WELCOME TO YORK KARATE ACADEMY

The Highest Martial Arts Instruction Available In a Safe, Friendly, Clean And Professional Environment.

Beginners are Welcome

We teach and promote the traditional Japanese martial art of Shotokan Karate-Do
under the auspices of the Japan Karate Association of England

We hope you find the website interesting and informative, which will give you an insight
into this fascinating, challenging & rewarding activity. And please remember, we all started out as beginners one day, so from day one, you will be made to feel at home, and part of a friendly, successful, well established club.

The York Karate Academy and you

The York Karate Academy is open to children, teenagers and adults. We welcome students from other Shotokan Karate clubs and Associations, as well as practitioners of other styles and systems. If you are interested in joining any of our courses, classes or programs, please have a look around our site. We have classes for children only, men & women, women's only self defence, general fitness & flexibility classes. Whether you are just looking to improve your fitness/flexibility, finding another way of losing a few unwanted pounds, or you see yourself training all the way to the coveted Black Belt, the York Karate Academy most definitely has something to offer you.

The Beginning

The club was established by Paul G W Mendham (4th Dan) and Mick Sawyer (3rd Dan) in 1987. Both men began their training together in 1977, and were senior members of the York Kenshinkan Karate club, one of the oldest, most successful and respected martial arts clubs in England.  Paul & Mick passed their Kyu gradings (coloured belts) under the Senior Instructors of the K.U.G.B, and all of their Black belt gradings under Sensei Keinosuke Enoeda 9th Dan, the World renowned ‘Shotokan Tiger’. After having both achieved many Individual and Team Championship Titles representing the Kenshinkan, they decided to branch out and start their own club, which was originally called the York Budokan Karate Club. The new club was an instant success, with between 30 and 40 regular members attending, this, due in part to their individual teaching skills that, although very different, seemed to complement and work well together. Over the next few years the club produced some excellent Black belt students;

Mike Maher 1st Dan North East open junior Champion & KUGB Nationals (2nd place)
Steve Meek 3rd Dan East coast junior grand Champion
Jason Lamb 1st Dan
Paula Seymour 2nd Dan
Ken Oxtaby 1st Dan
Jane Drysdale 2nd Dan
Paula Waudby 1st Dan
Graham Spence 1st Dan Yorkshire Open men’s under 70kg Kumite Champion
Iain Meakin 1st Dan Yorkshire Open men’s over 80kg Kumite Champion
Colin Elsworth 1st Dan Twice York Budokan Grand Champion
Rod Lilley 1st Dan Army team Champion
Andy Hudson 1st Dan
Shabir Zaman 1st Dan
Keith Lamb 1st Dan
Arron Woodford 1st Dan

To keep their own high standards, Paul and Mick both regularly attended courses all over G.B and Europe, with Japanese Instructors the caliber of Senseis Kase 9th Dan and Kato 8th Dan.Sensei Dave Hazard 7th Dan and Sensei Dirk Heen 7th Dan have both been big influences on their development and understanding the principles of Shotokan Karate.With Mick retiring from competing and teaching around 1998, the club continued under the Instruction of Sensei Mendham, who decided that with Mick leaving, it was maybe also a time for a change in name as well. It was then that the club was renamed the York Karate Academy, to reflect the fact that the club is a place of learning, progress & achievement, through vigorous training, research and study.

Chief Instructor Profile>>

For more information - or to enrol: Tel: 01904761260 or go to: contacts page >>

We look forward to seeing you