Senior Club Instructor at
Winchester Karate Club
I’m Simon Budden, the Senior Instructor to the Winchester Karate club and I’m currently graded at 7th Dan Karate, 5th Dan in Goju Ryu karate and 4th Dan in Shotokan Karate.
My martial arts experience dates to 1968 when I started boxing with my grandfather Bill Clarke who was a boxing coach, before taking up Judo in 1970, where I obtained brown belt, was silver medallist at the 1974 BJA Southern Area Championships and trained with the BJA Junior squad.
In late 1974 I took up Karate, first in Wado Ryu style for two years before settling in Shotokan which I gained my 4th Dan. In 2002, I changed to Okinawan Goju Ryu karate under the banner of IOGKF and gained my 5th Dan under Sensei Morio Higaonna 10th Dan in July 2006. In March of 2013 I formed the CMA group.
I have also trained in several other martial arts including Tomiki and Yoshikan Aikido, Western Boxing, Kick Boxing (Graded 3rd Dan), JKD under my friend and teacher Guru Jason Boh, Pak Mai, Wing Chun Kung Fu and Kodo Ryu karate with my good friend and author Dr Nathan Johnson 6th Dan.
I am also a former international competitor, past Captain of the Shotokan of England Team and have also been a member of the England All Styles Karate Squad. In addition, I’ve worked with and taught members of the Armed forces including elite regiments and for private security companies where I spent over 17 years on and off on the doors and CPTs.
In 1983, I founded the Winchester Karate Club, which after over Forty years is now Winchester's oldest karate and Combat club.
In 1989, I decided that it was necessary to pursue my teaching career on a full-time basis, as my commitments were growing. In addition to being the senior instructor at Winchester Karate Club and the CMA group, I teach at Winchester College, St Swithun’s Girls School, .Princes Mead School
In the past I have taught at The Pilgrims’ School, the University of Southampton, Wycombe Abbey Girls school (High Wycombe), Regents Park school (Southampton) the Army Training Regiment (ATR, now Army Technical foundation college)) The Bedales school, Perrins school, The Westgate School, Eaton College, Charterhouse, IBM Hursley and Peter Symonds College.
I have also run various self-protection courses (F.E.D.S. System) for private companies, school’s colleges and private individuals and Hampshire county council. I’m also a licensed Trainer of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and certified councillor (Middlesex University), certified 500 HR Advanced Yoga teachers (RYT) and Shiatsu tutor. Plus I practice the English Longbow.