Andy
Andy is based in the Solomon Islands where he represents the Sekai Dentokan Bugei Renmei. He is the Dentokan Regional Director for Oceania and the president and chief instructor of the Solomon Islands Dentokan National Federation. Furthermore, he is the chief instructor and director of Ko Ken Ryu Karate Jutsu International, and an advisor to the Solomon Islands Karate Federation. He holds Dan grades in Goshin Jutsu, Ko Ken Ryu, Shorin Ryu, Shotokan and Goju Ryu. He is a qualified coach with the English Karate Federation (formerly EKGB).
Andy currently holds significant dan grades across various arts with the Sekai Dentokan Bugei Renmei, headed worldwide by Roy J. Hobbs, 10th dan, who is represented in the UK by Andy's coach, mentor and close friend Prof. Dr Stephen Chan, 8th Dan. Andy's highest grades are a godan (5th dan) in Ko Ken Ryu Goshin Jutsu (2006) and in Dentokan Shorin Ryu Karate-Do (2008). Andy was awarded the title of Renshi ('One who has mastered himself') for Goshin Jutsu in 2006, and for Shorin Ryu Karate in 2008 by Hanshi Hobbs and Hanshi Chan. He was awarded Shihan accreditation ('Teacher of Teachers') by Hanshi Hobbs in 2002, and by Toma hanshi, All Okinawa Seidokan Karate Kobudo Association.
Andy successfully finished his doctoral research at Loughborough University (2007) into the Biomechanics of Elite Martial Athletes. For this work he liaised with the British Olympic Taekwondo team as well as the England Karate team.
Andy has written various works related to martial arts and karate. Please refer to the articles page for full details.
Below follows a brief synopsis on Andy's involvement in Karate and Martial Arts.
Andy, who originally comes from Belgium, was introduced to Karate in 1988 at the age of fourteen, whilst living in Germany. He trained at a JKA affiliated club in a tiny village about 15 miles away from where he lived.
Two years later Andy's family moved to the Netherlands, where he soon found
a club to continue his Shotokan based training. He was also introduced to knockdown
karate and Muay Thai. In 1993, he gained his Shodan and was running several
clubs.
This was shortly followed by a trip to Tokyo in the summer of 1994, to the SKI
Honbu where he trained with Kanazawa-sensei, Murakami-sensei, Suzuki-sensei,
Tanaka-sensei and Sode-sensei and others.
In September 1994, Andy first went to visit and started training with the Kissaki-Kai Karate-Do Association in the United Kingdom. Within a year, Andy relocated to Nottingham to train and study. He started up the Ko Ken Ryu Karate Jutsu Club at the University of Nottingham.
To back up his karate, Andy completed a BSc Sport Science and Administration (Hons.) degree, gaining the highest mark of his year and being awarded a first class honours degree and the Gerald Leadbeater Prize for his academic achievement. More recently, he successfully completed a PhD in Sports Biomechanics in which he analysed skill reproduction of elite martial athletes. He completed his research in less than the allotted 3-year period for which he successfully attracted a school scholarship.
Andy has a sound knowledge of exercise science and physiology and also of the psychology involved. All his academic background is reflected in his teaching and coaching of the martial arts. He occasionally gets invited to colleges as a visiting lecturer on subjects related to health, fitness and sports.
In his last year at university as an undergraduate, he came to meet his coach and mentor Prof. Dr Stephen Chan, 8th Dan. Andy will be forever in Dr Chan's debt for the way he has guided him and taught him. They have become close friends.
Under Dr Chan's watchful eye Andy has managed to win quite some prestigious international competitions including a World and European Open.
Joining a group of very experienced Dentokan practitioners, Andy is very proud to be involved in the development of various of the Okinawan and Japanese arts as part of the Sekai Dentokan Bugei Renmei Karate branch. The karate styles propagated by the group are Shorin Ryu and Goju Ryu.
Complementing his mainstream Shotokan background from his early training, Andy has a vast knowledge of Shorin Ryu, Goju-Ryu and other Okinawan Kata, which include Ko-Ryu kata. He also teaches various weapons of the Dentokan Kobudo system and is involved in studying aspects of Dentokan Aiki-Jutsu and Dentokan Iai-Jutsu. Currently, Andy is based in Honiara, Solomon Islands, where he represents the Sekai Dentokan Bugei Renmei. He still travels regularly to Europe to instruct his students there.
