About the Instructors

• Our Blackbelt instructors were trained in Tyne and Wear and have over 30 years of experience. They are members of N.A.K.M.A.S and are licensed to instruct and grade students. Our senior instructors are fully qualified University qualified teachers and this helps assure their knowledge and experience is transferred to you and your children. Several of the instructors started their martial arts journey with us as children.

Instructor Profiles

Sensei Gary (Yondan)

• Sensei Gary has been training and instructing at local clubs in Newcastle, Sunderland and Peterlee for a number of years. Gary Sensei is a degree qualified school teacher.

• He started his martial arts career by starting Jiu Jitsu when he was 11 at the local community centre. He enjoyed that for a while before the club closed and he left it for a couple of years. At 15 he was asked by a friend to join the local boxing club which he did and spent a while training there. Again that closed and he started to concentrate on fitness training.

• He saw an advert for a Wado Ryu karate club which he decided to join, he joined that club under Sensei B Crossley (6th dan) and trained there for a couple of years before a job change meant he couldn't attend the sessions so he looked for another local club.

• He found another Karate club which were training in the Style of Shotokan under another senior grade instructor. He trained for a number of years training and teaching 6 days a week before setting up his the North East Karate Kai with Sensei Rowley and another friend who due to work commitments and injury decided it was time to hang up his Gi.

Comment from Sensei Gary

• As my martial arts career continues to change I find this a very exciting time to be able to join up with the other instructors in the North East Karate Kai and NAKMAS. The chance to modify and develop my training to include not only traditional Shotokan Karate but also to further develop self defence, groundwork and a mix of other martial arts is something I am really looking forward too. I look forward to working with all our new members, both transferring my knowledge to those and learning from them.

 

Sensei Louise (Nidan)

• Sensei Louise started her training at a club in Newcastle a number of years ago under the instruction of another local high graded instructor. Throughout her grading career she excelled and on several examinations was seen to be so good she was asked to perform a series of moves and Kata from the next grading and was awarded double grade! She has won numerous trophies from competitions and is known for her very good kicking techniques.

• Sensei Louise continued through her career earning her Blackbelt after 3 years of continuous training. After completing her sports leadership qualification she  started assisting Sensei Gary in his Newcastle clubs and showed such a skill was awarded her own club.

• Due to her studies and change of address she had to give up her Newcastle club and concentrates on running the Sunderland club with Sensei Gary.  She has been a regular in competitions over the last few years.

• Sensei Louise is a Fully Qualified School teacher and has a Masters degree from Durham university.