka Kinjo sensei in 1985, while a high school student in Lethbridge, Alberta. He moved to Japan in 1994 and is well versed in a variety of both Goju-Ryu and Tou'on Ryu related karate. Styles plus kobudo.

While living on the island of Amami Oshima in Kagoshima, Japan, he trained under Minowa Katsuhiko sensei and his student Yoshimura Hiroshi sensei in classical Okinawan weaponry. In 1998 he began studying Tou'on-ryu from Kanzaki Shigekazu sensei until his return to Canada in 2002 and is a teacher to that style holding a 5^{th Dan.} He and the only Western exponent of this old Naha-Te style founded by Juhatsu Kyoda, the senior student of Kanryo Higiaonna who was a fellow student of Chojun Miyagi who founded Goju-Ryu karate. McKenna also holds a 4^th Dan in Ryukyu Kobudo, and a 3^rd Dan in Gohakukai. Other martial arts experience includes training in Aikido, Judo, Shorinji Kenpo, and 18 months of training in Chikubishima-ryu bo-jutsu in Omura, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

McKenna teaches Okinawan karate-do at his Kitsilano dojo in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He has written on the historical and cultural aspects of martial arts training and is best known for his translations of historically important early 20 century books by early founders of Japanese karate.

Books and Translations by Mario McKenna include:

• An Overview of Karate-Do
• Adventures of Karate
• Karate Kenpo: The Study of Seipai
• The Works of Itoman Morinobu
• Karate Kenpo: The Art of Self Defense
• An Introduction To karatedo