About Plymouth Wadoryu Karate Club and the British Wadokai Chief Instructor
Started Ju-Jutsu & Judo in 1966
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The Founder of British Wadokai and the Plymouth Karate Clubs & Schools of Traditional Wadoryu.
President/Chief Instructor: Gary Swift 8th Dan Hanshi. A traditional Budoka since 1966. Gary Swift, was born in Plymouth (Devon) on the 6th April 1956 and has been active in Martial-arts from the age of 10, when starting Judo and Ju-Jutsu in 1966. He started training in Wadoryu, at the age of 16, under Sensei Tatsuo Suzuki Hanshi's United Kingdom Karate-do Wadokai (formerly the United Kingdom Karate-do Federation) in 1973. |
Started Ju-Jutsu & Judo in 1966 and Wadoryu in 1973
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Police Officer from 1974-1982
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GE Swift Hanshi 2017
Authentic Japanese Lineage.
Japanese Wado instructors include/d (but not limited to): Ohtsuka Hironori 10th Dan Meijin, Tatsuo Suzuki 8th Dan Hanshi, Katsumi Kobayashi 7th Dan, Masafumi Shiomitsu 9th Dan Hanshi, Yoshitsugu (Yoshi) Shinohara 8th Dan Shihan, Tadayuki Maeda Sensei, Toru Takamizawa 7th Dan Shihan, Kuniaki Sakagami 7th Dan, Masahiro Yanagawa 8th Dan, Kengo Sugiura 8th Dan, Toru Arakawa 9th Dan, Koji Okumachi 7th Dan, Shingo Ohgami 8th Dan, Katsumi Hakoishi 8th Dan, Mizuho Ashihara 8th Dan, Ohtsuka [Jiro] Hironori (II) Saiko-Shihan 10th Dan.
A Traditional Budo-ka since 1966 and a Wado Sensei since 1976. Gary Swift started teaching Wado Karate in 1976 in Horsham Sussex at the 'original' Horsham Karate Club, which was a club he inherited when the original instructor retired. Later that same year he opened up his own first club, the Cranleigh Karate Club, which was also under direct affiliation of Sensei Tatsuo Suzuki Hanshi's United Kingdom Karate-do Wadokai (UKKW).
In 1999 he joined Wadokai England under Kuniaki Sakagami 7th Dan, where he became General Secretary and Kata Coach of the JKF-Wadokai England Squad until 2008.
Today he is President & Chief Instructor of British Wadokai (BWK) and Founder-President of the British Wado Federation (BWF), which is the only official National Governing Body in the United Kingdom for autonomous Wado Karate under the International Wado Federation (IWF).
Holder of numerous titles and ranks within martial-arts including 8th Dan in Wado-ryu Karate, 2nd Dan in Korean HoSinsul Hapkido and 1st Dan in Malaysian Taekwondo (Thoi-kuen-do).
Gary Swift has also had the honour of training and being graded under the Founder of Wado-ryu, Ohtsuka Hironori Meijin 10th Dan.
Japanese Wado instructors include/d (but not limited to): Tatsuo Suzuki 8th Dan Hanshi (27th April 1928 - 12th July 2011), Ohtsuka Hironori Meijin 10th Dan (1st June 1892 - 29th January 1982), Katsumi Kobayashi 7th Dan, Masafumi Shiomitsu 9th Dan Hanshi, Yoshitsugu (Yoshi) Shinohara 8th Dan Shihan, Tadayuki Maeda Sensei, Toru Takamizawa 7th Dan Shihan (dec.), Kuniaki Sakagami 7th Dan, Masahiro Yanagawa 8th Dan, Kengo Sugiura 8th Dan (dec), Toru Arakawa 9th Dan, Koji Okumachi 7th Dan, Shingo Ohgami 8th Dan, Katsumi Hakoishi 8th Dan, Mizuho Ashihara 8th Dan and Ohtsuka Hironori (II) Saiko-Shihan 10th Dan.
During the closing ceremony of the 2007 WadoEXL Gary was awarded the prestigious Commemorative Award for the 'Promotion and Preservation of Wadokai and Wadoryu Karate'; an honour he will always be proud of.
Gary Swift Hanshi also holds membership within the Japan Karate Federation Wadokai (JKF-Wadokai) Japan.
Official British Wadokai Website: www.wadokai.co.uk
In 1999 he joined Wadokai England under Kuniaki Sakagami 7th Dan, where he became General Secretary and Kata Coach of the JKF-Wadokai England Squad until 2008.
Today he is President & Chief Instructor of British Wadokai (BWK) and Founder-President of the British Wado Federation (BWF), which is the only official National Governing Body in the United Kingdom for autonomous Wado Karate under the International Wado Federation (IWF).
