People - E
Important people within Karate
Paul Elliott 6th Dan Renshi
Paul Elliott started training in 1972 at a club in Godalming instructed by an ex army instructor in a style of Karate that was unknown at the time . . . It was a type of army self defence system with free fighting at full contact.
About six months later Paul was introduced to a Wado-Ryu Club at Bisley under the instruction of Mick Rapley 2nd Dan whose instructor was Sensei Tatsuo Suzuki (UKKW). At this time Karate was very popular and there were about 80 students in the class. At this Club other Japanese Instructors took the grading and courses.
Paul carried on training with Sensei Rapley, and after eight years of training four to five times a week, he obtained his 1st Dan.
Paul then took over a club in Horsham and formed the Horsham Karate Club and became General Secretary to the South of England Karate Association obtaining his 2nd Dan five years later. This association was under the direction of Sensei Rapley who had then obtained his 5th Dan. The group was affiliated to FEKO and the Martial Arts Commission.
Paul then began attending National Coaching Foundation Courses and also the Martial Arts Commission Coaching Courses where he obtained his M.A.C. Coach Award as well as being awarded M.A.C. Self Defence Coach. While Paul was teaching at the Horsham Karate Club he organised contests for S.E.K.A. and helped out with judging at Crystal Palace with the M.A.C. At this time students, male and female, who had been with the club for five years or more, obtained their Dan Grades.
In 1989 Paul decided to leave S.E.K.A. and joined Sensei Gary Swift’s group (DKW), where he obtained his 3rd Dan.
After a year, under Tony Gumerson and Paul Chadwick 5th Dan, he was awarded his M.A.C. Senior Coach title.
In 1992 Paul turned professional and opened up clubs at Crawley, Henfield and Southwick. He also decided to teach children at various schools. He taught Self Defence Classes for women at Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath Adult Centres, and also at Horsham Karate Club. At that time Paul was awarded Tashi (expert) by Sensei Swift.
Paul decided to leave DKW. and formed S.E.M.K.A. (Samurai Enlighten Mushin Karate Academy). He became Chief Instructor of his own group, by joining the British Goshin Budo Association under the founder Mr. J. Whitehead Shihan. In the B.G.B.A. Paul qualified as a B.G.B.A. Referee and a Coaching Assessor.
In 1993 Paul worked hard to be awarded his 4th DAN where he had to demonstrate to Soke Jeff Whitehead his teaching syllabus and obtained a pass mark of 94%!
In November 1998 Paul gained his 5th Dan under Soke Jeff Whitehead and was registered as an Instructor with the English Karate Governing body.
In September 1999 Paul left the B.G.B.A. and decided to invite other clubs into his Group and joined the British Karate Association and English Karate Governing Body.
During this time Paul was attending numerous courses of different styles including Tai Jujutsu under Sensei Lee Funnel 5th Dan and Kempo San Karate under Sensei Dave Parkinson 4th Dan. He also started learning Iaido (Various Sword Drawing Techniques, Principles and Disciplines) under Sensei Dave Ansell 6th Dan Kyoshi.
In 2004 Paul gained his British Karate Association/English Karate Governing Body Association Instructor/Assessor Award. In 2005 he was award his 1st Dan in Iaido by Mano Sensei 8th Dan.
In June 2005 S.E.M.K.A became an associated member of the Alliance of International Wado-Ryu Karate-Do(AIWa) under the President Gary Swift 7th Dan. In the early part of 2006 with the reconstruction of AIWa Paul was voted onto the AIWa committee as the General Secretary. On the 10th June 2006 Paul was awarded his Roku 6th Dan by the President of AIWa Sensei Gary Swift 7th Dan. On 10th of December 2006 Paul, deservedly, was awarded the title of Renshi in recognition of dedication & loyalty.
At the present time Paul teaches at various clubs and runs competitions and courses for the Clubs that are affiliated to his group. With other members of the AIWa committee he is helping to progress the group. His training is with Sensei Gary Swift 7th Dan, Kyoshi and Sakagami Sensei 7th Dan, Honbucho and Sensei Dave Ansell 6th Dan Kyoshi.
Paul also teaches adults a soft form of Martial Arts called Tensho Chi and runs courses for Martial Artists on how to increase their Chi which helps with any chosen discipline. In addition to this he runs Self Defence Courses at various Schools.
Within the Adult Education Centres and Companies Paul teaches Self Defence, Self Healing Programmes, and Moving Meditation, Creative Visualization Classes.
Paul is fully qualified within NFSH (National Federation of Spiritual Healers) and Reiki where he has achieved his Masters Degree in Reiki, and is a qualified Master Teacher, Member of the UK Reiki Federation.
Paul feels learning about Chi (life force energy) has helped him enormously to understand some of the founder Master Hironori-Ohtsuka techniques and to be able to perform the more supple movements within the Wado Ryu Style.
Paul keeps in line with the Traditional teachings of Wado Ryu and does not combine other styles that would affect the style of Wado Ryu Karate.
Paul is passionate about his work and has dedicated much of his time, patience and effort in his learning and his teaching of karate.
Contact details:
Telephone: 07778 058482
Email: sensei.paul@horshamkarateclub.com
Website: www.wadoryu.co.uk
