About the Instructor

Sensei Harding began training in Wado Ryu in Lancaster in 1982 aged 16 under Sensei Jim Gladwin 2nd Dan. In 1987 he moved to Surrey and spent several years training sporadically in other styles always searching for the good Wado Ryu he has started with.

Having not found it, he stoppped training altogether in 1992.

In 2001 he began training in Wado Ryu again with the WIKF under Senseis Dave Martin 2nd Dan and later Sensei Jon Wicks 7th Dan.

In 2004 he graded to Shodan under Sensei Tatsuo Suzuki 8th Dan Hanshi.

In 2006 he founded this club having split away from the WIKF and affiliated to Shikon Budo Kai under the guidance of Steve Rowe 7th Dan Karate.

Training now continues to under the guidance of Sensei Rowe attending regular courses with him to further understand the art that is Wado Ryu.

Sensei Harding aims to teach Wado Ryu Karate as something which can be enjoyed but which also will help people build their self confidence, self esteem and their ability to defend themselves if the need arisies. To this end he emphasises the learning of skilled natural movement and understanding of your own body mechanics to help achieve the best possible balance.

Sensei's Afterword

By way of thanks to those I have trained under I list my main instructors in roughly chronological order. They are the people who have helped me along my martial arts journey. Those who are not Wado Ryu stylists have their style in brackets after their names.

Sensei Jim Gladwin 2nd Dan, Sensei Steve Thwaites 2nd Dam , Sensei Dave Graves 1st Dan, Sensei Ian Cottom 1st Dan, Sensei Jack Parker 1st Dan- al of EKA and Lancaster Wado Kai in the 1980's.

Sensei Joe Balko 4th Dan - EKA, Sensei Yoshigutsu Shonohara 7th Dan, Sensei Dave Martin 2nd Dan, Sensei Jon Wicks 7th Dan, Sensei Tatsuo Suzuki 8th Dan Hanshi, Sensei Morio Hogaonna 9th Dan Hanshi (Goju Ryu), Sensei Rui Marques 3rd Dan (Shotokan), Sensei Ken Erridge 6th Dan (Goju Ryu), Master Russell Stutely OCFM (single course only), Sensei Steve Rowe7th Dan Karate and Internation Tai Chi Teacher (my current teacher).