Lyons karate club

Lyons karate club traditional Shotokan Karate club for all ages. School of martial arts

16/09/2026

This is going to sound like a proud grandad bragging about his grandson. I am proud but that's not the point of this post. Indulge me.
Recently my grandson Lewis text me to , among other things, thank me for his training in karate.
Lewis is a paramedic in the RAF. Has a young family and has always been a bit of an over-achiever. He came to me aged around 6 and said " grandad, I want to get my black belt".
I explained to him that it was very difficult but that if he did exactly what I said, I believed he could achieve it.
We set up a 12ft by 8ft shed in his back garden and equipped it with an exercise bike, light weights, pull up bars and a heavy bag.
The agreement was that not only would he attend class 3 times a week but we would do 3 sessions of an hour in the shed.
Like all kids, initial enthusiasm dulled to " oh this is a bit hard, repetitive, boring". We had temper tantrums, tears, frustration and threats to quit. But that was one thing that wasn't allowed . He could get upset, he could take a night off but quitting was not an option.
He got over it. He also achieved his black belt. Went to win tournaments, acieve 3rd dan etc. But crucially, that's not what he was thanking me for. He thanked for instilling into him an aptitude for hard work, resilience in the face of adversity and self-belief...an understanding of just what he could achieve if he put his mind to it.
Letting kids quit just because they have a bad week or they hit a plateau just teaches them to quit when life gets a bit uncomfortable. I was no martinet but I did push him. Now he recognises the value.

12/09/2026

Martial arts have a reputation in the public eye of being character building but its bit of a misconception. Take myself as an example. As a child I was asthmatic, bookish and sensitive. Skinny and quiet, I was bullied at school. I was given exercise to do to rehab the the asthma but I felt foolish doing them so devised my own and at the age of 12 took up Judo. By age 14, my asthma had improved enough to be discharged from the asthma clinic and I was stronger and more confident. Over the years my martial arts changed and so did I to a degree. I learned more about myself. I learned not make excuses for my own failings and to push myself beyond anything I previously thought myself capable of. But...my core character was still there, martial arts just pushed it in a constructive direction. It would have been easy to use asthma as an excuse not to do anything. To blame it for my weakness and as a reason for me being bullied.
My inherent sensitivity left me with an empathy for those who are bullied and an understanding of why they are victims and an abiding antipathy for bullies of all ages.
Martial arts do not change your character and in some it amplifies their arrogance or darker leanings. But if you are inherently a decent person it can round your character and minimise your weaknesses.
Becoming stronger mentally and being capable of violence does not make you violent. It gives you freedom of expression.

27/08/2026

Karate ni sente nashi. " There is no first attack". Is there a more misunderstood, misquoted phrase in karate circles?
We would all like to live in some zen-like , Holywood style version of life in which we are the sage going through life dispensing justice to the obviously deserving evil criminal type.
Firstly, you have to be willing to use violence to defend yourself. Most people are not at that stage. Secondly, you have to be able to recognise and willing to act upon the signs of aggression before you are attacked. Even less people are at this stage. It is vitally important. Not just for you, but it is also a way of ' helping ' your assailant.
So signs of aggression:- Agitation, shouting, encroaching on your personal space, kicking the ground/objects, hands raised above to waist, change in skin colour, repetitive phrases etc. Experience with aggression and violence have taught me that the earlier you intervene, the better the outcome for you and for them. Escalation means increased levels of violence and violent response.
Some of it is pretty obvious. If someone tells you they are going to pull your f**king head off, its probably sensible to nip it in the bud! If I was going to hit you, I would not give you the slightest hint it was going to happen!
Learning restraint technique or quick finishers is actually an ethical thing to do and certainly far less risky than waiting to be hit.
So karate ni sente nashi is about intent. We never look for trouble, we actively avoid, de-escalate, diffuse and run away. If none of that is either working or possible, we strike pre-emptively using reasonable force. This is a far more accurate if more nuanced interpretation.

