Bryan Andrews is the Senior Instructor at the Basingstoke Academy, he has nearly 30 years experience in the Martial Arts. He started practising in 1982 and earned his Black Belt in Karate in 1987. He has extensive experience having trained in a number of different Martial Arts including Karate, Taekwondo, Boxing, Kickboxing, Judo, MMA and Tai Chi.

 

He has successfully run a number of Martial Arts schools and in these, coached students to 3rd Dan Instructor level. He opened his first school in 1986 and his students were very successful in regional and national championships, regularly placing in the nationals. In 1992, he started to coach at two clubs and again he and his students did well at a National and International level with students selected to represent England, one of these won a Bronze medal in the World Championships in Japan. As his own clubs success grew he was invited to run regular courses around the UK for other instructors and their clubs, this culminated in him being appointed the National Squad Coach and taking the team overseas to compete.

 

His life in the Martial Arts took a new route in the early 1990’s when he was asked to become the assistant to the World Shotokan Karate Technical Director from Japan. This involved a great deal of work at a much more detailed  technical level and his personal training and learning reached a more advanced standard through the instructors training provided, which he is able to pass on to student and instructors alike in Basingstoke. During his time in the Martial Arts, Bryan has taught many seminars over all of the UK, in Europe, UAE and in USA and also successfully competed in many tournaments with his students.

 

In the last ten years, his focus has shifted to ensuring that the initial objectives of Martial Arts being for self defence have not been forgotten. He spends a significant amount of time with his Instructors and Coaches to this day to continue to refine and hone his skills. He spends a lot of time ensuring that his Martial Arts students in Basingstoke are able to defend themselves with a pragmatic and realistic approach to the Martial Arts.

 

 

Lindsey Andrews has 18 years experience in the Martial Arts and 30 years

experience of Dance and dance choreography, making her an ideal kata specialist. She has trained under many senior Japanese Masters enabling her to earn her Black Belt in just 2 1/4 years (most people take 4 to 5 years to reach their Black Belt). She was also nominated and selected as a finalist in the 2007 Sportsperson of the Year Awards for Basingstoke and Deane, for excellent Karate in Basingstoke.

 

Lindsey has always had a passion for teaching, particularly working with children and young adults. She has undergone formal teacher training aimed at all ages from young children through to adults. She qualified as a College lecturer in 1999 and this has had an enormous impact on what and how she teaches.

 

Within Shin Gi Tai Lindsey is the Programme Director with responsibility for designing and teaching our Children’s Karate and Martial Arts classes in Basingstoke. She also teaches our popular Team Freestyle and Combat Groove Classes, that combine Karate, Gymnastics and Dance.

 

Her pedagogical background has helped to ensure that our programmes are both fit for purpose and designed to maximise the student’s enjoyment and attainment. Each programme is matched to the emotional, physical, mental and social stages of each of the educational Key Stages. This helps to ensure that what is taught is relevant and pertinent to each age group.

 

 

 

Jonathan Swift is a black belt with 17 years experience in the Martial Arts and has

practised Karate, Muay Thai and Aikido. He started training with Sensei Bryan when he was just 12 years old and was selected to be part of the Junior UK Team, he then moved overseas and spent several years living in the Middle and Far East – an ideal opportunity to develop his Muay Thai, Aikido and Karate skills whilst training with some International senior instructors. Whilst in the Middle East he also trained with the UAE national squad. He is highly regarded by all our students as an excellent instructor with an in-depth knowledge of karate and its applications.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neil started his Martial Arts training in Judo, prior to progressing to Kung Fu, which he

studied for three years. He has been training in Karate since 2002 and has been teaching Karate since 2005. Neil has spent time studying the Wado Ryu, Goju and Shotokan styles of Karate.

Neil started training in Basingstoke with us in 2006 and since then has opened a class for us in Yateley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alex starting practicing Judo in Basingstoke when he was seven years old and now

twenty one years later he is both a Black belt and a qualified coach. Alex has done well in competition and has placed in the Judo Nationals and can pass this knowledge onto students. He has a thirst for knowledge and enjoys the challenge that training in Judo provides. Alex is especially strong at coaching Children to improve their Judo skills and is always keen to help the adults test out their new skills during a spot of Randori. Alex is a full time Judo coach spending his days coaching Judo in many schools throughout the South, although still relatively young he has a wealth of teaching experience, coaches many years his senior haven't reached yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Katherine has been practicing Martial Arts in Basingstoke since the Academy first

opened in Basingstoke in 2006 and can now often be seen helping out on the Mats when she isn't training for herself passing her knowledge on to other students as one of our instructors. She has a real thirst for Knowledge having studied Judo before starting Martial Arts with us and attends many weekend courses in her own time to further develop her skills and learn new ones. Katherine has worked hard to progress through the ranks and is proof that hard work really does equal success in the Martial Arts.