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Marcus_1
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Practical Martial Arts in Kent (UK)

Hi

As I may have mentioned in previous posts, I work within the criminal justice sector and currently study Shotokan Karate (Shodan).

Whilst I enjoy the training in Shotokan, the issues it raises when it comes to self protection (mainly in the way it is taught here in Kent) are numerous and I just cannot find a dojo where they teach it in a practical, self protection way.  Everything is taught at sparring distance rather than right up close and personal.  Every dojo (it seems) teaches it for sport competition which is not what I want it for, I am not interested in competition titles, at my age I am passed that!

This has led me to looking into different martial arts, trouble is, I like my Karate, I tried Kung Fu and other forms but just can't get to grips with them.  It sounds like there are dojo's out there in the UK who teach Karate how I want to learn it, but they just are not in my area (Canterbury/Thanet).

Any suggestions on where I can find somewhere to train?

stephen
stephen's picture

Hi,

Steve Rowe is in Chatham, he might be able to help. The Shi Kon clubs are good and there might be one in your area.

Marcus_1
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Thanks Stephen, I've already looked into the Shi Kon clubs, but alas they aren't in my area.

shoshinkanuk
shoshinkanuk's picture

You may have to travel Marcus, Malcolm Bates Sensei is a good guy in Kent, but again not in your immediate area me thinks.

Marcus_1
Marcus_1's picture

Thanks, do you know where he is based in Kent?

shoshinkanuk
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Maidstone, if you google his name you will see locations etc. Malcolms a good guy with nice karate.

Marcus_1
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I have found a Jiu Jitsu club (www.jitsufoundation.org) who appear to do some pretty good stuff:

Going to go along and give it a go.

Th0mas
Th0mas's picture

Hi Marcus

Have you ever thought about doing this the other way round? 

Most clubs instruct what they know and many sensei's teach the "art" of shotokan rather than the more pragmatic strategies and principles you are looking for. This is completely reasonable in this day and age, where most of us have a day job that does not involve volence (certainly not if you want to keep it that is). However your knowledge and experience is invaluable and could be massively benefitial to those instructors who wish to cover aspects of the more pragmatic self-protection side of karate training, but don't have any direct experience of the particular physical confrontations you deal with on a day-to-day basis.

There are a number of Karate Dojo's in the South East of the UK and I doubt many of the instructors or students would have the breadth and depth of experience that you have had in terms of "real experience" - given the nature of your job as a prison officer. Certainly the more pragmatically minded one's would welcome some new insights or lessons learnt, which then could lead to some interesting training sessions. 

So rather than trying to find a dojo that absolutely matches your criteria, unlikely in central Kent, you find a nearby dojo which can provide some solid training in the fundamentals and then suplement this with clubs more further a field, a couple of times a month - maybe with instructors willing to adjust their training regime based on some of your insights and experience you could describe.

Jsut a thought.

Cheers

Tom

Black Tiger
Black Tiger's picture

I now us knockdown Karate stylists are the relative none of the mainstream guys want to mention but I will.

YOu say you don't want the Shotokan style of Karate but love Karate well Kyokushin IS what you need It ticks all the boxes in your OP. This is more of what you're looking for in Canterbury area

 http://www.internationalkarate.co.uk/index.html

 Pilgrims Way Karate Club

Phone: 01303 2256053 - Pilgrims Way Primary School, Canterbury, , CT1 1XU

Dover Kyokushinkai Karate Club

http://doverkyokushinkaikarateclub.clubbz.com

Would look at these if you're truly looking for what you are telling me you're looking for.

Its Full Contact and continuous and its toe to toe. exactly what you asked for!!!!

Marcus_1
Marcus_1's picture

Th0mas wrote:
However your knowledge and experience is invaluable and could be massively benefitial to those instructors who wish to cover aspects of the more pragmatic self-protection side of karate training, but don't have any direct experience of the particular physical confrontations you deal with on a day-to-day basis.

There are a number of Karate Dojo's in the South East of the UK and I doubt many of the instructors or students would have the breadth and depth of experience that you have had in terms of "real experience" - given the nature of your job as a prison officer. Certainly the more pragmatically minded one's would welcome some new insights or lessons learnt, which then could lead to some interesting training sessions.

I would love to do something like that, but to be honest, I wouldn't know where to start.  I so badly want to get some of my experiences out there to do with real life violence and how it actually works, just don't know how to go about it.

Th0mas
Th0mas's picture

Hi Marcus

I totally empathise with your position. In 30 years I have never found the perfect club that meets all my training needs, mainly because I have an attention span of a nat and my interests are broad and always evolving. What is critical is finding a good bunch of people to train with who share common interests with you, but do not necessarily have exactly the same training goals as you do.

I think initially you need a place to train, if anything just to maintain the skills, but essentially to provide a local club community of which you can become a part. There are always people who will want to share some aspects of what you want to do and this club community may give you an opportunity to explore some of your ideas with the people you train with.. Clearly finding a good local club is the priority... :-)

On that note I did a quick trawl of the british combat association and there appears to be an interesting club based in Maidstone...http://cma-combatmartialarts.co.uk/about/. I know nothing about them but the blurb seems to fit your requirements...

If you get that sorted then you can start looking further a field to learn some new ways of applying more pragmatic drills and practices to your standard training regime. Personally I love doing that kind of thing, it can really invigorate my flagging enthusiasm. Our organisation (based in Caterham and South Croydon) occationally organise training courses where we try and bring something different to the mix, last time we joined up with a local jujisu club and got a load of our dyed-in-the-wool shotokan stylists rolling around on the matts... :-)

Cheers

Tom

JWT
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Hi Marcus

I'm possibly a little out of your way in High Wycombe, but I do teach a 4 hour Saturday class once a month and if you don't fancy DART Karate I can quite happily take your Shotokan and adapt it in a very interesting direction.

John Titchen

Talassar
Talassar's picture

Hi Marcus,

Washinkai Karate deals with a lot of self-defence stuff. If you were willing to travel to Dover Neville Smith Sensei is 7th Dan and as a Police Officer can relate to your line of work.

Tal