I have been practising (and trying to live it) Shotokan Karatedo since 1981. I reached the grade of 5th Dan, which took me until 2006. I founded two clubs, one in Sidcup, Kent in 1992, and one in Cambridge in 1994 when I moved that way, and this club continues today after I handed it over in 2006.
I studied under the students of Kancho Kanazawa and Enoeda, namely Pauline Laville from 1981, and Nicholas Adamou from 1994 to 2006. I also attended a number of weekend courses under Kancho Kanazawa himself, and Sensei Shiro Asano.
When I retired from teaching in 2010 I was the IASK National Kata Champion three times in a row. Although I have been training again, just by myself since 2024.
I also trained in Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Pak Mei kung fu, and Tomiki Aikido.
I learned to teach powerfully practical self-defence with a number of organisations including the police and some military organisations and ran a number of courses for the public. I especially enjoyed the self-perfection and the closely-related spiritual aspects of the art and also enjoyed passing this love, as well as strong self-discipline, onto my students.
- Member of the IASK British team from 1995 to 2007 competing against international teams
- Tutor and assessor of the English Karate Governing Body's coach award scheme and a Tutor and assessor for NVQ II/III 'Karate Coaching’
