Sensei Michael Ring

Sensei Michael Ring was born in the historic town of Llantrisant, the ancient home of the Black Prince of Wales, and was first introduced to the martial arts at the age of 6 when he took up Judo. 

After seeing the "Karate Kid" in 1984 he joined his first Karate club, a member of the Karate Union of Great Britain (KUGB), and took inspiration from KUGB legends Terry O'Neill and Frank Brennan.

In 1989 Michael moved to London to work as a Central Government policy advisor at Her Majesty’s Treasury and in 1992 joined the Bishops Stortford dojo of the Stevenage based English Shotokan Karate Association under Chief Instructor Sensei Michael Nursey (8^th Dan), a student of world famous Karate Master Hirokazu Kanazawa.

In 1998 Michael received his 2^nd Dan and passed an Instructor Assessment under English Shotokan Karate Association Chief Instructor Sensei Michael Nursey and the Head of the English Karate Governing Body (EKGB) coaching programme Suzanne Gennery. He went on to receive his 3^rd Dan in 2001.

During these years Sensei Michael trained hard, adding to his club training by attending Open Kata and Kumite courses with 3 times Japan Karate Association Champion Sensei Hirokazu Kanazawa (10^th Dan).

In 2003, when the Bishops Stortford Dojo moved, Sensei Michael accepted an invitation from the Chief Instructor, Sensei Dave Sharkey (8^th Dan), to join the English Karate Organisation and the Shotokan Karate Ryu (SKR) was born.

Since opening the first SKR club in Bishops Stortford in November 2003 (with only 5 students) Sensei Michael has watch SKR grow to become the largest Karate group in the Bishops Stortford area with and over 200 licensed students. 

In 2005 Sensei Michael received his 4^th Dan, and despite his heavy work commitments in central London as a Senior Government Policy Advisor continues to teach Karate with undaunted energy and enthusiasm.

He commented: "Hard work and discipline are at the heart of good Karate and I have no doubt that my work and life achievements have only been possible because of the self discipline and determination I have learnt from many years of hard Karate training."

In 2010 the Senior Dan Grade examiners in the English Karate Organisation and European Karate Organisation Governing Body awarded Sensei Michael the rank of 5^th Dan in recognition of his expertise in, and outstanding contribution to, the art of Karate-do.

Since Sensei began teaching he has trained 37 students to black belt with two students achieving 2^nd Dan and to students achieving 3^rd Dan and each year encourages his students to attend the open courses hosted by the Shotokan Karate Kanazawa International Federation (SKKIF) taught by Karate legend Kanazawa Sensei.

Kanazawa Sensei remains a true inspiration to Sensei Michael and all the SKR students who have been fortunate to train with him.

 His life long dedication to the art of Karate-do can be described as nothing less than awesome.

The Shotokan Karate Ryu remains true to it Shotokan heritage and teaches traditional syllabus of kihon, kata and kumite as taught by Kanazawa Sensei.

Donna Ring

Sensei Donna Ring was born in Hatfield Heath and has lived in the Bishops Storford Area most of her life. Her first introduction to the martial arts was as a teenager at the Hatfield Heath Shotokan Karate club under Sensei Mick Powers (3^rd Dan).

Club politics and the demands of studying for her "A" levels meant that she could not continue her Karate training until she reached University where she trained for one year before the demands of her Chemistry degree conflicted with her training.

In 1996 Sensei Donna left University and was offered a job as a Forensic Scientist in the London Laboratory of the Forensic Science Service where she worked for 5 years becoming an "expert witness" in crime scene reconstruction as well as studying for a Masters degree.

She first met her future husband, Sensei Michael, when she visited the small club he ran in central London and resumed her Karate training with vigor. She soon gained notoriety, as well as the association record, for training at 63 lessons in the 3-month period between gradings.

Sensei Donna achieved her 1^st Dan in 2001 while doing her final exams for her Masters, for which she passed with distinction. Donna became an assistant instructor at the Stansted Dojo in 2002 and in 2004 passed an EKO instructor assessment held by Sensei Dave Sharkey (8^th Dan).  

In 2007, again having to postpone her Grading to have twins, Sensei Donna achieved her 2^nd Dan in an arduous grading under Sensei Sharkey. Donna was called upon to demonstrated many of the requirements for 3^rd Dan alongside her club mate and the Bishops Stortford Dojo Captain Sensei Paul Wilson who achieved 3^rd Dan at the same grading.

Despite having two enforced breaks to give birth to her first son and then 3-years later to twins, Donna has continued her Karate training and her teaching (until she was 7 months pregnant). She returned to training on both occasions within 6 weeks of giving birth.

