Shotokan Karate JKA
54 years of karate experience & excellence
JKA Affiliated Dojo - JKA Certified Coaches
Established 1979
Head Coach: Shamim Aktar 7th Dan
Our Karate Story :
Our aim and objective is to inspire,encourage, & motivate people of all ages from the age of 6 years and above to become more confident & active,at the same time learn our karate in order reach their fullest potentials whilst developing essential life skills,which our karate teaches, such as respect,focus, resilience, confidence, good character ,whilst embodying our spirit of indomitable spirit, courage,generosity, experiential learning, teamwork, supportive community and personal physical & mental growth.
Our Mission
Through easy to follow step-by-step high quality Shotokan JKA karate instruction,and personalised attention in a supportive community learning environment, we help & encourage people of all ages especially the young people from the ages of six years upwards to be more active,healthy & fit,at the same time develop thier minds and bodies positively achieve their full potentials through learning all aspects of shotokan JKA karate,which aims to develop all human potentials, and thereby helping to build a better more tolerant & understanding world one student at a time. By emphasizing karate self-defence, health, fitness and life skills in a friendly, safe, & positive environment, we inspire our students to become more confident,respectful,courteous, successful, and good mannered contributing,& responsible members of our community, and of course make great Black Belts too.
Transforming lives through high quality karate instruction since 1976
As a child Shamim Aktar 7th Dan has had a passion for learning & mastering Karate & martial arts.He started Karate & martial arts in 1973 Currently he is a 7th Dan Black Belt in Shotokan Karate JKA WF,awarded by Kawasoe sensei, 8th Dan JKAWF in 2024 . He is a member of the Japan Karate Association (JKA), Japan Traditional karate Institute,(JTKI) World Shotokan Institute,(WSI) and past recognised member of Shotokan Karate International (SKI). He has been very fortunate in his life to have trained with some of the highest level karate masters and experts to have emerged from the JKA,( Japan Karate Association) Japan.
Sensei Masahiko Tanaka, 8th Dan, signs his book called, Karate-do Perfecting kumite, in the 1990's for S.Aktar after a gruelling training seminar on Kumite. He was graded 5th Dan by Sensei's Shirai & Kase of World Shotokan Institute in 2002, He was promoted to 6th Dan by Kawasoe Sensei of Japan Traditional Karate Institute & JKAWF in 2010, and to 7th Dan in 2024.
Back In 1976 he had a vision to one day teach the art of karate self defence & fitnesss with life - skills to people of all ages to help improve their health & their lives positively. Now after over 50 years of karate teaching experience, incorporating the best Karate skills he learned from all his karate masters and mentors,over several decades and through innovative trial, research, and refinement,he has been able to devise an ultimate comprehensive course of Black Belt Excellence for the students at Shotokan JKA Academy which is a life-changer and which provides many positive benefits & an experience of a lifetime. By staying true to the founding fundamental karate spirit & principles of his karate masters, Shamim Aktar remains a true role model in karate & martial arts education in his community.
His course of Black Belt excellence at the Shotokan JKA Academy, is like receiving karate instruction directly from his great old school veteran karate masters of Japan. Gaining mastery & proficiency to the highest level in the art of Shotokan JKA Karate is guaranteed for all ages that train at the Shotokan JKA Academy following his course.
In addition, many of his students have gone onto winning final placing medals in national JKA karate tournaments.
Our Team
We’re proud of our diverse and experienced team. Our instructors, coaches and staff have years of karate experience, each possessing their own unique style and skills. We strive to create a learning environment that is both fun and challenging for our students. Our coaching team is here to help our students reach their karate goals and through it become more confident, successful, and positive contributing members of the community.
Sham Aktar 7th Dan
Head Instructor & Coach of Shotokan Karate JKA Academy
Personal Statement of Shamim Aktar 7th Dan :
"I love my family. I am passionate about karate & martial arts. Karate is not all about fighting , it is much, much more. There is something great in every true traditional martial art style. I love what our karate does for people & how it transforms & changes them positively after only a few years.I am still excited about karate & martial arts now as I was when I first started over 54 years ago!.
My aim is to bring this excitement to others too so they too can practise our karate and start to improve their health & fitness,and enjoy all the benefits it brings into their life more positively like it has done for myself ".
