Last night, Bath Karate Club hosted Sensei John Bruce, 6th Dan, national and international champion, and Chair of the KUGB. Sensei Bruce’s session was nothing short of inspirational; sharing his wealth of experience in both kata and kumite.

Sensei Bruce’s approach to kihon was fundamental and detailed. He emphasized the importance of using body weight effectively in kicks, thrusting the hips and moving the centre of gravity forwards to generate power, not simply focusing on balance. For punching and blocking, he stressed the significance of using full hikite and fast body rotation to develop speed and hence power. His instruction to the black belts on extending this approach to one-arm blocks was straightforward to understand but harder to realise – more practice needed!

This concept was taken into kata with Bassai Dai, and Sensei Bruce encouraged us to avoid less than fully extended movements and to harness body weight to generate power. Throughout the session Sensei placed emphasis on self-reflection and analysis, reminding us of the importance of personal, continuous study in our karate training.

Kumite training focused on thinking beyond just blocking, emphasising the need to get out of the opponent’s range – moving in at least four directions, backwards, either side, and also going forwards to close the distance in order to strike. Sensei stressed that there are no shortcuts in karate, and our focus should be on long-term development through consistent, correct practice.

Sensei illustrated his holistic approach to karate, viewing kihon, kata, and kumite not as separate entities but as interconnected aspects of a single practice. Sensei Bruce’s parting words on attitude left a lasting impression. He emphasized that it’s not just about ‘trying’, but ‘trying in the right way’. This encapsulates John Bruce’s approach to karate – a blend of fundamental techniques with a deep understanding of body mechanics and mental discipline.

Bath Karate Club has had the opportunity to learn from one of the very best instructors and Sensei John Bruce’s visit has left us all inspired to elevate our practice and strive for excellence in our karate journey.

Last Thursday, Bath Karate Club had the privilege of hosting a training session led by Sensei Holly Bruce, 5th Dan (Sendai Kushiro Karate Club) an internationally acclaimed karateka, instructor known for her meticulous approach, and ambassador for the KUGB. Sensei Bruce delivered a session that left everyone with detailed insight and actions to improve their karate.

The session began with a deep dive into kihon based on a series of stepping combinations. Sensei Bruce emphasised the importance of performing each move slowly and with precision, focusing on the detail and efficiency of preparing each move and weight distribution. She encouraged students to increase their speed only after they fully understood the correct execution of each technique. This approach not only highlighted the importance of forming good habits but also the necessity of refining each repetition to improve on the last.

Building on the kihon, Sensei Bruce transitioned into kata. Here, she stressed the importance of detail, biomechanics, and posture. Each move was dissected to understand the individual components, with a special focus on the escaping steps. within.

The final part of the session was dedicated to kumite. Sensei Bruce introduced drills aimed at improving distance management and the execution of single, double, and triple punches. Participants engaged in three-partner drills designed to enhance both their reaction times and their offensive skills. These exercises underscored the dynamic nature of kumite and the necessity of quick thinking and adaptability during sparring.

Throughout the session, Sensei Bruce’s clear explanations, focus on personal development, and attention to individuals were evident. Her approach ensured that every participant, regardless of their grade or skill level, left with a clear understanding of what they could improve upon. The session wasn’t just about performing techniques but about evolving as karate practitioners. Bath Karate Club looks forward to future sessions with such an exceptional instructor.

On the 11th July Bath Karate Club held its latest Kyu grading, and we would like to thank Sensei Rob Welsh who made the journey to Bath to take the training and grading. We would also like to thank the club members who turned out to support the evening. Congratulations to the Bath members who passed their next grade.

• Chloe Burden – 9th Kyu
• Marlena Gulaj – 7th Kyu
• Amy Beattie – 7th Kyu
• Emma Thompson – 7th Kyu
• Harry Sanders – 7th Kyu
• Storm Jackson – 4th Kyu
• Jonny Barden – 4th Kyu
• Peter Ashby – 3rd Kyu
• Richard Thompson – 1st Kyu
• Dave Acheson – 1st Kyu

Also this weekend, the KUGB held its latest Black and Brown Belt Course at the University of Bath’s Sports Training Village. The instructors were Sensei Frank Brennan and Sensei Garry Harford. Thanks to all the club’s black and brown belts who took trained on the course.

Sensei Holly Bruce visit

On February 8th we were delighted to host Sensei Holly Bruce, 5th Dan, from Sendai Kushiro Karate Clubs in County Durham. Holly Bruce is an international champion in both Kata and Kumite, and a fantastic role model for the KUGB. Holly’s instruction was first class, and her session focused on details of moving efficently and then applied to kata. We look forward to welcoming Holly back to the club later in the year.

Grading News

Congratulations to those who successfully graded on Thursday 14th March under Sensei Rob Welsh.

