Sensei Steve Manning (6th Dan)

Steve started his karate training in 1982/83 after some 10years in Judo and reaching the grade of 3rd Dan. Steve’s karate training started in the Melksham club, part of the Karate Union of Great Britton (KUGB) and the Japan Karate Association (JKA) under Sensei Jeff Crocker.

Melksham karate club was a very strong regimented club not for the faint hearted. In this club Steve met Sensei Carroll, only a novice himself at the time.

They became regular training partners throughout their development in karate, travelling to all the clubs and courses that they could get to, generally this meant training 4/5 times a week and a lot of them time twice a day. They have trained under an impressive list of the worlds top instructors and still managed to continue to train and knock bits off each other.

At the attainment of 1st Dan, which he took under Sensei Enoeda of the JKA. Steve moved to Chippenham, and began training under the most senior instructor in Wiltshire, Sensei Peter Bull, who took Steve’s development to 2nd and 3rd Dan, again grading under Sensei Enoeda.

In 1998 Steve joined Sensei Carroll in the British Shotokan Karate Union (BSKU) where he became part of their national squad, and soon squad captain, and supported Sensei Carroll as Squad coach.    

He travelled to many competitions nationally and internationally to compete. Steve was a great inspiration to many of the squad members and always nurtured and supported them. He graded to 4th Dan under Sensei Abe.

In 2008 Steve once again joined Sensei Carroll to form the Katsu-Mi Kai Shotokan Karate Association, who concentrate on strong Shotokan karate with an emphasise on kata bunkai. His continued support and Judo background has help Sensei Carroll produce great courses for the Sunrise bunkai DVDs.

In 2009 Steve again, with Sensei Carroll went to train in Japan and Okinawa. In Japan they went to the infamous JKA head quarters where they were subjected to some of the best JKA Shotokan instruction you could possibly hope to receive. In Okinawa during the day they trained every morning for up to four hours at Sensei Nagamines dojo, in a style called Matsubayashi-ryu.

During the evening they trained for up three hours a night, at the Goju-Ryu Honbu (headquarters) called the Jundokan under sensei Taira, although the dojo is owned, and ran by sensei Miyazato.    

Steve is a karate man who never gives up, always striving to be better. His dedication to the art has seen him achieve many things, from passing grades, to wining medals, becoming a national judge and referee to meeting senior international instructors and dignitaries. He is a very well respected Karateka from across the board of grades and associations.

He still remains Sensei Carroll friend, his training partner and his sounding board and the Katsu-Mi Kai Karate Association will continue to grow because of it.