Sensei Jim Dart

The association Chief Instructor is Sensei Jim Dart, who has been involved in the martial arts for over thirty years. He has previously held positions as Headmaster of the International Society of Traditional Judo in England and General Secretary of the Wado Kai England Karate-do Federation, where he was a member of the Technical Committee.

Following many years of training, gaining Dan grades in Karate, Zen Judo and Jujitsu, Jim established the Kenshindoryu style of Jujitsu Kempo in 1994 in an effort to redress what he saw as an imbalance in the existing major associations’ emphasis in training, whom he perceived as concentrating on the throwing and locking elements of Jujitsu, to the detriment of the striking techniques. With this in mind, he trained with leading exponents of  ‘pressure-point’ striking and grappling arts and incorporated additional techniques from western and Thai boxing. The study of vital points was also translated back through the karate clubs into the Karate kata bunkai (application).

After leaving the Zen Judo Family, following the death of his Sensei, Dominick McCarthy Shihan (8th Dan), Jim came across the International Society of Traditional Judo (ISTJ) style of Combat Judo, which already included these techniques, and he felt that by joining them, the circular aspect to his training would be completed (although ongoing study of the Japanese Sword Arts promises to expand the circle further). KDR Combat Judo now incorporates pressure-point or ‘reversionary’ applications to the majority of throws in the syllabus, but remains distinctly different from Jujitsu in its methodology and this is the subject matter for his book, Progressive Zen Judo, which will be available in 2010.

Jim has had the good fortune and honour to receive instruction under renowned martial arts masters who are specialists in their respective fields. Including:

Wadoryu Karatedo under Masters Tatsuo Suzuki 8^th Dan, Masafumi Shiomitsu 8^th Dan, Yoshitsugu Shinohara 8^th Dan and Kuniake Sakagami 7^th Dan

Zen Judo under the Founder, Master Dominick McCarthy, 8th Dan

Small Circle Jujitsu with Master Wally Jay, 10th Dan

Kyusho Jutsu with Master George Dillman

Shinkendo under Sensei Wayne Kensett and UK Shibucho, Byron Shepherd

Other credentials and experience include:

• General secretary Wadokai England Karate-do Federation (2001-2002)
• Headmaster (Eng) International Society of Traditional Judo (1998-2002)
• Chief Instructor Kenshindoryu Nippon Budo Kyokai
• Awarded Menkyo Shihan in Kempo Jujitsu by the Nippon Martial Arts Renmei (2009)
• Sensei Dart’s current grades include a combined total of over 20 Dan (black belt) rankings;
  • 5^th Dan KDR Traditional Judo
  • 5^th Dan Kenshindoryu Jujitsu Kempo
  • 4^th Dan Wadoryu Karate
  • 4^th Dan ISTJ Combat Judo
  • 4^th Dan BZJFA Zen Judo (3^rd Dan ZJF Zen Judo)
  • 4^th Dan Nihon-ryu Jujitsu (Menkyo Renshi - Nippon Martial Arts Renmei)