SENPAI JAMES’ STORY

 

Nintai Dojo is Lead by Senpai James. Everyone has a Kyokushin Story. This is his.

 
 
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BRUCE LEE

I first started karate like many others after watching Bruce Lee films. A good friend and neighbour talked about his karate lessons and I wanted to see what he was excited about. I plucked up the courage to watch from outside the dojo (training hall).  Watching these men and women train so hard they sweated buckets, but then took time to slow the pace down to perform kata (formal exercise) with such grace but still so powerful.

 
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SENSEI ROY & LEYTON DOJO

At the end of the lesson I approached the instructor Sensei Roy Banton to see if I could join. He said the next beginners class started in two weeks.  Those two weeks went so slow but I still watched the lessons eager to learn as much as possible.  My time came. I entered the dojo wearing my pure white karate Gi (suit) looking at everyone else who was eager to learn.  Then Sensei Roy arrived he filled the door frame. That night changed my life and the rest is history.

 
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SHIHAN LIAM

Many years later I started to train with Shihan Liam Keaveney (a good friend of Sensei Roy) and he took my training to another level. I still train under the guidance of Shihan Liam albeit remotely during these difficult times.

 
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NINTAI DOJO OPENS

After attaining my Kuro obi (black belt) I petitioned to open my own dojo.  My application was accepted and I opened NINTAI DOJO in November 2018. We have grown steadily and have a very strong core of students who have returned to Kyokushin karate after time away and new students alike.

 
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COVID & BEYOND

During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 we couldn’t train in the dojo, however I got my students training online via Zoom sessions. As soon as we were allowed to train outside, we did. Luckily the weather was amazing and we continued to train with heart and spirit. As time passed we were advised by Sport England that we could train back indoors.  Following Government guidelines and advise from Sport England we continue to train in our dojo.

 

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES…

Read the stories and get to know some of our Dojo Karateka