Musuko Karate Academy

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Black Belt Grading - Results

Black belt grading’s are always a special affair and our November grading was no different. We are very pleased to confirm that we had a 100% pass rate from the seven students who attempted grading on the day.


The grading panel consisted of Sensei Brian Seabright – Chairman of the British Karate Association, Sensei Simon Crowther, Sensei Julie Dudley, Sensei Martin Thomas and Sensei Martin Wilmot. Thank you for assisting on the panel and being a great help.


We also had a number of special people who gave up their Sunday and wanted to get involved and support at the grading. These students were Junior Instructor’s Nathan Crowther, Taigen Swinburn and Jack Churchouse, Sempai’s Paul Webber and Christian Schofield and Junior Sempai’s Brandon Crowther, Alfie Appleby, Chelsea Grundy, Rebecca Worthington, Amy Greenhalgh, Ben Churchouse and Amy Kershaw. Thanks to you all for doing a fab job your help was really appreciated


The atmosphere in the room was electric at times and it was fantastic to see parents, family members and friends not only supporting their own loved ones but every other student who was grading too.


As always this support is fantastic and this is what makes our club so special, not only in terms of all the support but also the outside respect we have, both from strangers and Sensei’s of other clubs who comment regularly on our high standards and friendly exterior and etiquette.


To gain grades of Shodan-Ho, Shodan and Nidan takes many, many years of dedication, commitment, sweat and even sometimes tears! The euphoria when you achieve these grades though is ecstatic and is what makes these grades so special. Congratulations to each and every one of you who obtained these grades. You all have weaknesses and strengths in different areas but your combined effort and sheer determination at the grading is what makes you all so special.


Four-hour grading’s are no easy feat - but as students we know you wouldn’t want it any other way! The most exciting thing about earning these grades is that your karate journey now only truly begins! We very much look forward to seeing you all progress and learn even more in the coming years.


We are sure everyone in the club will join us in congratulating you all on your massive achievements.

These fantastic and amazing people who graded are all named below along with their grades.

Elliott Bertram – Shodan - Ho
Elliott is a great all round student, he is a popular member of the club and has many friends. He has always been a loyal supporter of the club and attends any events and seminars we hold if he possibly can. Elliott has consistently trained three times a week for four years, rarely missing classes and all the time spent in the dojo has given him real substance to his karate, he always tries his hardest in class, enjoys what he does and trains with loads of effort. Elliott has really good karate, his basics are strong, he has good clean kata’s and his kumite has understanding of distance and control.  A great thing to see is how Elliott’s confidence has grown immensely both within his karate and also personally; particularly more so in this last year. Elliott was really strong at his grading, he completed every section cleanly and showed good hip work in both his combinations and kata’s. We have no doubt that Elliott will continue to get even better as he works towards his Shodan grade. Congratulations Elliott, brilliant work. Keep up the fantastic job you are doing!

 

Charlotte Bertram – Shodan - Ho
Charlotte is a lovely girl and another talented student in the club. She like her brother Elliott has consistently trained three times a week for four years, and is fast turning into a little pocket rocket! Charlotte has brilliant all round karate, one of last year’s Student of the Year winners Charlotte has continued to show why she earned the title. She tries her hardest in every class and is a popular member of the club with the students of a similar age. Charlotte was brilliant at her grading, she was very strong in every section, her combinations were strong and her kata’s were lightening quick, and executed with confidence and determination. Charlotte showed great hip work throughout her grading, and Sensei Brian Seabright commented on how very impressed he was with her karate. Charlotte is never fazed when it comes to kumite and gets stuck in and will give her opponent a great bout. Charlotte is now starting to believe in her karate more and her confidence is beginning to show through. We very much look forward to seeing this talented little lady continue to flourish as she works towards her Shodan grade. Fantastic work Charlotte! Congratulations on your Shodan-Ho.

