Kent Karate Schools | Established in 1983

About the Kent Karate Schools

On this page you will learn about the history of the Kent Karate Schools and the Tsuyoi Ryu style of karate adopted as the Japanese style within the Schools.

The Kent Karate Schools was formed in Ashford by Joe Ellis following his departure from the British Karate Kyokushinkai (BKK) and the British Karate Jutsu Renmei (BKJR) a choice he made following a deep period of soul searching and detailed research of karate at national and international level.

Although Joe has deep respect for both Steve Arneil (now 10th Dan) of the BKK and Bernard Creton (now 9th Dan) of the BKJR, Joe felt restricted to the styles and felt that training within shotokan karate under the British Shotokan Karate Shinboku Association and the Toyakwai Karate Association would improve his technical skill and knowledge and remained within shotokan for some years until he went to train under Gerry Bryan (now 9th Dan) of the Tsuyoi Karate Association (TKA).

Impressed by the strong style of Tsuyoi Ryu and the ethics employed by Gerry Bryan, Joe trained and graded within Tsuyoi Karate a style that originally broke away from kyokushinkai following disagreements and disharmony.

Although the karate journey for Joe commenced in karate in 1977, Joe also trained within the ancient art of ju jitsu which, in truth, complimented Joe's karate rather than enhanced it. He achieved 1st Dan black belt grade within Japanese ju jitsu.

Convinced that English karate was a men's club which operated as a private members club, Joe encountered on a political journey within karate and become chairman to The All British Karate Organisation (TABKO) in 1981 and chairman the National Association of Karate and Martial Art Schools in 1992 (NAKMAS) a position which he still holds. In addition to this, Joe was elected as president and chairman to Karate England in its founding years.

Joe's political journey started out to ensure that everyone, irrespective of sex, gender or disability has the right to learn karate without hinderence. Joe was convinced he could change the karate world....he surely did that!

Tsuyoi Ryu Karate

Tsuyoi Ryu today has enjoyed much improvement following Sandra's (Joe's wife) input.

An educationalist at heart, following years of educational studies within education at Canterbury Christchurch University and obtained teaching and academic qualifications (Certificate in Education and Master of Arts in Education) Sandra took the Tsuyoi Ryu concept and divided the syllabus into two compoents; adults and children and ensured that education played an important part of the school's training and grading syllabus. The success of the children's syllabus was clearly evident among the children with parents and local authorities impressed with the new format and Sandra then began to form a children's coaching awareness programme linked to the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) which also received local and national acclaim.

The Kent Karate Schools have produced excellent black belts - adults and children, whose qualifications are among the best in the United Kingdom. Independently examined by an external senior examiner (master level, 6th Dan) all black belts within the schools are national black belts and not club black belts, the latter being examined by black belts within the same club or group. This was introduced in 1983 by Joe Ellis who insists that it is strictly followed today.

The schools introduced a special format several years ago which allowed adults and children who have high functioning autism to enjoy karate which has proved highly successful.

Sandra continues to be influential in the school's teaching and grading syllabus and is currently studying for a Doctorate in Education at the Sheffield Hallam University specialising in autism within sport and physical activity.