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Why TISKA St Albans & Potters Bar Karate Club? Develop and maintain fitness and flexibility. Increase your confidence and self esteem. Learn self defence skills. Feel good and have fun!
Karate practice is divided into three aspects:
Kihon (basic technique)
Kata (forms/patterns)
Kumite (sparring)
Each of these aspects of Shotokan Karate is carefully and methodically practiced. Through meticulous and constant training, participants of all ages are encouraged to develop their own Karate ability at their own pace. Initially, physical contact is avoided, but as you increase in ability you will be encouraged to participate in controlled sparring with your club members. Shotokan students (typically at brown and black belt level) may occasionally train with traditional Okinawan weapons; the bo, a six foot wooden staff and the sai, a pronged truncheon.
The club’s instructor, Kevin Coles (6th dan) achieved his first level black belt in 1987 and then started the first Tiska St Albans Shotokan karate club in 1991. He currently teaches six days a week, including a number of after-school karate clubs in St Albans.The Potters Bar karate club was established in 2005.Members of both St Albans and of Potters Bar karate clubs can visit at both clubs giving the opportunity to train three times a week… Monday, Thursday, Saturday.
Kevin began karate at the University of Bath in 1981 and then joined Sensei Sahota classes in Luton and Dunstable the following year. He has progressed to rokudan under the guidance and instruction of the Chief Instructor Sensei Sahota, taking part in a number of tournaments in both the UK and South Africa. Kevin has a deep interest in the history and cultural heritage of karate and the martial arts and fulfilled his wish of visiting the home of karate – Okinawa – in April 2010.
Gusharan Sahota
Gursharan Sahota was born in Kenya, East Africa but moved to the UK at the age of 12. He took up Karate at the age of 14 in the local Bedford club and was awarded black belt 1st dan (shodan) four years later.
Now an 8th Dan, Gursharan has competed in a multitude of kata and kumite events, many at national and international level. But the most significant event in his career was the visit he made in 1984 to Japan. There, he fulfilled a great ambition by training in a Japanese dojo under the instruction of Sensei Hirokazu Kanazawa.
This experience proved to be a turning point for Gursharan. On his return to England, he realised the trip had been the inspiration he needed to dedicate his future to training and teaching karate as a way of life.
Gursharan’s first club was opened in Luton/Dunstable in 1981 and this is now the association’s hombu (HQ). Having been a teacher of the art for many years, he formed his own association in 1993 – TISKA (The Traditional International Shotokan Karate Association) which is now one of the biggest associations in the UK.
Gursharan’s love of karate has never diminished. He still teaches over 35 classes a week in the UK and regularly takes master classes internationally. All in all, he has brought hundreds of students of all ages up to black belt standard and beyond.
He is also involved in charity work, helping to subsidise trips for surgeons to third world countries to operate on underprivileged children. He has, for many years, funded many projects in India, and is at present helping to fund the building of a new school.
Gursharan lives in Buckinghamshire and is happily married with a son and daughter who already show signs of following in their daddy’s footsteps.
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