 

Oliver Spencer - Shodan - Ho
Oliver is a fantastic young student who has consistently trained for a number of years. He is a great member of the club, and always tries his hardest in every class and enjoys his karate.  Oliver has brilliant attendance and rarely misses a class, and all this effort and time training has helped him tenfold. Oliver is better than he probably gives himself credit for. He has really good all round strong karate, his basics are very good, his kata’s are strong and lightning quick and he has good controlled kumite. He is also a kind and thoughtful student and a great role model for some of the younger ones to look up to.  Oliver did excellent on the grading day he perhaps mildly panicked in one section of the combinations, but had no need to worry as he had already shown the panel clean combinations done correctly. Oliver completed all his kata’s very well and showed great steely determination in the kumite section. Oliver will continue to improve even more as he works towards his Shodan grade and we look forward to him attempting this in the not too distance future. Congratulations Oliver and very well done on your Shodan-Ho grade.

 

Kirsty Churchouse – Shodan – Ho
Sensei Kirsty is a great member to have here at Musuko Karate Academy, she really enjoys her karate and is improving all the time. Kirsty originally watched her two boys Jack and Ben for a while before deciding to join in, get fit and ‘give karate a go’. Fast forward four years and Kirsty has her black belt – a fantastic achievement and definitely an inspiration for all the other mums in the club! Kirsty hasn’t always found her karate easy but her sheer determination and drive has been admirable to see and this is what has constantly driven her forward. Kirsty did very well at her grading, she was very worried about completing her Heian kata’s cleanly – but Kirsty did just that completing both Heian Nidan and Godan cleanly, and the best Bassai Dai she has ever done!.. the relief for Kirsty must have been overwhelming as she promptly burst into tears after going back to the side of the room, a very moving scene from anyone who witnessed it. Kirsty then continued with brilliant kumite showing why she fully deserved her grade. Well done Kirsty, you never faulted all day. Fantastic work and congratulations on your Shodan – Ho.


Chris Greenhalgh – Shodan
Chris is a lovely guy who supports everything we do. He is a great student to have in the club and always tries his hardest in every class. He is a popular member among the men and enjoys teaching others in classes. Six months ago Chris attempted his Shodan grade but sadly at the time failed in the kata section. Chris’s response has been admirable, he never sulked, felt sorry for himself or made a drama. Instead he responded by training hard, and having more sheer determination than ever. Chris really wanted his Shodan grade, and on the grading day he really showed it! He came back and was stronger, more focused and determined than ever. His combinations were much improved than last time and he completed all his kata’s cleanly and with focus and coped with the kumite section controlled and with understanding.  Chris must have really felt the pressure – but he didn’t show it and it was very moving and poignant when he was finally awarded his grade. Well done Chris, you are fully deserving of your Shodan – Congratulations, a brilliant job!


Del Knowles - Shodan
Sensei Del is another great guy to have in the club, and always supports and attends any event and seminar we hold. He enjoys assisting Sensei Simon in class and teaching others, and shows great leadership skills. He is always willing to be a help in all areas, and for this we thank him. Del has been training for a number of years, and has been very driven and determined to constantly train even after having an op! He never misses classes, always tries his hardest in the dojo, has a fantastic attitude – which is really important when teaching students, and thoroughly enjoys his karate. He is a popular member of the club and has formed some good friendships with the other men. Del did very well on his grading day, from the start he had great determination and worked very hard throughout. He coped with all sections brilliantly, he had good combinations and his kata’s were all done correctly and with great focus. In the sparring Del showed real control, precision and understanding which impressed the panel. Del was never going to give up, he really wanted his Shodan grade and for that we commend him. Congratulations on your Shodan Del. Fantastic work!

