Our mission statament
To provide quality karate instruction to all people of differing gender, race or religion, in a safe, friendly, fun, learning environment. KSD caters for all fitness levels, builds and gender. We don't just cater for the young athletic type (although they are welcome).
The Club
KSD Karate Club Manchester is a club with a long tradition. We don't differentiate between our members. Anyone is welcome to join us there are no egos. Our qualified instructors are team members just like anyone else and will be happy to tell you more about the Shukokai Karate classes we offer and help you find the class that's right for you. The Ken Shu Dojo offers classes from beginner/restarters to Black Belt & Black Belt to Master , ages 7 and upwards. Whatever level you want to achieve whatever level you currently are we have a class which will suit your requirements.
We're always happy to welcome new members who are interested in joining in with club activities, helping us organise events or excursions and being part of our community.
KSD runs formal karate classes at our Honbu Dojo (training hall), situated close to McDonalds, Whitefield, North Manchester.
What the parents say
our yearly weekend away Gashaku training .
Our experienced team
Ken Shu Dojo has a team of dedicated black belt instructors (see senior grade register for full details) they have a wealth of knowledge and experience between them, training from the early 80's in various martial arts.
They have been dedicated to development of Shito-Ryu Shukokai and have 100's of years experience between them all, in the traditional and technical aspects of karate-do.
Our instructors have trained with the likes of:
- Sensei Terry Pottage - 8th Dan Ken Yu Kai Shukokai
- Sensei George Campbell - 7th Dan Ken Yu Kai Shukokai
- Hanshi Morio Higaonna - 10th Dan Goju Ryu
- Shihan Fumio Demura - 9th Dan Shito-Ryu
- Shihan Akiro Sato - 8th Dan Suzuki-Ha Shito Ryu
- Basilio Bessis - 6th Dan Genbu Kai Shito-Ryu
- Shihan Keiji Tomiyama - 7th Dan Tani Ha Shito-Ryu Shukokai
- Hanshi Masataka Ohshita 9th Dan Shito Ryu - Shukokai
- Shihan Thomas Geiger 6th Dan Shito Ryu - Shukokai
KSD with Demura Sensei 9th Dan
KSD with Sato Sensei 8th Dan
Tomiyama Sensei 8th Dan
Masataka Ohshita Hanshi 9th Dan
Masataka Ohshita Hanshi 9th Dan & Thomas Geiger Shihan in Marburg Germany
Other non-karateka who played a role are, Roy Berry - 4th Dan Judo, Max Shacklady - boxing/ wrestling trainer to many an Olympian, Andrew Morrell - CMAA president, that's just to mention a few who have played a part in the development of the KSD instructors.
We have senior grades, who are very well respected world wide, visit our dojo from other Shito-Ryu Shukokai clubs. They get in line and train - this is refreshing and something we've not seen for many years and it shows that KSD are doing it right. We welcome them all.
Club history
KSD Karate teaches traditional Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate to the highest standards, there are many different styles of karate-do practised throughout the world, KSD teaches traditional Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate-Do a fast and dynamic style of karate-do that suits most trainees.
Shukokai means:- "The Way For All"
1940s - 2010
Our style of karate, Shito-Ryu Shukokai, was founded by Chojiro Tani in the late 1940's in Kobe Japan. Tani Sensei was a student of Kenwa Mabuni, Shito-Ryu founder and teacher of many a great karate master, including Gichin Funakoshi founder of Shotokan and Otsuka Hironori founder of Wado-Ryu.
Kenwa Mabuni Sensei
Tani Sensei & Mabuni Sensei
Tani Sensei had his own ideas on the development of Karate-Do based around the study of body mechanics, hence the style Tani-Ha Shito-Ryu Shukokai was born.
The style is very fast due to a relatively high stance to aid mobility, it is also known for it's double hip twist which maximises force in it's striking, making it one of the hardest hitting styles of karate.
One of Tani Sensei's top students, and some believe one of the most powerful and innovative Shukokai Karataka ever, was Sensei Shigeru Kimura.
Kimura Sensei left japan in 1965 to spread the Shukokai message around the world, firstly in South Africa then into Europe before settling in the USA. Based on Tani Sensei teaching and with Kimura Sensei's own ideas, Kimura Sensei developed his Shukokai emphasising it's power and strength.
Kimura Sensei & Tani Sensei
Kimura Sensei
Shigeru Kimora came to the UK and both Sensei Terry Pottage (Ken Yu Kai founder) and Sensei George H Campbell (Alliance of Shukokai Karate founder) trained and graded under him till the break up of the SKU and the formation of the SKF. Both Sensei's played a role in our past development as we were members and instructors with both organisations and our own Ralph Maguire, Eric Hayes and David Fraser trained with Kimura on numerous occasions.
Sensei Daz Barber taught and ran classes (including private lessons) and conducted gradings as part of the DKA grade panel at Sensei Campbell's and ASK Humbu dojo from 1996- 2010. He was a founder dan grade instructor with the DKA.
KSD Chief instructor Daz & Pottage Sensei
Daz & Campbell Sensei
2010
In 2010 the time was right to open a new dojo. Daz had been thinking about this for many years if truthful. So Ken-Shu-Do Shukokai Karate Club was formed. The club title was given to us by Sensei George Campbell who in turn was given the name by Kimura Sensei.
Sadly after a short time and after much consideration, totaly frustrated with the lack of communication and false promises/opportunities, despite pushing for change and the lack of training sessions for senior association grades, we left the ASK and joined the Cobra Martial Arts Association "CMAA". At this time it was requested we relinquish the title to our dojo "Ken-Shu-Do". Out of respect we adhered to this request but as we own the domain rights to the name there will always be a tie. The abbreviation and new club name KSD Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate club
K= Ken, S = Shu , D = Dojo.
There is a world of learning out there and as students of the arts we owed it to ourselves and our students to follow a different path while staying true to traditional Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate-Do. As a club we search out the very best instructors and train with them when opportunity arises.
2010 onward
Since the club was formed when the opportunity to train with senior world karateka has come our way we jumped at the chance. We were sad to leave our old friends behind but now feel justified in our chosen path. We have forged great new friendships with more like-minded clubs. We're looking forward to a bright future at Ken Shu Dojo Shito Ryu Shukokai Karate club .
We began at Heaton Park Social Club, Prestwich. A great space but soon out-grew the space and hours offered , so we took a risk opening up a full time Karate center a mile away from our first location were now in Whitefield .
The Ken Shu Dojo is run by a full time karate instructor and administrator and is a non-profit organisation. We operate a full time dojo in Whitefield Manchester with class times to suit everyone.
We have many senior karateka come to the Ken Shu Dojo to train. These seniors are not members of the club or our association, they come to train in a non egotistical dojo , these seniors are genuine 5th, 6th and 7th dans who come to train hard the KSD way. Anyone is welcome, there are no politics or egos as stated just honest hard training. Get in touch if you fancy training with us at our centre of excellence, awarded in 2018 .
The Ken Shu Dojo is a full member of the Cobra Martial Arts Association & Karate England