26/08/2026

A reminder, and sempai Kevin will be reinforcing this in class, that wearing of full gi is mandatory in class unless I have specifically given permission in hot weather that the whole class can wear a tshirt and or shorts. Only new students should be turning up without a gi.
This is about correct etiquette and discipline. If I can press my gi before class, so can the rest of you.

Last night's class concentrated on kicks. Specifically the difference between Yoko-geri keage and kekomi and the importa...
25/08/2026

Last night's class concentrated on kicks. Specifically the difference between Yoko-geri keage and kekomi and the importance of form and balance and tension in the ankle.
After practice against pads we moved on to the opening sequence from kata Nijushiho and its emphasis on preventing your assailant from gaining the initiative.
Great work from everyone and good to see the return of some of our adult students.

22/08/2026

Recent gradings have seen a drop in both those eligible to grade and in the standard of those participating, resulting in more temporary or failed gradings.
As instructors we of course re-examine our own teaching methods and seek to address any failings. However, the main reason we see this is simply a lack of discipline. Not enforced discipline but self-discipline.
Martial arts are complex, difficult and require focus. Many times over the years i have not felt like training but have turned up anyway. I treated it like going to work. My reasoning behind this is that if I am training for self-defence, my attacker is hardly going to care how I am feeling, either mentally or physically. " Oi ! What the f #×k are you looking at? I'll smash your face in!" Me: "Sorry mate , I don't feel in the mood for this today" "Aww ok mate....shall we try again next week?"
Not happening. Equally as a parent, if you allow your kids to quit when it gets difficult, you are teaching them a life lesson. If a child is genuinely not enjoying training then of course they should stop, but if its because its becoming more difficult, its important to support them over what just be a hump. This teaches them to set goals and push through difficulties making them more confident and resilient individuals.
So, there may be areas we as instructors need to improve on but if you are honest with yourself, are you prioritising everything else over your training? Is this something you do in life? Comfort over results? Excuses over ownership? Life boils down to actions and consequences. Let's set some goals together..and stick to them.
I am 66 years old, I have systemic arthritis and need a new knee. I am in the gym 3 days a week and on the treadmill the other 3 days with a recent return to heavy bag and makiwara. I can find endless excuses. I just choose not to.

18/08/2026

W are holding gradings this Thursday so if you are not invited to grade, there will be no class ( 20th August).
Those of you attempting your next belt, gradings will start prompt 6.00pm. You MUST be at the dojo by 5.45 to present your licence and grading fee of £15.00. If your licence is out of date you will not be grading!
You must be properly attired in full gi, no tshirts or shorts are permitted.
Good luck to all attempting grading.

16/08/2026

Martial arts in general, especially in the media and movies are mostly depicted as militaristic, gung-ho and flashily violent.
Of course this is a one dimensional view of a complex subject but even taken at face value, imagine practicing for twenty, thirty, forty years for a scenario that never happens?
What a waste of time.
Of course, practicing martial arts is a many faceted , enriching experience and the benefits are many fold. For me the most enjoyable aspects are the people we meet along the way and if by coming together we can contribute to society through supporting charities and deeping our students knowledge, making them healthier and happier ; then that is the essence of karate . Just focusing on violence produces thugs. Sharing experiences, finding " your tribe" and installing self discipline makes a positive contribution to your community and is my real motivation.

15/08/2026

Answers to karate FAQs
No, you do not need to be fit to start karate.
No, its not like Cobra Kai! 🙄
No, you won't be forced to compete in tournaments.
No, you don't need to register your hands as lethal weapons with the local police 🤣

If you meet someone who says they train in karate ,suddenly shrieking like a constipated Bruce Lee and randomly slicing the air with your hands may get you a punch in the throat!
Announcing you also have a blackbelt ( its holding up your trousers) is neither original nor funny and may get the same reaction as the epileptic Bruce Lee performance 😉
Now we have established we have a sense of humour; get yourself along to Lyons karate. Its fun, healthy, life-affirming and has far too many benefits to list here. In a lifetime of dubious decisions, decide on karate and buck the trend!

Address

17 Smiths Terrace
Sunderland

Opening Hours

Monday 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Thursday 5:30pm - 8:30pm

Telephone

07961451924

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