Gary McDonald – Nidan
Sensei Gary joined Musuko Karate Academy from another club around eighteen months ago, at the time he was very down, demotivated and had lost his passion for karate. It is never easy when you join from another club but after an initial settling in period, Sensei Simon started to work closely with Gary in all aspects and Gary started to look at his karate in a different light, decided to get his mojo back and take his karate seriously. He joined a fitness club, lost weight and has consistently trained really hard ever since. Gary is now much more confident and happy with his karate, he is a popular member of the club and is forming some good friendships with the other men. He is a good role model, enjoys his teaching and is now looking forward to his own class starting in January. All credit must go to Gary though, his drive, determination and effort to do all of the above is purely down to him and for this we commend him.  Gary was excellent on the grading day, he showed brilliant karate throughout and was generally on fire! His combinations and advanced moves were excellent, his kata’s were strong and although he had a minor wobble in the kata section he composed himself and completed the section fully and accurately. He did a fantastic Goju Shiho – Sho and Sensei Brian commented on Gary’s karate, and was impressed by his kimae and strength in all areas. In the kumite section Gary was pushed that extra bit more - as his grade would expect, he was extremely tired by this time but continued to push on through, never losing his temper and keeping his technique even when he had a momentary three on one sparring session! Brilliant Gary. Awesome work! Congratulations on your Nidan.

Christmas Party & Presentation Evening - Saturday 3rd December 2016.

Sold out.

The Park Suite, Park Hall Hotel, Charnock Richard PR7 5LP.

We hope everyone who has tickets is excited and ready for a fantastic night in what will be our third Christmas party and presentation evening.

The evening will start with the presentation of a bespoke medal and ribbon to all current training students, Instructors and Sempai's - please therefore could all guests meet in the hotel bar area at 6.45 pm ready for the evening to start at 7 pm. The Park Suite doors will open around 6.50 pm.
There will be an easel in the bar foyer which will have your name and table number on it for ease of seating.

We will then have a vast array of various top quality trophies for different categories, all based on different credentials.


Entertainment this year is from live five piece band 'Lost in the 80's' a fabulous band that will take us back to days of big hair and legwarmers with not a backing track in sight! This will be followed by a disco and a late bar.


Please remember that the dress code is smart. It was great to see all the boys and men in dapper suits and the girls and ladies in gorgeous dresses last year.

For all those that have requested dietary requirements any allergies have been noted, please see Yvonne on the night if you are not sure about anything regarding the buffet.


This will be another fantastic night for our students and families to celebrate the achievements of the last twelve months, as the club continues to go from strength to strengh, with every class having high numbers, new members joining all the time and great success with the tournament squad - this is a brilliant way for students, families and friends to get together and have a great time and enjoy themselves.

We very much look forward to seeing you all there!

 

Fleetwood November Grading - Results

On Sunday 20th November we held a large grading at Fleetwood and it was another exceptional day. The standard of karate on display was very high and this is due to the great team of Instructors here at Musuko Karate Academy.

We must mention those who gave up their Sunday to help out and support on the day, without their commitment events like grading days would be impossible tasks.

Thanks to Sensei Gary McDonald, Sensei Gavin Oliphant, Sensei Julie Dudley, Sensei Martin Thomas, Sensei Del Knowles, Sensei Martin Wilmot and Sensei Kirsty Churchouse. Junior Instructors Nathan Crowther, and Jack Churchouse, Junior Sempai’s Brandon Crowther, Taigen Swinburn, Amy Greenhalgh, Rebecca Worthington, Alfie Appleby, Elliott and Charlotte Bertram, and students Chris Greenhalgh and Chris Morley. We are very lucky to have such fantastic people who really enjoy assisting in events like grading’s and your help is always appreciated.


We also have to mention the parents and family members who gave up their time to cheer and encourage everyone from the sides, as well as the many hours given each week travelling around to all the different classes. Your very kind and continuous comments about the club are really appreciated. Thank you all for your brilliant support!

We had students who were attending their very first grading to attain their 9th Kyu yellow belts all the way through to one student attempting his 1st Kyu rank (the last Kyu grade before black belt).

Everyone did brilliantly and put in 100% effort from start to finish and again it was another full pass rate with every student succeeding to their next Kyu grade.
There are some really great students with various grades in the club who have exceptional karate, and some of these are only 4 or 5 years of age. They among others are definitely ones to watch for the future!

