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THREE INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS HELP CELEBRATE MILESTONE
By Admin
12 September 2018 9:26 pm
Attendees with seminar instructors. Left to right: Senseis Price, Trimble and Saif.
Attendees with seminar instructors. Left to right: Senseis Price, Trimble and Saif.
Three European and World champions descended on Bristol last weekend to celebrate 40 years of Bristol Karate Academy’s oldest dojo - Backwell Karate.

The event was sold out. Over 60 students and visitors took part in a celebration of Karate at Hengrove Park Leisure Centre with instructor’s whose achievements include winning the World Shotokan Karate Championships in Japan and multiple other British, World and European titles.

With over four hours of training, each instructor was able to give everyone a taste of what helped them pick up so many titles - and why we can be proud that Great Britain has such a rich history in Karate. 

The seminar was split into three groups, based on the experience of those attending, meaning everyone was able to get the best out of their time with each of the champions.

In the most experienced group, Sensei Aidan Trimble (8th Dan) - a former SKI world champion - kicked off proceedings, with a drill that built using a multitude of different techniques, from simple punches to roundhouse kicks, hook blocks, mid-air switch blocks and reverse thrust kicks. His insight into using side kicks to stop an opponent certainly got the senior grades thinking.

Former ESKA European Champion and current Northern Region all-styles squad coach Sensei  Matt Price (6th Dan) followed this up with a packed session including dynamic kihon drills, an exploration of the kata 'Chinte' and its applications, then finishing on kumite drills to improve footwork, reaction, response and smooth movement. 

Finally, Sensei Hisham Saif (3rd Dan) got everyone's blood pumping with kihon drills focused on controlled and dynamic use of the body, demonstrating some of the precision, style and dynamism that saw him crowned both WSKA World Shotokan Champion and ESKA European Shotokan Champion. The black belts paid close attention to the tips Hisham Sensei gave on one of his competiton 'Tokui' (choice) katas, Gojushiho Sho. 

Celebrating our history

In all, the day was a noteworthy event to acknowledge the founding of Karate in the village of Backwell by brothers-in-law, Bryan Gideon and Bob Padfield, in 1978. The club started at Backwell School on the invitation of one of the teachers there and since then has grown to become a thriving club in the community, with its members achieving both regional and national medals - and even becoming English squad members.

Sensei Bryan Gideon continues to teach at the club 40 years on. And what drives him to keep going after all this time? 

"It's the love of the art and the great opportunity to train with like-minded people," says Sensei Bryan. "The last 40 years in Backwell have confirmed what I already knew. Karate people are good people - friends for life."

At the end of the celebratory seminar, Sensei Tim Griffiths made a small presentation to Sensei Bryan in acknowledgement of such a major milestone for the Backwell dojo. We would like to thank Sensei Bryan for his extraordinary contribution to Karate in the area, which has in turn led to the development of Bristol Karate Academy.