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1989 - While at college and university I studied Tai Chi Chuan, Baugwa Chang, Chang Chuan, Wing Chun, Mea Tao and Chi Gong with the Wutan Gong Fu Institute International. During this time I was also able to spend a little time training in Kendo, Jujutsu and European fencing.
1994 - After university I returned to my original Karate club where I took my Sho Dan and Ni Dan grades. I also started teaching a class and developing a syllabus which allowed me to document the knowledge I had been acquiring. I continued to attend seminars where ever possible, in a broad spectrum of Martial Arts to ensure I was maintaining my awareness of other fighting arts.
2002 - Justine and I broke away from our original club, we were unhappy with how the club was developing. So we set up the Whitstable Karate Kai.
During the same year I was tested and passed my San Dan with WUMA. I continued to develop the syllabus being used within the Whitstable Karate Kai and also began to research the history of Karate to gain a deeper understanding of what Karate is.
2003 - I attended a course being taught by Sensei Snewin who is the director of Kamishin Ryu Karate Do Association UK, which is a small family style of Karate taught in a very traditional way.
This encounter was to change my direction in the Karate; Sensei Snewin was able to make my own research into Kata and the associated Bunkai a great deal clearer. I was very fortunate to receive an invitation to attend the Kamishin Ryu Instructor courses, which lead to me becoming a student of Sensei Snewin.
2004 - Wishing to continue my contact with other systems of Karate and Martial Arts I attended a local Shotokan club for extra training which was run by Sensei Carl Swaffer, who is also a senior instructor for the Kent Shotokan Karate Clubs (KSKC) Association.
Through Sensei Swaffer I have been able to attend KSKC courses, which have proved valuable to my personal development within Karate.
2005 - I commenced training with an Iai jutsu club at the University of Kent located on the Canterbury campus, teaching Dento Shoshin Ryu Iai jutsu, which is based on the Toyama Ryu Bato-jutsu School of swordsmanship. Through Sensei Chris Barron and the Dentokan association I have also been able to attended seminars on Aiki jutsu and Tai jutsu.
2006 - I was lucky enough to receive instruction in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido from a Japanese overseas student by the name of Sumida -san who was studying at the
In the summer of 2007 Sumida-san's teacher Hatakenaka Sensei came to
2008 - I was presented with the grade of Yon Dan by the WUMA, which came out of the blue; this has proved a catalyst to increase my focus still further and to train harder to improve my level of skill.
During the summer Sumida-san returned to England for his graduation ceremony at the University of Kent, during his visit I received further instruction in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu, completing order of the Chudan kata set and refining the Shodan set.
2009 - 15th August I became a member of the All Japan Budo Federation. Through the AJBF I have had further opertunities to train with instructirs of Aiki jutsu/Aikido, various styles of Karate, Goshin jutsu, judo and Iaido.
It is through the aforementioned Sensei and countless others that I thank for helping me develop within Karate and the Martial Arts in general; without them I would be lost.