• Emma Thompson  – 8th Kyu
• Harry Sanders  – 8th Kyu
• Storm Jackson – 5th Kyu
• Holly Coles – 3rd Kyu
• Tom Park –  2nd Kyu
• Richard Thompson – 2nd Kyu
• Ethan Park – 1st Kyu
• Oscar O’Keeffe – 1st Kyu

Competition News

Well done to those club members who competed at this year’s Southern Region Championships in Reading on 16th March. Thanks also to those who made the trip to support the club.

We would like to make a special mention to Emma Thompson who obtained Bronze in the Junior Kata competition in her very first outing as a competitor.

Also, many congratulations to Sensei Kieran Shore who won 1st place in the Veterans’ Kata competition. We hope this encourages more club members to follow in their footsteps!

Grading success

Congratulations to Philip Southgate who passed his 2nd Dan grading on 12th April at the KUGB Spring Course in Torbay. Philip achieved this fantastic milestone under the scrutiny of three examiners, Sensei Jim Brennan, Sensei Frank Brennan and Sensei Billy Higgins (L-R above).

The club held its final kyu grading for 2023 last night. We had a great turn out for the training, and also welcomed karateka from local clubs. A big thank you to Sensei Rob Welsh, 7th Dan, our grading examiner, for travelling to Bath. Congratulations to all those Bath club members who successfully graded:

Rey Tang – 9th KYU
Siobhan Tan – 9th KYU
Emma Thompson – 9th KYU
Harry Sanders – 9th KYU
Amy Beattie – 8th KYU
Storm Jackson – 6th KYU
Lucas Mitchell – 6th KYU
Jonny Barden – 5TH KYU
Holly Coles – 4th KYU
Peter Ashby -4th KYU
Tom Park – 3rd KYU
Richard Thompson – 3rd KYU
Ethan Park – 2nd KYU
Oscar O’Keeffe – 2nd Kyu

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Sensei Brian Middleton on Thursday 12 January 2023. Brian founded Bath Shotokan Karate Club in 1969. He ran it for over 25 years before passing the torch on to Kieran Shore. He was an influential instructor – some say ‘a force of nature!’ With Brian’s instruction and guidance, at least 150 – 200 members of the club achieved their First Dan grades.

We will post a more complete account of his legacy in due course here and on our Facebook page. In the meantime, the ‘older’ members of Bath Karate Club send their condolences to Brian’s daughters and to Helen, his soul mate.

Bath Shotokan Karate has a new regular home for training. We now train at Hayesfield Girls’ School & Mixed Sixth Form, on Mondays and Thursdays at 7.30 pm. All members and newcomers (beginners or from other styles) are welcome to come and train. More details are given on our Training page.

This website is currently being updated, and in the meantime, up to date information on the club’s activities can be found on our Facebook page.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

We hope that all club members and their families are staying safe and well during these unprecedented times. The club instructors have created a videoconferencing account with Zoom that we are going to try to use for us to meet and train so we can keep our club community in touch, and for all of us to try to keep training during the lockdown.

Any club members who wish to participate, please send your name and email address to the club email account [bathkarate(at)gmail.com] so we can send you an invitation to join us online. Further details will be posted here, and on our Facebook account in due course.

 

Due to the latest government advice regarding the Covid-19 epidemic we are suspending training sessions for the time being. Hopefully we can get back to training in due course but in the meantime, keep stretching, practicing those katas and washing your hands!

We’ll update both this site and our Facebook page as we have something to say. Please keep an eye out for club members, friends and neighbours through this difficult and uncertain time.

Bath Shotokan Karate Club is devastated to hear that Sensei Bob Poynton passed away on 10th March 2020. This is such sad news, our loss is almost impossible to put into words.

Sensei Bob Poynton was a great supporter of the Bath club, during a relationship that lasted over 50 years. As the National Administrator he frequently pointed old and new karateka in the region towards the Bath club to continue their training. Bob Poynton was our club’s examiner from the moment he became a KUGB instructor: Bath was the first club at which he held a grading. Most of us in the club took our Kyu, and Dan, gradings with him, and his support and encouragement have helped us all to progress. Sometimes Bob’s words of wisdom were literally in your face, whispered into our ears whilst we were trying to balance on one leg and concentrate on Sensei Sherry during a Special Dan Course!

Outside of the dojo Bob was a friendly and sociable instructor and would readily spend time with us, whether a 10th Kyu, a 5th Dan or a member of the wider Bath family. He had an incredible ability to lift peoples’ mood and spirits and his dry sense of humour will remain with us. We all have our own memories of Bob’s support and kindness, but one that stands out to me is as follows. I had the honour to train with Bob at his home club, the Red Triangle in Liverpool. Bob knew I was visiting and after training suggested that a few of us went out for a meal. When the bill came and I went to pay my share, Bob stopped me and said firmly, “you are my guest, you are not paying!”

Bob was very proud of his relationship with the Bath club and below are two photos that illustrate this: Bob attending our club Christmas meal  in 2012 and awarding Mark his Student of the Year award, and more recently, his delight at awarding Ron his 6th Dan.

Bob’s passing is a great loss to our club and the wider KUGB family – karate has lost one of its strongest ambassadors. Our condolences go out to Bob’s family and the KUGB.