Karate
WADO – RYU KARATE
The full name of the style of Karate we teach at Kicks is Wado-Ryu Karate-Do. The term Wado-Ryu means "way of peace" or "way of harmony", indicating Ohtsuka Sensei's original intention to use training in Wado-Ryu as a means of solving problems in a non-violent way. Karate-Do means "way of the empty hand", as Karate is, for the most part, studied without the use of weapons.
When you learn Wado – Ryu Karate at Kicks you are in good hands. Sensei Chris Kent and Sensei Terry Robins have been teaching Wado Ryu Karate at these premises since 1982. Whilst Chris focused his energies into training and coaching in Kickboxing, his fellow Instructor Terry Robins was focusing on the development of the Karate within our club. His dedication and skill is reflected both in his own personal development, and in the achievements of our club students that have been coached. Students training under Terry Robins were part of the English National Karate Team and the English Wado Team. Terry coached and trained elite national and international champions such as Wayne Ashton, Lee Chittenden, Mark Freeman, Paul Simmons, Paul Ellis, Steven Spicer and Sarah Ovendon.
Whilst competing in the early 1990s Instructor Terry Robins won Silver and Bronze medals both nationally and internationally. Our Wado – Ryu students are fortunate to benefit both from this experience, and also from his vast knowledge as an official. Terry has been an English official since 1992 and is a European Judge and an English Referee with the European Karate Federation (EKF). He has officiated at many selections for the England Karate team. He has also been the chief Referee at the National British Wado-Ryu Karate Championships, for Suzuki Sensei 8th Dan (the Head of the Wado-Ryu International Karate-do Federation (WIKF) on several occasions and been a referee at two Commonwealth Karate Championships.
For many years under our old name we were part of Shikon and Chris got his 4th Dan (1991) and 5th Dan (1997) under Steve Rowe, the founder of Shikon. When Chris formed his own association KMAC in 2001 he started training under Tatsuo Suzuki. Kicks Karate was fortunate to have Tatsuo down for courses and regular training sessions. In 2003 Chris Kent was part of a training trip for Master Tatsuo Suzuki’s 75th Birthday in Japan. The highlight of the trip for Chris was being selected with former student Paul Simmons, and other non Japanese students, to demonstrate at Master Suzuki’s celebrations in Tokyo on 27th September 2003. This was a great honour to demonstrate in front of Suzuki Sensei who is the most senior student to the founder of Wado – Ryu Karate Hironori Obtsuka. In this year Chris was also proud to see Sab Suharta his first non sighted student achieve her Black Belt. In March of 2004 Chris was awarded his 6th Dan for his services to Wado Ryu by Billy Brennan and Mick Blackwell
In the early 1990s Chris produced both “The Beginner’s Guide to Basic Karate & Self Defence” and “The Chris Kent Kickboxing Course.”. In 2004 Chris brought out “Kihon Basic Techniques” on DVD. His intention is to bring out Wado Ryu Katas in 2010.
Alongside quality internal instruction at Kicks, our club has also sought to enhance the knowledge of our Instructors and students through organising seminars with pivotal martial arts figures such as Vic Charles, Vic Cook, Ticky Donovan, Greg Francis, Robert Mason, Wayne Otto, Steve Rowe, Tatsuo Suzuki and Geoff Thomas.
Kicks are proud of its karate achievements over the years. Chief Instructor Chris Kent sits in on the Grading Panel, is available for one to one sessions, and teaches our Black Belt Students and Instructors. Sensei Terry Robbins now resides in France and runs Kicks Clubs in his area, and courses which are open to all Kicks Students. He is the KMAC Squad Coach and comes over at regular intervals to sit on our grading panel, judge at competitions and provide special training sessions.
Sensei Paul Hollis (3rd Dan) is our very popular main Karate Instructor in Brighton and teaches both the adult and junior classes, one to one sessions, and his ever over subscribed Junior Holiday Camps. We also have Sensei Craig Waller (4th Dan) who assists in Brighton on a Saturday and is available to teach at external venues for courses etc, and Sensei Tony Kenneally (3rd Dan) who runs weekly classes in Peacehaven and Hove. Dan Pearman runs the Junior Millwood Kicks Karate Club; assists on a weekly basis at Brighton Kicks and is our main cover instructor at our club. A more recent addition to our Brighton Kicks Team is Sensei Simon Hearnden (1st Dan) who has been a student with us for several years. Simon has now started running monthly competition classes for Kicks Students and is keen to develop a lively and committed competition squad.
