Shobukan SKO

Bushinkai Karate: Traditional practical martial arts for adults. Tuesdays at Marksman (Ashton), Thursdays in Chorlton. Club established 25 years ago. Part of Shobukan Karate (Est 50 years ago).

Shihan Handyside, Shihan Bob Carruthers, Sensei Tommy Martin. Sensei Alan Power. Respect!

Official announcement: All Shobukan schools will use the coloured belt sequence as taught by our late founder Shihan Handyside (and as used by the KUGB) as follows:

Beginner: White Belt
9th Kyu: Orange Belt
8th Kyu: Red Belt
7th Kyu: Yellow Belt
6th Kyu: Green Belt
5th Kyu: Purple Belt
4th Kyu Purple & White Belt
3rd Kyu: Brown Belt
2nd Kyu: Brown Belt white stripe
1st Kyu Brown Belt 2 white stripes
1st Dan: Black Belt
2nd Dan: Black Belt 2 stripes
3rd Dan: Black Belt 3 stripes
4th Dan: Black Belt 4 stripes

In addition Shogo will also be awarded at the headteacher's discretion as follows:

Renshi (after 4th Dan) may wear ceremonial Red and white belt
5th Dan
6th Dan
Kyoshi (after 6th Dan) may wear ceremonial Red and white belt
7th Dan
8th Dan
Hanshi (after 8th Dan) may wear ceremonial red belt

Classes for 2025

Shobukan Karate founder, Kancho Philip AJ Handyside (9th Dan, Shihan)

Shobukan Karate Organisation's current headteacher, Kancho Simon Keegan (7th Dan, Kyoshi)

Pictured 10 years ago 🥋🙏

Phil Jennings 4th Dan
Simon Keegan 7th Dan

We are back at the Hombu Dojo tomorrow night 🥋🙏

This year is the 50th anniversary of Shobukan Karate, founded by my mentor Shihan Phil Handyside in 1974.
Phil started his martial arts training in 1963 with Jujutsu under Richard Butterworth, later moving to Shotokan Karate in 1966. In the early days his teacher was Dennis Makinson with seminars under Sadashige Kato.
In 1974 he inherited his teacher's club and training with a group of friends including Tommy Martin. He trained under Sensei Cyril Cummins from around 1974-1989 in Karate and Kobudo and trained under the likes of Tomita, Kobara and Kawasoe.
In the mid 70s he left the KUGB to join Kanazawa Soke in the SKI where he and his senior students took Dan grades. Here he was also introduced to Yang Style Tai Chi (also a style I studied for 25+ years. Infact when he graded me 5th Dan, Shihan Handyside made me perform Yang style short form).
In around 1977 Phil was invited to study Malaysian Budokan Karate and became vice chairman of KBI in the UK. The chairman was Mike Newton (who I also trained with many years ago). The founder of Budokan was Malaysian master CS Chew who combined Kanken Toyama's Okinawan Karate with Chinese styles such as Pakua. Budokan as a recognised Karate style is fairly unique in teaching weapons such as the Chinese broadsword.
Shobukan was named to reflect Shotokan + Budokan.

Left pic: 2004 (Shobukan 30th anniversary) seminar with Shihan Handyside 7th Dan at the time (later 9th Dan). Attended by R Carruthers and S Keegan.
Right pic: 2024 (year of Shobukan's 50th anniversary) S Keegan awarded 7th Dan by R Carruthers.