Holder of numerous titles and ranks within martial-arts including 8th Dan in Wado-ryu Karate, 2nd Dan in Korean HoSinsul Hapkido and 1st Dan in Malaysian Taekwondo (Thoi-kuen-do).
Gary Swift has also had the honour of training and being graded under the Founder of Wado-ryu, Ohtsuka Hironori Meijin 10th Dan.
Japanese Wado instructors include/d (but not limited to): Tatsuo Suzuki 8th Dan Hanshi (27th April 1928 - 12th July 2011), Ohtsuka Hironori Meijin 10th Dan (1st June 1892 - 29th January 1982), Katsumi Kobayashi 7th Dan, Masafumi Shiomitsu 9th Dan Hanshi, Yoshitsugu (Yoshi) Shinohara 8th Dan Shihan, Tadayuki Maeda Sensei, Toru Takamizawa 7th Dan Shihan (dec.), Kuniaki Sakagami 7th Dan, Masahiro Yanagawa 8th Dan, Kengo Sugiura 8th Dan (dec), Toru Arakawa 9th Dan, Koji Okumachi 7th Dan, Shingo Ohgami 8th Dan, Katsumi Hakoishi 8th Dan, Mizuho Ashihara 8th Dan and Ohtsuka Hironori (II) Saiko-Shihan 10th Dan.
During the closing ceremony of the 2007 WadoEXL Gary was awarded the prestigious Commemorative Award for the 'Promotion and Preservation of Wadokai and Wadoryu Karate'; an honour he will always be proud of.
Gary Swift Hanshi also holds membership within the Japan Karate Federation Wadokai (JKF-Wadokai) Japan.
Official British Wadokai Website: www.wadokai.co.uk
Although uninterested himself in the modern 'Sport Karate' and 'Competition Circuit', Gary Swift Hanshi has had some past experiences in Traditional Wadoryu Competition and in Competition Coaching.
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Awards, Competition Experience & Results, etc.
1978 - UKKW Bronze Kumite (fighting) Medallist (Coventry), was disqualified for Silver due to excessive contact. 1981 - UKKW Silver Medallist for Kata (forms) (Bristol). 1984 - Bronze in Knockdown Karate at the UK Open British Karate Renmei Knockdown Championships at Royal Tunbridge Wells (Kent). 1986 - Silver at the All Wado Karate Championships at Crystal Palace for Kata, but on the same day disqualified in the finals for excessive contact in Kumite (sparring). 1986 - Silver medallist for the British All-Styles Karate Championships, at Woking Leisure Centre, for Kata. 2004-2006 - JKF-Wadokai England Kata Squad Coach. 2018 - Martial Arts International 2018 Hall of Fame. 2019 - Awarded Shogo-Hanshi by the International Wado Federation. Martial Arts International Top Instructor Hall of Fame 2019 |
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Benny (The Jet) Urquidez - Gary Swift Hanshi - Bill (Superfoot) Wallace - Brian Jacks
British Wadokai has foundations that were established in 1963, therefore, the direct unbroken lineage of British Wadokai and the Plymouth Schools of Karate extends over many years.
The syllabus of British Wadokai has remained unchanged since the first introduction of Wado into the UK by Tatsuo Suzuki 8th Dan Hanshi in 1963. In 1965, Tatsuo Suzuki Hanshi returned permanently to teach Wado karate in England and also to set up his European Headquarters (this is the basis and foundation of British Wadokai). We have been around for a very long time.
All Wado Tai-Sabaki (Wado karate technique and movement), which were also introduced into the UK Wado syllabus in 1963, has remained in the syllabus today, including Sanbon-gumite (three-step sparring), Ohyo-gumite ('applied' or 'semi-free' sparring), and Kihon-gumite (fundamental sparring), Kata (form), etc. All these aspects are also taught and promoted strongly within all British Wadokai Dojo and through our regular Standardisation Courses held at the Honbu Dojo (Pomphlett Wadoryu Karate Club), and at our other BWK Dojos throughout the rest of the country.
The syllabus of British Wadokai has remained unchanged since the first introduction of Wado into the UK by Tatsuo Suzuki 8th Dan Hanshi in 1963. In 1965, Tatsuo Suzuki Hanshi returned permanently to teach Wado karate in England and also to set up his European Headquarters (this is the basis and foundation of British Wadokai). We have been around for a very long time.
All Wado Tai-Sabaki (Wado karate technique and movement), which were also introduced into the UK Wado syllabus in 1963, has remained in the syllabus today, including Sanbon-gumite (three-step sparring), Ohyo-gumite ('applied' or 'semi-free' sparring), and Kihon-gumite (fundamental sparring), Kata (form), etc. All these aspects are also taught and promoted strongly within all British Wadokai Dojo and through our regular Standardisation Courses held at the Honbu Dojo (Pomphlett Wadoryu Karate Club), and at our other BWK Dojos throughout the rest of the country.