Congratulations to Amy Wilson who double graded from 10th Kyu white belt to 8th Kyu orange belt. Double grading’s do not come along very often and are a big achievement. Huge well done Amy and keep up the great work!


Congratulations to our new 4th Kyu purple belts – Keith Bertram, Clare and Jerome Anthony, Christian Schofield and Gary Churchouse. Brilliant work from you all on the day and now only one grade away from a senior level.

We always mention by name students who attain the level of 3rd Kyu and above. To get to these levels takes many years of hard work, commitment and sheer determination.

We therefore congratulate the following students:

Spencer Bugler – 3rd Kyu
Spencer is only eight years old and is already showing great talent and is fast becoming a little pocket rocket. Since increasing his training to twice a week his karate has really taken a boost. Spencer has lovely clean kata’s and he knows all his basics very well. He is very often seen practicing before class along with his sister, and for someone so young this is very admirable to see. His kumite is now coming along nicely and as Spencer is now getting that little bit older he is now showing more control and precision. Spencer worked tirelessly at his grading and showed huge improvement from when he graded to 4th Kyu purple belt. The future definitely looks bright for Spencer and we look forward to seeing him progress through his grades ever closer to that black belt. Well done Spencer and Congratulations on your 3rd Kyu.

Rebecca Catlow – 3rd Kyu
Rebecca is one of our many talented female students in the club. She is a popular member in the dojo who always tries hard at everything she does. Rebecca has really good all round karate and has improved significantly since her purple belt. Rebecca is often seen practicing her kata’s and basics before class, and this has helped her immensely. She is always keen to learn new things, and is usually one step ahead when it comes to learning her next kata. Rebecca did brilliantly at her grading and gave 100% all day, she displayed precise clean kata’s and good controlled kumite. Rebecca just needs to continue what she has been doing so far, and she will continue to improve even more as she moves nearer to her black belt. Well done Rebecca and Congratulations on your 3rd Kyu.

Paul Webber – 3rd Kyu
Paul is a very dedicated student who really enjoys his karate and trains three times a week, rarely missing classes. He is a great student to teach who listens and tries his hardest at everything. Paul always works hard in class so his grading was never going to be an exception – putting in 100% effort from start to finish.  Paul has very good all round karate, his kata’s are very polished and precise and his kumite is really strong. Paul is also a brilliant Sempai and is really enjoying assisting in class with Sensei Julie. We have no doubt that Paul will go all the way to black belt and beyond, continuing with the steely determination that he has. Well done Paul on your 3rd Kyu – keep up the great work!

Daisy Oliphant – 2nd Kyu
Daisy is another little pocket rocket in the club and an absolute delight to have in class and in the club. Daisy is only nine years of age and has already achieved so much, winning medals in kata at large national tournaments and now achieving her 2nd Kyu belt. Daisy starting training with her dad - Sensei Gavin and her brother Alex when she was four years of age and has consistently trained ever since. Daisy did brilliantly at her grading her basics and kata’s had all been practiced well and were completed cleanly. In the kumite Daisy tired a little, and struggled through a couple of rounds but then found a second wind and finished her kumite with great focus and effort. We have no doubt that Daisy will continue to get even better as she gets older and she is definitely one to watch for the future. Well done Daisy. Congratulations on your 2nd Kyu.

Max Gray – 2nd Kyu
Max is a brilliant student to have in the club and an absolute pleasure to teach. We have to commend Max as along with his brother Kieron he hardly ever misses training. Max attends every event we hold and really enjoys his karate. All the training that Max has done is really paying dividend’s as Max’s karate continues to just get better and better. His kata’s are very clean and he has a good knowledge of all his basics. His kumite is done with confidence and he is not afraid to step up to a challenge. Max just needs to keep training hard and continue doing what he’s done so far and we have no doubt that black belt will not be far away. Congratulations on your 2nd Kyu Max – brilliant work!

