Dover Washinkai Karate Club
British Traditional Karate Association
Derived from Wado-Ryu, the Washinkai style of Karate, founded in 1977 was created by its Chief Instructor Shihan Chris Thompson.
Founded in 1977 the British Traditional Karate Association (BTKA) has for 30 years been at the forefront of Karate in England and are members of the only governing body in English Karate to be recognised by the World Karate Federation
For almost 40 years Shihan Chris Thompson (9th Dan) has been at the forefront of Karate in England. Chris Thompson began studying karate in 1969 and remembers the date well as during his first class Neil Armstrong was orbiting and about to land on the moon.
The mission of Washinkai Karate is to promote a partnership between students and instructors so as to provide students with the opportunity to achieve their full potential in the study of karate-do, whether in the dojo, on courses, on a gasshuku or in competition, as well as to promote the art of traditional karate.
Neville Smith 7th Dan (Left) has been training for over 30 years and is the Senior Instructor for Kent having produced many of the Instructors that now teach in the county.
Neville is the Vice-Chair of the BTKA.
I started Karate in 1970, I was 11 years old and came across it by it by chance having run into a Working Man’s Club in Castleford, West Yorkshire. It was a Shotokan Club and it wasn’t very big, about ten members plus. I heard the words self-defence from the instructor and I joined it the following week.
I trained every week and wasn’t very good but I wanted to defend myself so stuck at it. It didn’t initially work for me and on asking my Sensei what I needed to do, I was told to train every day. I did from that day on.
Karate has played a major part in my life throughout giving me confidence, keeping me fit and healthy, teaching me respect for others and self-respect. Along with a sense of purpose and well being, without Karate I doubt I would be the person I am today.
Pete Saunders (Left) 4th Dan and Club Instructor.
I started karate in the early 80s in the style of Za Zen Shin Ryu up to 1st kyu.
I competed in many kumite competitions throughout the UK with this club.
I also trained with Sedo Karate Club Dover for couple of years in the ’90s, returning to karate in 2009 with Washinkai, achieving Shodan in 2014 and recently Sandan (3rd Dan) in July 2019.
‘Tsuyoi seishin utsukushii kokoro kenko na karada’
“Learn with you soul as well as your body”
The logo of the British Traditional Karate Association
This depicts a fist at the centre of a flower with seven petals.
These two symbols represent the soft (ju) and hard (go) sides of karate.
Clicking on the Washinkai logo will take you to the UK website of the BTKA