<![CDATA[Inner Strength Martial Arts Academy - Blog]]>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:01:07 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Newsletter 2025]]>Sun, 26 Jan 2025 15:10:46 GMThttps://www.ismaakarate.co.uk/blog/newsletter-2025Ismaa & Armada-do Karate
Newsletter Jan 2025
Hi, everyone we hope you are settling back into karate and looking to strive to your next belt or enter our competition in March (more details later).  We would like to welcome all the new students to the clubs and especially all the parent of Vicky’s clubs joining, it’s amazing to see and truly brings home what we like to see as a family friendly club and environment but with the ability to push harder when needed and to take you as far in karate as possible.
Just a bit about our new venture which does not affect Vicky’s clubs, the chip van (Lime Coast Catering Ltd) has been a great success, Kyoushi Shaun is missing teaching in the week but is also loving the new challenge. We are hoping to have it at the competition for refreshments, unfortunately it’s too much work to get it to gradings, Sensei Vicky is now learning the van so we can swap and change teaching and running the van when suits.
I’d like to thank all the instructors that have helped teach for the last few months to allow our new venture to happen and its great to see you are doing well in your new roles. We have changed a few clubs about, but this does need to be done from time to time to keep everything running well and to give students the best possibilities, even though it might mean a bit of extra driving, so thank you to all the parents for being supportive in this with hardly any upset. You have all been amazing.
Course coming up and Dates to remember.
We have 2 squad and Advanced sessions coming up on February 9th and 16th March, the squad is open to all junior and advanced students, it was great to see new faces at the last  squad session, at Squad sessions we go into fighting in a bit more detail and look at competition kata getting the competing members ready for the next comp or on February the 1st going to Norwich for selections for Team GB, the squad is also the regional session for the team GB members who have to be there, so its great for students to come along and train with these students from all over as well.
The next Ninja and Kyu grade grading is on Saturday 15TH March, and then we have our competition on Sunday 23rd March, so there is lots to train for and get involved in to push your boundaries, the competition is for all students over 6yrs old, we also have categories for all beginners to have a go, as well plus parent and child kata section, pair kata, individual kata, team kata, Kumite and team kumite, as we are hosting this competition we would like as many of you to attend and have ago, yes you will be nervous but that normal for everyone even top athletes get nervous it just part of it, but for you to stand on a matt and give it ago makes us very proud instructors indeed. ]]><![CDATA[A bit about our ISMAA Cheif Instructor]]>Tue, 31 Dec 2024 14:05:32 GMThttps://www.ismaakarate.co.uk/blog/a-bit-about-our-ismaa-cheif-instructorPicture
​Kyoushi Shaun Lanham 7th Dan
Chief Instructor for I.S.M.A.A
CHIEF INSTRUCTOR: 
I have been training in martial arts for 36 years now and I have enjoyed every aspect of it.
I feel that being involved with Martial Arts is like being on a journey, you never stop learning. Your physical, mental health continues to grow and if you give martial arts the respect it deserves you should never get bored.
I first started in judo at the age of 10 years at the Kuruma judo club in Parkstone taught by my uncle Gerry Bacon who too this day is my biggest inspiration . I have just moved on from there and  never looked back. The first karate club I started in was Shokokia this was ran by sensei  Pete Hodge, when this shut down I moved over to Tim Steven’s who taught wado-ryu. I trained under Tim Steven’s for 11 years, He has a wealth of experience as he is 5 times world champion. While with Tim I train with the likes of Sensei Ticky Donavan, Sensei Wayne Otto and many more top martial arts instructors.
I have been successful in competition throughout the years but for me this is not my favorite part of martial arts, I love coaching and taking students to enter competitions, I get a lot more enjoyment and fulfillment seeing my students do well.
I worked as a doorman for 15yrs which I done just to see if what I was learning actually worked. Which I have to say It did very well indeed.
In 1992 I started Bearwood Karate club, this was my first club and ran it there for 24 yrs. Now I run 3 clubs which will be expanding very soon, I never excepted to be where I am today, I only ever wanted to run 1 club, but after having my first son Jack my goals changed as I wanted  a better future for my children. This is when I left Tim, we joined a few different academies including F.E.K.O, W.K.F unfortunately there was always politics involved, so we left and went independant, we are now growing with clubs from all over the country. Where very excited to see where we are in the next 10 yrs, I.S.M.A.A is a multi style academy not just karate.
Concentration, dedication and fitness are very important to any Martial Arts without these I believe you will not succeed, I also believe that these things grow with you as you learn, although you need to have a willing to want to learn in the first place.
I do not have a favorite technique in kumite, as I like to practice all aspects of kumite, as different techniques work on different people, this is where being agile is important, I believe that keeping up a level fitness is vital for karate.
Over the years I have had my fair share of injuries, some have been minor and others have been more serious, but it’s important not to give up, a few years ago I have had a heart arrhythmia which ended up with a 5 hour operation to fix this, i'm looking forwards to getting back involved with the training and sparring, If I had never done karate I would not be looking to carry on I would be sitting around not doing much. As things like this build up an inner strength, and I feel that is just as important as the fitness. I feel that this is also teaching you your own lesson to grow as an individual and mentor.
I have always taken criticism well and I try and build on what people say, lower grades as well as high grades everyone has some good advice.
I really enjoy Kata, kata is a big part of karate for me, my favorite are pinan godan, nianchi,Bassia and Seipai the list goes on, if all Kata’s are done properly they are very hard work I do like to see sharp movements with dedication.
I enjoy teaching Karate and handing my knowledge to my students and to start them on their journey of Martial Arts.
I have 36yrs behind me so I feel I have a good base, and although I am a 6th Dan I still feel that I’ve got lots more to learn.  I would still like to widen my knowledge in other Martial Arts so I can offer my students an even more of a variety.
I hold a lot of admiration and respect for Sensei Gerald Bacon, Sensei Pete Hodge and all the instructors that have been involved with my success as an instructor/student because they have given me the encouragement and the support that I’ve needed through my journey in Karate.
I hope I will be an inspiration to Many students for years to come.
OUSS
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