Jack Southern – 2nd Kyu
Jack is another brilliant student who is an absolute joy to have in class. He has really good karate and continues to improve all the time. He is another little pocket rocket and is really coming through the senior grades with a number of other talented students. Jack has lovely clean kata’s which have been practiced well and his kumite is very good and controlled. Jack did really well at his grading and worked hard throughout, he has improved again since he last graded and this is great to see. Jack is very determined and we commend him for this and his commitment to his training, he really wants to go all the way to black belt and beyond - which we have no doubt will happen if he continues like he has been. Well done Jack – congratulations on your 2nd Kyu grade.

Kieron Gray – 1st Kyu
Kieron is a very talented student who continues to improve all the time. Along with his brother Max he is very dedicated to his training and this is all really paying off for him. He is a fantastic student to have in the club and really enjoys his karate. Kieron has excellent karate in all areas, on the grading day he worked hard all day – displaying some lovely kata’s and brilliant basics. In the kumite Kieron showed maturity and control and as he was the only one grading to 1st Kyu on the day, he had to spar for the longest period of time. In the final round Kieron really held his own in a two on one spar with two other juniors, and although he was very tired by this stage he never gave up. Congratulations and well done Kieron on your 1st Kyu. Brilliant work from you as always. Next step black belt!

 

Congratulations to Danni Williams - UWKE Kata Champion!

Huge Congratulations to our student Danni Williams who took gold in kata at the UWKE National Championships in Sheffield in what was a highly competitive category in the girls aged 10-12 group.

​Danni is one of our many talented junior females in the club and went to Sheffield on Sunday 20th November to represent Musuko Karate Academy. With over 20 girls taking part in this tough group Danni came out on top with a fantastic Gojushiho - Sho kata.

Brilliant work Danni we are all extremely proud of you!

​Amy Kershaw also went along to Sheffield and took part in both kata and kumite in the girls aged 13-15 years group. Amy put up a valiant effort in both categories, but sadly on this occasion she just missed out on medals. We admire Amy for taking part though, and are confident success will come soon for this talented young lady.

 

 

Blackpool - Brand new class - Now open!

​Our brand new class with Sensei Martin Wilmot and Sensei Martin Thomas is now open and will run every Tuesday from 6.30 - 7.30 pm (including school holidays) in the dance studio.

The class is held at:

St Marys Catholic Academy
St Walburga's Road
Blackpool
Lancashire
FY3 7EQ

We wish both Sensei's the very best of luck with their new class and we know they are both going to do a fantastic job with their students.

Club Grading - Sunday 25th September 2016

Location:

Cardinal Allen High School,

Melbourne Avenue,

Fleetwood,

FY7 8AY.

1 - 4 pm for all grades

Family and friends are allowed to watch a student grade, it is a special occasion and one you will all want to remember and also show your support to. You are allowed to take photos but strictly no videos, please remember to be respectful to others at all times and please set all phones to silent.

Please aim to arrive for your grading 15 - 20 minutes before the start of the grading to give you time to warm up and stretch off.

Remember to bring all your kumite equipment, your licence and a drink.

Tournament Squad Training Session - TBC

Location: St John The Divine church hall, Hewlett Street, Coppull, PR7 5AH

10.30 am start for all squad members (by invite only)

Please remember to bring all your training equipment.

 

The next session will appear here in due course. Please check back for dates.

 

 

MKA Kukri Club Shop

Musuko Karate Academy's personal Kukri shop is now live where our bespoke club t-shirts, hoodies and outerwear smock tops can be ordered and delivered direct to your home address.

Kukri are suppliers to many prestige teams both in the UK and Worldwide. The quality of their items are long lasting, very comfortable and of a really high standard which is why many major sporting teams both use them and are sponsered by them. This is the main reason we chose Kukri over all the other sports wear brands.

​Items can be ordered by clicking on the Kukri logo on our website shop page and then selecting either adult or child/youth sizes in the column down the left hand side. There is a size guide available to help you.

Orders over £50 are subject to free delivery.

 

 

 

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