Sense's : Naito, 8th Dan, Kawasoe 8th Dan, Aktar 7th Dan
Quick Biography :
Over decades of training, spanning over 54 years,including many training camp trips to the far east to China, Japan,Malaysia, & Singapore,to train with the world's best masters of Karate & martial arts in his younger days,Sham Aktar has trained with the world's very best & original Karate masters, for over 54 years.Some of these masters include the world's top karate experts and household names such as : Master Kase 10th Dan, Nishiyama 10th Dan, Asai 9th Dan, Kanazawa 9th Dan,Shirai 8th Dan,Enoeda 8th Dan,Tanaka 8th Dan, Yahara 8th Dan,Kawasoe 8th Dan,...and many others.
Shamim Aktar 7th Dan has karate and martial arts experience of over 54 years. Together with his great coaching team that he has developed over the years, he tries to simplify all his teaching concepts for his students with much passion, patience & enthusiasm at every session. Every aspect of karate is simplified and taught in a systematic easy to follow format at the Shotokan Karate JKA Academy. To ensure his students' karate journey is the best that it can possibly be.
Shamim Aktar's unique teaching point is to be able to take an average dedicated enthusiastic karate student way past his/her inner potential to the ultimate level of karate technique, skill, & mastery alongside the development of their mind & body.
You can be guaranteed an improvement in your physical & mental state when training with Aktar sensei , as he always encourages & pushes you beyond your limit to find your true hidden potential in training to your personal best levels. This is his advice to all his dedicated students of karate :
" The impressive, dynamic, techniques, moves and skills of karate cannot be mastered overnight. They can only be acquired through day after day of hard work, effort & training in the basic techniques of karate. Without a physical & mental commitment to self-discipline & training, one cannot hope for improvement. Effective training can only be realised when the guidance and advice offered by qualified instructors & coaches is fathfully carried out both in the dojo and outside the dojo too. Because such advice has been derived from valuable practical experience acquired over a long period of time ".
"Bearing in mind that in our original karate we must be ready to defend & attack in an instant. This is where the correct practise of basic techniques of karate learned are essential. By forging our basic techniques (Kihon) to the ultimate level through practice and in Kata,we develop our Kihon to the ultimate extreme level. When this is mastered this Kihon becomes an effective Kumite (sparring) Waza (technique). Therefore first and foremost is the importance of mastering Kihon. We should aim to develop good Kihon & Kata, which over a course of time will produce effective Kumite. " Call: 07956 553417 .
Student Creed :
Our Student Creed is as follows:
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I intend to develop myself in a positive manner and avoid anything that would reduce my mental growth or physical health.
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I intend to develop self-discipline, in order to bring out the best in myself and others.
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I intend to use what I learn in class constructively and defensively, to help myself and others, and never be abusive or offensive.
Dojo Code :
Principles of Black Belt
As a dedicated student of Karate, I will live by the principles of Black Belt:
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Modesty
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Perseverance
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Courtesy
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Courage
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Integrity
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Indomitable Spirit
Our Dojo Rules :
Respect: Treat everyone in the class with respect, especially your sensei, who should be respected both inside and outside the dojo.
Self-Discipline : Work on yourself in class rather then critisizing and/or finding faults in others. Let the coaches do that.
Sickness : If you are sick it is best to stay home until you recover rather than coming to the class and infecting others.
Washrooms: Use the washroom before the class. Don't keep going to the washroom persistently unless there is medical reason.
Be on time: Arriving late to class is disrespectful, and you should do the appropriate number of push-ups,sit - ups & dorsal raises for the minutes you are late, then wait kneeling by the entrance until the sensei allows you to enter.
Be clean: Practice good personal hygiene, wash your hands before and after class, and keep your fingernails and toenails trimmed. You should also avoid wearing strong scents, perfumes, or colognes.
Be tidy: Take responsibility for the cleanliness of the dojo by throwing away your garbage and arranging training equipment and your belongings neatly.Don't keep interrupting the class. Any questions should be asked at the end of the session .
Be aware: Be aware of your surroundings and devise a way to avoid unsavoury situations.
Concentrate : No talking or distracting yourself or others in the class .
Be calm: Refrain from violent behavior and use your karate knowledge for justice.
Be respectful of others' needs: If you are a more experienced karateka, be sensitive to the needs of your partner, especially if they are a beginner.
Remove jewelery: Remove or tape over any jewelry that could cause injury.
Start and end with a bow: Sessions should begin and end with a formal bow of respect.
Note: All our members are required to abide by these rules. Any member found breaking the above rules may be cautioned,or their membership may be terminated.