Ishinryu Karate

(Founded 1973)

The word “Karate” means empty hands, and is a form of Martial Art. Karate is widely practised all over the world by a wide variety of people of all shapes, size, age, sex and ability. In Britain, Karate is practised by well over 500,000 people and the figure grows daily.

Karate is often portrayed in the media as a destructive and dangerous activity. Frankly, there is no doubt it has that potential. Usually as part of a public display, a karate expert will sometimes break a plank of wood or smash a pile of roofing tiles with a vicious hand strike or kick. This has inevitably given the general public the wrong impression of the essence of karate. Anyone can learn to perform such tricks with a little practice and some faith.

Karate is by far much more sophisticated; it requires detailed knowledge, demands long and patient practice to develop accuracy and agility, and it calls for high moral and spiritual development.

Ishinryu Karate finds its roots in a small suburban town of Dagenham on the outskirts of London. It was here that the founding fathers, David “Ticky” Donovan (now an 8th Dan master), Timmy Francis and Dicky Wu started the first Ishinryu club. After a short period Dicky left the fledgling club, leaving Ticky and Timmy to establish the foundation of what would become one of Britain’s most successful associations, producing the likes of Tyrone White, Roy Jerome, Peter Dennis, Wil Verner, Karl Finn, Doug Carroll, to name just a few.

At a later stage Timmy departed the club leaving Ticky in charge, who would, eventually take Ishinryu on to greater things. Combining knowledge acquired from Karate styles Kyokushinkai, Wado-ryu and Shotokan, Ticky developed and nurtured Ishrinryu Karate into a force to be reckoned with within British Karate and the name Ticky Donovan to become both synonymous and legendary within the world of Karate.

Ticky himself was taught by Japanese masters of differing styles, and at e at early age in his life progressed through the ranks to achieve the coveted grade Sho-dan (black belt). As he continued his mastery of Karate, Ticky became an accomplished competitor and eventually became a regular member of the English national squad, winning the British Championship in 73/74/75.

After a successful fighting career, Ticky soon became the English and British coach and took Britain to the pinnacle of world karate by winning the world championships five times in succession (dates and venues below).

                                    1982   Taipei

                                    1984   Holland

                                    1986   Australia

                                    1988   Cairo

                                    1990   Mexico

In 1991 Ticky Donovan was awarded an OBE for services to his country in Karate.

Ishinryu Karate has dominated the British and English championships since the early eighties both in Kumite (fighting) and Kata (pre arranged moves to imaginary attack and defence), producing many male and female, British, English, European, and World champions (see Francis Family Legacy Webpage for details).

These same successful students have now spread out to open their own clubs in the same name and the style has now spread as far a field as Canada and Australia.

Karate is both an exciting combat sport  and an effective form of self defence.

However, becoming skilful at karate requires two things;

1.      dedication from the student.

2.      effective coaching.

A basic, and very essential part of Karate training, is that a Karate-ka must never attack first, both mentally or physically. To understand this, years of hard and correct training are needed.

As the Karate-ka matures with grade, so also will his good manners and etiquette, outwardly and even more important, inwardly.

Correct etiquette is essential in the Dojo.

Ishinryu Karate Association is affiliated to the governing body of karate, the English Karate Governing Body (EKGB). See www.ekgb.org.uk