Kobukan Karate Club

15/06/2026

A very successful Japanese mixed martial arts seminar last weekend at the Pinewood Judo Club in Wokingham organised by Sensei Guy Preston.
Interesting to see the commonality between Jujutsu and Aikido techniques and the SKIF kumite syllabus. There are a lot of crossovers. We identified a number of karate block and counter combinations that were enhanced (finished) by the addition of a grab and throw. The aikido practitioners don't really 'grab' as such, they take hold of...and effortlessly disrupt your balance and deliver you to the floor.

07/06/2026

Join us for our mixed martial arts seminar this weekend at the Pinewood Judo Club, Wokingham

31/12/2025

Training for the New Year starts next Thursday 8th January 2026. 7:30pm at the Windsor Dojo, New Windsor Community Centre, Hanover Way.
We 'kick off' the New Year with the January Challenge, a gradual build up of press-ups, sit-ups and plank together with our usual basics and kumite. By the end of the month we hope to achieve 20 press-ups, 30 sit-ups, 30 second side planks and 60 second front plank. A modest challenge, geared to blow away the Christmas & New Year excesses 😇 😂
Two focus kata for January: Seipai & Nijushiho, both kata have the same embusen based on the figure Y
Seipai is a Goju Ryu kata brought into SKIF by Kanazawa Soke, unusual for Shotokan practicioners as it features shiko dachi along with sanchin dachi and some rather tasty applications.

28/11/2025

Last night’s session concentrated on the breathing katas from Shotokan and Goju Ryu. Hangetsu and Tensho. The discussion points centred on how to develop power in the techniques with no recognised hip twists found in zenkutsu dachi and fudo dachi.
In both hangetsu (half-moon) dachi and sanchin (hour glass) dachi, power comes from the floor as tension arises through a turning motion in the legs, culminating in a focus in the lower abdomen (hara). The glutes and pelvic floor muscles are also engaged to facilitate the development of power. The legs and feet feel like they are screwing into the ground. There’s a lot going on when performing these two katas. OSS!

28/09/2025

For many of us the Shotokan path to senior grade level has enabled us to train our bodies to master stance, zuki and geri. The regulated syllabus of kihon, kumite and kata is a very efficient system of body development and martial expertise. However, the typical karate class maybe considered to be quite militaristic in its approach. Students line up in (perfectly) straight lines and then proceed to advance across the dojo performing oi zuki; after five repetitions, there is a resounding kiai (shout) before the class moves backwards performing age uke (upper rising block). The kumite is performed in two lines and is called out by numbers e.g. ‘kihon ippon jodan number one’ (basic sparring with a face attack and an upper rising block with a reverse counter punch). Has it always been taught this way? The militaristic slightly robotic approach to training probably came into being when karate was introduced to school children in Japan.

For many of us the Shotokan path to senior grade level has enabled us to train our bodies to master stance, zuki and geri. The regulated syllabus of kihon, kumi

21/09/2025

Training with Rick Hotton Sensei on Saturday with HDKI. A highly entertaining and informative seminar with Rick demonstrating his amazing dynamic karate 😊🥋

15/09/2025

As an addition, Nick invited Sensei Will Manion to his Celebration at the Harrow Leisure Centre. Some of you might remember Will, he is one of Soke’s original students and embraced Soke’s introduction of Tai Chi into SKIF. I reminded Will that the ‘Centred Mind’ videos he did of Kanazawa Sensei performing all 26 Shotokan katas in the nineteen eighties are still the YouTube standards for all SKIF karateka, and act as a definitive reference for our training. He was quite chuffed to realise that. Will is in his eighties and still trains OSS!

15/09/2025

I met up with my karate instructor, Sensei Nick Adamou yesterday at the Harrow Leisure Centre, for a celebration of his 60 years of training and teaching Shotokan Karate. Hadn’t seen him for 40 years. I trained with Nick from 1976 to 1984. Well, he’s pretty much as sharp as ever, superb technique and kime at 78 years old. His black belts told me they still can’t get near him in kumite. An amazing array of demonstrations from his UK students and a stunning team from the Czech Republic.
Nick is Chief Instructor of IASK. The International Association of Shotokan Karate. OSS!

29/08/2025

27/08/2025

Training re-starts tomorrow, Thursday 28th August 7:30 at the Windsor Dojo.

11th September, Roger Carpenter will be running a Yudansha at Windsor and overseeing Dan grade assessments for November

Sensei Tanaka Course on Sunday 23rd November at the Windsor Girls School: 12:30-2:00 and 2:15 - 3:45
Dan grading 4:00 onwards
£40 Seniors
£25 Juniors
Contact Kyoshi Carpenter for tickets