Sensei rik STevens

1982 I started British Karate Jutsu Renmei – My teacher was Albert Burton.  This style was an off shoot of Kyokushinkai.  As you would expect, the sparring was heavy and the kata traditional.  The association head teacher was Sensei Bernard Creton.  He was a very good fighter and also taught kata to a good level.

Over time the Association changed its name several times, the last being, British Karate Do Karate Jutsu Kai.  After 4 or 5 years I achieved Shodan.  I also attended the Association Squad sessions.  At this age I enjoyed the fitness, the competitions and I was also teaching at various clubs in Surrey.

Around 1990 I received 2nd dan, but I had started to question if there was more to learn.  There must be more than getting fitter stronger and faster.

1992 I joined the Army.  I was posted to Germany and Northern Ireland.  I attended local karate clubs, Germany was very Shotokan based which I didn’t enjoy but did manage to visit Denmark a number of times where Sensei Creton was living at that time.  In Ireland the karate club was mainly young lads, very heavy and went to ground quickly.  I was a bit rusty at this time, and they often caught me out when standing, but they insisted on taking you to ground, where I enjoyed fighting dirty to get my own back.

I left the Army in 1997 and joined the police service.  I caught up with my old teacher Albert Burton.  His karate clubs had split away from Bernard Creton.  Albert and Steve Carter where looking for other teachers and had found Sensei Chris Clifford.  They took me to  the Bromley Dojo and I met with Chris Clifford and immediately saw what was missing from my karate and joined his school.

I attended regularly during the week and attended Special Lessons on a Sunday when I could.  Sensei Yonemoto visited the UK on a number of occasions, Sensei Chris and Sensei Yonemoto were so much fun together, they both wanted to teach you what you needed to know.

2000 I attended Japan with about 10 others from the school.  Sensei Yonemoto allowed us to sleep on his dojo floor.  Attending the Sosuikan dojo and meeting Grand Master Ichikawa was a great honour.  The dojo was very dated and memorable.  Grand Master Ichikawa was a formidable man.  His students assisted teaching us while Grand Master Ichikawa overlooked.

Before we left Grand Master Ichikawa confirmed my 2nd Dan.  With this and Sensei Chris later telling me ‘I can steal from him,’ I felt I was a committed student of the school.

About 2010 Sensei Clifford moved to Thailand, I lost touch with him for many years.  Although not attending any dojo, I still had my karate in the back of my mind, occasionally re-visiting my Kata and using my fighting skills effectively policing the streets of London.

IN 2020 Sensei Clifford made contact with me and other members of the school.  Although thousands of miles away, modern technology has managed to bring us all together on line.  I have worked through all the kata with Sensei Chris and occasionally visited other member dojos. In 2022, 5 of us visited Thailand for 10 days of study with Sensei Chris.

Over the past year I have assisted Sensei Chris to collate material for his website.  This has been very informative learning not only his history but also the history of Grand Master Ichikawa.  Sensei Chris has shared manuscripts written by Grand Master Ichikawa, with his view of the history of karate and quotes from previous masters in history.

Sensei Chris awarded my Bubishi to me in 2010 and I was awarded 6th Dan last year 2022.  I currently live in Surrey and have my own school Surrey Goju-ryu Karate-do.