YONDAN
‘B’Level Instructor
‘B’ Level Judge
‘B’ Level Examiner
Former International Team Member
CHIEF INSTRUCTOR – WOODCHURCH SHISEI-KAI DOJO
Kodansha-Kai Member – Mark Carley
Born in 1968 Mark began his martial arts career circa 1989 when he joined a Taekwondo Kwoon. Finding it not suiting his particular physicality he changed direction to Shōtōkan, finding the Shisei-Kai Dojo in the Ashford area of Kent.
Mark received his Nidan (2nd Dan) in 1998 but later due to building his business and a significant foot injury, took a two-year sabbatical from training. His heart however remained with Shōtōkan karate, and he returned to train at the Shisei-Kai Dojo.
After finding his feet again (no pun intended) Mark undertook a two-year raining programme known as the Gima-Ha/Shisei-Kai Kenshusei whilst still holding his 3rd Dan.
Upon successful testing for both the Kenshusei graduation and his 4th Dan, Markl also passed his International B class Instructor’s licence.
Mark has attended several courses with Gima-Ha senior instructors in Norway, Germany, Japan and of course the UK.
Namely:
- Ikuo Higuchi, 9th Dan.
- Mitsunori Kobayashi, 9th Dan.
- Hidetada Narumi, 8th Dan.
- Takayuki Sameshima, 8th Dan.
- Yoshi Yoshinori, 5th Dan.
- Muneharu Go, 5th Dan.
Mark has also trained with Japan Karate Association notables such as:
- Tetsuhiko Asai, 9th Dan
- Keigo Abe, 9th Dan.
- Akihito Isaka, 8th Dan.
- Yoshikazu Sumi,8th Dan.
- Masao Kagawa,8th Dan.
- Mikio Yahara, 8th Dan.(now 10th Dan).
Being thirsty for knowledge Mark has also trained with:
- Kenneth Funakoshi, 8th Dan.
- Kosaku Yokota.8th Dan.
- Richard Amos, 8th Dan.
- Jim Lewis, 8th Dan
- Salvatore Orlando, 8th Dan.
Mark represented the G.B./U.K. teams that competed in the 1997 JKA European Championships (Asai) held in The Netherlands, and the 1998 JKA World Championships (Asai) held in Bern, Switzerland.
In both events he won rounds in the eliminations, and in Switzerland just prior to the quarter final playoffs, he suffered a severe broken nose that required re-setting under anaesthesia in hospital.
Mark’s has travelled to Japan twice for training, the first to an International Gima-Ha Camp, in Ojiya, Niigata, and also Tokyo for the 1st International Martial Arts Federation 1st World Karate Championships, in the BumB, Shin Kiba,Tokyo.
For the Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku Memorial Day in Nagaoka, Mark was selected to demonstrate Gekisai Dai Ichi with the demonstration team, and to perform Tameshiwari.
Whilst there Mark also trained with the Ichikawa Firefighters Ho-no-kai, a Dojo of firefighters in the Chiba area led by Sensei Shuichi Serikawa. A tough dojo in the old sense of the word within Karate.
Mark, wishing to improve his understanding of Budo and Japanese culture, trained for a year in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido. He was unable to continue due to his work and Karate commitments, but readily says that he learned about Karate-Do from the research and understanding gained in his Iaido practice.
Mark’s training and research/continual development never ends. People say “If you are talking to Mark, you are talking Karate!”
He has relocated his Dojo (training hall) to Woodchurch where he can concentrate on a non-commercial Dojo with persons who require more of a personal touch as opposed to a large group!
Mark is currently studying with the Shiseikai-Kai Kenkyu-Kai (research society) to achieve his next black belt grade and a higher-level Instructor status. As is plainly evident, Mark is a well rounded and seasoned Karate instructor, who prefers to keep a quiet profile.