Samurai Red Dragon

What People Say

"" I started my karate life back in 1994, I attended the local karate club in my home town Melton Mowbray. It was short lived, I entered my competition and got knocked out in the first round, cried all the way home. I thought I was Bruce Lee when I started karate, clearly I was not after my experience at my first competition. Fast forward to 2005 I still admire the great martial artist's and wanted to get involved in karate in some way. I made the decision at 30 years old to join my local club in Knighton Powys, Samurai Red Dragon. After the initial anxiety of the first couple of lessons I was hooked. I set the bar high after reading the Samurai Shukokai Karate grading syllabus ,3rd Dan grade. This involved 3 advanced kata, shuri-te, naha-te & tomari-te, followed by 25 ju kumite fights, 2 minutes on 2 minutes off. That was my goal. I then spent the next 16 years learning all about Shukokai Karate and all that it encompassed training at least three times a week and trying to be the best that I could. I also trained with a number of different instructors in Wales & England. My main instructor is and has also been Sensei Jim Whittington 6th Dan Jun Shihan/Renshi. Karate has taught me some valuable life lessons, self defence, respect & self control. The grading's that I have been through have given me the ability to cope with stressful situations in life & I also think back to the grading's when life gets hard. I have just started a new chapter in my karate life, I am involved with the training of the Welsh Samurai Red Dragon squad, ready for next years competitions. I am grateful and honoured to be part of the Welsh SRD squad and I am enjoying teaching & training the up and coming karate competitors." OUS."

" Chris Burgin-Lynch 4th Dan "

"I have been a member of the Shukokai Karate Samurai Red Dragon club since 2011. Several years previously i had practiced another form of karate but Shukokai came as an enlightening experience. It is a very fluent style, involving balance, speed, power & particular attention to evasion techniques. The focus is on self defence. Shukokai has a world wide following. Samurai Red Dragon club members have taken part in many international competitions over the years. In 2014 club memebers gained several medals ( 2 of which were gold ) at an international tournament in Japan. The teaching is an ethos of discipline, character development, endeavour, self respect & respect for others is encouraged. This all sounds rather formal but there is much good humour/laughter & the occasional social event. I came to Shukokai Karate with a little experience in another style but it was appropriate that there were no short cuts for me and it was necessary to work progressively through the grading system, from white belt and colours to black belt over the years improving techniques and gaining knowledge. The gradings are often conducted by the senior Samurai international instructor Hanshi Paul Mitchell 9th Dan. I hope I have been able to communicate my deep appreciation of the splendid quality of the instruction provided by Sensei Jim and the other instructors at the Samurai Red Dragon club. The care and encouragement offered to younger members is particularly noteworthy."

" Professor Brian Wilkinson 1st Dan "