Donna commented: “I trained at two other clubs and what surprised me most about Michael’s London club was that his sole purpose for teaching is the enjoyment it gives him and his students. The London club ran two lunchtimes a week and despite his heavy workload Michael rarely cancelled lessons, and if he did, he always put on extra lessons to make up the difference. One thing Michael has never compromised on are his standards, he says that because he doesn’t teach karate for the money he doesn’t have to, and the training sessions are certainly harder than in my previous clubs.”

Sensei Paul began Karate training at the Sheering Karate club in the mid eighties and passed his 1^st Dan in 1990 under the watchful eye of Sensei Charles Mack (7^th Dan), Chief instructor for the British Shotokan Karate Association (BSKA).  

In 1994 Paul took a break from training to concentrate on his career but in 2002 resumed training at a local Karate club and in 2003 he and his son Laurence began training with Sensei Michael at the Thorley SKR club.  

In 2004 Paul passed his 2^nd Dan and went on to pass his 3^rd Dan in 2007 at Grading’s held by Sensei Dave Sharkey (8^th Dan) who is the Chief Instructor of the English Karate Organisation and Chairman of the European Karate Organisation Governing Body and Sensei Michael Ring. 

Paul commented: “I have one regret about Karate - taking a break from it for career reasons. I have come to realise the importance of regular training and how beneficial this is to my Karate and my health in general. I thoroughly enjoy the training sessions and I appreciate Sensei Michael’s commitment and dedication to traditional Karate. Over the last five years I have proudly watched my son develop under his expert tutelage to attain his black belt and 2^nd Dan.”  

Paul is an SKR Dojo Captain SKR and an Association Kata & Kumite Judge.

Sensei Keith Brewer

Sensei Keith started training in Kyokushinkai in the mid seventies before switching to Shotokan in the eighties at the Toyakwai dojo in Ware passing his 1^st Dan in 1996.  Keith moved to Bishops Stortford and in 1998 began training alongside Sensei Michael at the ESKA Bishops Stortford dojo until 2003.

In 2004, while still in ESKA Keith passed his 2^nd Dan. In 2005 Keith began training with SKR at the Bishops Stortford dojo and soon increased his training by also attending the SKR Stansted dojo.

In 2009 Keith passed his 3^rd Dan at a Grading held by Sensei Dave Sharkey (8^th Dan) who is the Chief Instructor of the English Karate Organisation and Chairman of the European Karate Organisation Governing Body and Sensei Michael Ring.

At Keith’s 3^rd Dan Grading Sensei Sharkey praised the high standards of Karate demonstrated by SKR students and singled out Keith for his excellent fighting spirit and outstanding fighting ability.

Keith is an SKR Dojo Captain.

Gary started training with Sensei Michael in 2004, whilst also training in Jujitsu. In 2008 Gary passed his 1^st Dan at a Grading held by Sensei Dave Sharkey (8^th Dan) who is the Chief Instructor of the English Karate Organisation and Chairman of the European Karate Organisation Governing Body and Sensei Michael Ring.

Gary was the SKR Kata Champion in 2006 and the SKR Kumite Champion in 2007. In 2008 and 2009 Gary was the SKR Grand Champion winning both Kata and Kumite events in the Annual Championships.

Gary is an SKR Dojo Captain SKR and an Association Kata Judge.

Sean started training in 2004 at the Stansted SKR dojo and in 2008 passed his 1^st Dan at a Grading held by Sensei Dave Sharkey (8^th Dan) who is the Chief Instructor of the English Karate Organisation and Chairman of the European Karate Organisation Governing Body and Sensei Michael Ring.

A regular competitor at the Annual SKR Championships Sean has collected numerous trophies in both Kata and Kumite, and is the 2009 Junior Kata Champion. 

Sean is an SKR Dojo Captain.

Sensei Dave Sharkey is a 8th Dan black belt and one of the UK's highest graded karate instructors. Sensei Sharkey has been training since 1962 and has been taught by (amongst others) the “Tiger of Shotokan” Sensei Kinesoke Enoeda.

Sensei Sharkey founded the English Karate Organisation to maintain the high standards of karate passed down to him by Sensei Enoeda, and is the Chairman of the European Karate Organisation Governing Body.

Sensei Sharkey commented: “The standard of Karate at the SKR clubs is very high and the students consistently demonstrate good technique in Kata and outstanding control in Kumite. At the most recent Dan Grading all of the students performed above the level for the Grade they were attempting.”