Many of Andy's students and former students have won national and international championships, including the WSKA world championships, the British Student National Championships, the AMA Regional, National and International Open Championships and others. Many have got into medal positions in many more national and international events.
Andy is available for various courses and/or seminars on any of the above subjects, whether scientific theory or hands-on dojo practice. For more information or any queries please drop him an email or check out the consultation page.
Apart from some TV appearances in karate showcases, Andy also partook in this fun 'science experiment'.
Most prominent accomplishments:
· Shorin Ryu Karate-Do: 5th Dan Shorin Ryu Karate-Do, Sekai Dentokan Bugei Renmei, 2008
Renshi, Sekai Dentokan Bugei Renmei, 2008
Shihan Menkyo, Sekai Dentokan Bugei
Renmei, 2002
4th Dan,
Association All
Shihan Menkyo, All
· Ko Ken Ryu Goshin Jutsu: 5th Dan, Sekai Dentokan Bugei Renmei, 2006
5th Dan, Stephen Chan Kenkyukai & Kenkojuko, 2006
Renshi, Sekai Dentokan Bugei Renmei, 2006
Renshi, Stephen Chan Kenkojuko, 2006
· Ko Ken Ryu Karate Jutsu: 4th
Dan,
Stephen Chan Kenkyukai & Kenkojuko, 2002
·
Karate-Do
(generic):
4th Dan,
Stephen Chan Kenkyukai, 2002
4th Dan, English Karate Governing Body
4th
Dan, Amateur Martial Association, 2003
· Shotokan Karate-Do: 3rd Dan, English Karate Governing Body, 2001
3rd Dan,
Kissaki-Kai Karate-Do, 2001
·
Goju Ryu
Karate-Do: 2nd Dan,
Sekai Dentokan Bugei Renmei, 2003
·
Silver Medal, Open Weight, Amateur
Martial Arts (AMA) International Open, 2002,
·
Bronze Medal, Heavy Weight, AMA
International Open, 2001,
·
Gold Medal, Heavy + Open Weight, Open
World Cup, 2000,
·
Silver Medal, Open Weight, English
Karate Governing Body (EKGB) Regional (Midlands), 2000,
·
Bronze Medal, Heavy Weight, Open
European Cup, 2000,
·
Bronze Medal, Heavy Weight, Federation
of English Karate Organisation (FEKO) Nationals, 1999,
·
Bronze Medal, team, Voluntary
Services Overseas (VSO) British Open, 1998,
·
Bronze Medal, Heavy Weight, VSO
British Open, 1997,
·
Bronze Medal, Heavy Weight, VSO
British Open, 1996,
Martial Arts Positions:
· President and Chief Instructor of Solomon Islands Dentokan National Federation, March 2008 - present
· Adviser Solomon Islands Karate Federation, August 2008 - present
·
Director
and Chief Instructor of Ko Ken Ryu Karate Jutsu,
August 1998 - present
· Kardio Funk © and Self Defence Instructor, University of Nottingham Sport Centre, Nottingham, England, October 2004 - February 2008
· Principal Instructor and Cardio Fitness Instructor, University of Nottingham Karate Club, September 1995 - February 2008
·
Senior
member
of
Technical
Committee
(Shihan
Kai)
and
Senior
Instructor
for
Sekai
Dentokan
Bugei
Renmei,
May
2002
-
present
·
Committee
member SKUKI, 2005 - present
·
Senior
Instructor
and
Squad
Coach
for Kissaki Kai Karate Do, 1995 - April 2002
·
Coach
Amateur Martial Arts Association, 2002 - present
·
Joint
Director
of
Kwok
Meil
Wah
Foundation,
London,
England,
2003
-
March
2008
· International
Advisor
of
Kwok Meil Wah Foundation, London, England, March 2008 - present
·
Invited
Expert on Martial Arts, Workshop European Network on Sports for the
Disadvantaged, September 1998
·
Karate
Instructor and Cardio Fitness Instructor for various professional gyms, The
Netherlands, 1993 - 1995