Enso Martial Arts

I’ve had quite a few deep and meaningful conversations on the mat recently. It’s a topic that I’d like to share a few thoughts on. Apologies in advance for the waffle.

The longer I spend in martial arts, the less interested I become in ranks, titles and awards.

That’s not because they’re meaningless.

A belt represents effort. It represents time invested, lessons learned and progress made. Achievements should always be respected. It’s also a great way to codify and track progress from an educational viewpoint.

What I’ve learned, however, is that they don’t tell the whole story. Over the years, I’ve met beginners with incredible potential, black belts with limited ability, champions with huge gaps in their knowledge and quiet students who possess remarkable skill, humility and character.

Belts, titles and awards are markers, not final destinations. They tell us about someone’s journey, but not necessarily how they behave, how they perform under pressure, how well they can teach, or how willing they are to keep learning.

In martial arts, as in life, humility matters.

A student or teacher who believes they have arrived often stops growing. Personally, I learn something new every lesson and I’m now 40 years into my journey.

Outwardly, it might look like I have all the answers as a Sensei, but believe me, I don’t. I might appear confident all the time, but I’m definitely not. I’ve made countless mistakes over the years and I still do. The difference is that I no longer see mistakes as failures. I see them as opportunities to learn and progress.

I believe a student or teacher who remains curious will continue to develop for the rest of their life. Like I always say on the children’s classes, ‘Practice makes Progress!’

At ENSO, we respect everyone’s journey, regardless of where they started, where they are or what rank they hold. We are less interested in the colour of a belt and more interested in the qualities that sit behind it. Like, effort, discipline, kindness, resilience and a willingness to keep moving forward.

Because in the end, a belt covers only two inches of your waist.

Character covers the rest.

Sensei Lee

Please share any of your thoughts below!

Some more photos from our Advanced Grading at the weekend!

11 new Brown Belts, 2 new 1st Dan Black Belts & 2 new 3rd Dan! 👏 AMAZING!

Thank you to everyone that was there to support their family, friends and peers! 😀

We have been selected to be part of the Local Community Fund 2026. Co-op members can help us receive a share of £5M. Please choose us as your local cause.

To find out more about our project and choose to support us, click here: https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes/95404

Yesterday was a really special day at ENSO. ⭕️
A day that reminds us what martial arts is truly about.

Our advanced students stepped onto the mat to take on Brown Belt, 1st Degree Black Belt and 3rd Degree Black Belt. Every single one of them showed incredible courage and spirit throughout the day.

These gradings are the culmination of many years of hard work, consistency, self discipline and the determination to keep going even when things get tough.

Watching students conquer these experiences is one of the greatest privileges we could ask for as instructors. We are incredibly proud of our students and very grateful to be a part of each person’s journey.

Thanks
Sensei Lee

ENSO Holiday Club 2026! ☀️

We have 8 dates available this summer and spaces are already filling up fast, so please get in touch if you would like to reserve a space for your child.

Fun activities include team building games, archery,
self defence, Nerf battles, first aid training, lightsaber training, Lego, movies, craft activities, dodge ball and much more.

Located at St Cuthbert's Fulwood 😊

Exciting News!

We’re really proud to officially welcome Daz Chauhan as a Non-Executive Director at ENSO Martial Arts CIC.

Daz, along with his family, has been part of the ENSO community since the beginning and truly understands our ethos, values and long-term vision.

Professionally, Daz works as a Data Consultant and will be supporting ENSO behind the scenes with a number of exciting projects, including helping us shape future digital systems and developments as we continue to grow.

As ENSO continues evolving as both a martial arts organisation and community interest company, bringing experienced professionals into the team is an important part of building something sustainable, innovative and impactful for the future.

What started as a small community project has grown into one of the North West’s largest martial arts brands and we’re incredibly grateful for the people who believe in what we’re building.

Welcome to the leadership team, Daz 👊

An exciting Saturday morning at our Fulwood Family Ju Jitsu class.

Our instructor’s were very impressed with everyone’s efforts at the grading. Students pushing each other on, digging deep and giving absolutely everything right until the end.

That kind of spirit can’t be faked and it’s exactly what makes our ENSO community special.

Well done everyone 👏🏻

Huge respect to everyone who stepped onto the mats for our Cottam Community Centre Senior grading last night. 👊🏻

No shortcuts, just hard work, pressure and people refusing to quit.

Some outstanding performances across the board and a real step up in technique and composure from our students.

Enjoy this achievement, then back to training! 💪🏻