Five Years, One Kata
Bill started training in a "traditional" Shotokan club in 1979 achieving first dan in 1983. He founded the Reading University Shotokan Karate Club where he taught for many years. Bill ran a karate magazine called Dojo Magazine for a number of years and has also had many articles published in other martial arts magazines, on the web and in web journals.Bill has formed relationships with mentors considered leaders in the field. In 1995 he arranged Rick Clark's first tour of the UK and learned many aspects of kyusho and cross training first hand with Rick on each of his visits to the UK. As a result Bill has cross-trained and picked up knowledge from outside his core area of karate.In 1996 Bill started on an experiment to focus exclusively on a single kata (Gojushiho) in a similar way to the old masters of Okinawa. Training alone Bill has explored the depths of the single kata and has written a book giving readers not only an insight into how single kata training can be of benefit but also showing the reader how to do this for themselves.In June 2000 Rick Clark awarded Bill his 6th Dan. Bill continues to train in his personal dojo at his home with selected training partners.