About us

Khalsa Karate was formed in 2004 at the Kingston YMCA under Head Instructor Satinder Sehra. The style practiced at the Khalsa Karate Centre is Washinkai Karate-Do based on Wado-Ryu, one of five major karate schools.

The term “Khalsa” is a Sikh Terminology for “Pure”. Khalsa Karate is based on that very foundation in that it practises all aspects of correct karate-do in the way it was designed to be taught. The word “Pure” is described in the dictionary as “excessive insistence of correctness”, and its on this continuous belief of correctness the centre continues to grow from strength to strength.

Khalsa Karate Confederation is a member of the TKA (Toyakwai Karate Association) under Chief Instructor Joe Anderson 7th Dan and is affiliated with the JKA, and WKF through the English Karate Federation, the National Governing Body for England.

Top Right: Toyakwai Karate Association presented Sensei Sat his 4th Dan Certificate for his services to Karate. Sensei Joe Anderson awarded Sensei Sat his 4th Dan during the interval at the Greater Open Championships and commented, "This trophy and certificate is certified by the EKF and the BKCC/TKA recognised by the WKF, and is given to Sat or all his hard work to karate and good standard throughout his club."

Congratulations Sensei!! from all at Khalsa Karate.

Karate Style Practised

The style practised at Khalsa Karate is Washinkai-Karate-do Renmei, founded by Sensei Chris Thompson 7th Dan Chief Instructor of the British Traditional Karate Association and founder member and Director of the EKGB. The style of Washinkai is based on Wado-Ryu, and is the only style in England recognised by the JKA as a full comprehensive fighting system.

Wado-Ryu is can be defined as “the way of peace” or “the way of harmony” and is based on the learning’s from Jujitsu, Okinawa karate and Kendo. In essence Wado-Ryu is a natural style, where one seeks to evade an attack rather than meet force with force.

Wado-Ryu was founded by the late Hironori Ohtsuka (1892 – 1982), and the style practised itself was formally recognised in 1934.Ohtsuka studied various martial art techniques, initially it was his great uncle Chojiro Ebashi who introduced and taught him Jujitsu. He continued his learning of Jujitsu at school under the supervision of Shinzaburo Nakayama Sensei and at Waseda University in 1910-1917, where he also learnt about ‘bone setting’ and the body's ‘vital points’ for both attacking and healing purposes.

In 1922 Gichin Funakoshi Sensei was invited to the Tokyo sports festival to demonstrate Okinawa Karate. Ohtsuka then trained under Funakoshi seeking to learn all the Okinawa karate katas. To develop a more detailed understanding of karate and to practise the katas, he left Funakoshi and studied with Kenwa Mabuni Sensei (founder of Shito-Ryu).

In 1943 Ohtsuka studied Kendo under Mujata Sensei and was appointed Japan’s Chief Karate Instructor in 1944. It was during the 1960’s that the Wado-Ryu style began to gain worldwide recognition and in 1972 Ohtsuka was presented the title ‘Meijin’ the first excellent Martial Artist in Karate (10th dan).

With Ohtsuka becoming older, he sought to identify someone who would continue his legacy. He proposed his son, however this was not a decision that was widely accepted and has led to the three divisions in Wado-Ryu.

Wado- Ryu Renmei, which is headed by Hinonori’s son, Jiro Ohtsuka and is located in Japan. Wado- Ryu International is headed by Suzuki Sensei and is based in the UK.