Sensei Mead established the RKAGB after studying in Japan under the late Grandmaster Motokatsu Inoue. Possessing 6th Dan in Karate and Kobujutsu, he provides tuition in both Ryukyu Kobujutsu and Yui Shin Kai Karate.

Sensei Mead's experience makes him uniquely qualified and he has provided instruction to students from all over the world, continuing the teachings handed down to him by Motokatsu Inoue.

The Association continues to grow under his guidance, promoting the traditional approach and understanding so important with authentic systems.

Compiled from various magazine articles and illustrated with numerous photographs, these pages explain Sensei Mead's background and his 30 year long career in martial arts, providing a valuable insight into the training and development path that he has followed.

Part 1: Early Training

Sensei Mead started his martial arts training at the age of 16 years old in 1974 with Sensei Kitamura studying Wado Ryu. Having had some involvement in boxing and enjoyed fighting, martial arts seemed the obvious vehicle to use to channel this energy. After taking several grades, Sensei Mead was introduced to a student of Sensei John Sullivan, who invited him to the Yui Shin Kai and Ryu Kyu Kobujutsu club. Sensei Mead accepted the opportunity to train with Sensei Sullivan and quickly became a serious and dedicated practitioner of the Yui Shin Kai Karate system.

It would be a lie to say that Sensei Mead did not enjoy the hard kumite lessons run by Sensei Sullivan, being 6ft 3inches proved to be very useful. Having a teacher of similar size does allow a natural absorption and understanding without the adjustments required for varying heights.

In due course Sensei Mead was invited to the Kobujutsu lessons, which predominantly were held on a Sunday morning. The timing of the lessons proved to be a failing for many after the Saturday night indulgences, and attendance varied accordingly. When you're between 18 and 20, having to get up early to train is hard enough, but practicing Kobujutsu in addition to Karate, demands a great deal of commitment. Sensei Mead?s evolving gritty approach allowed him to progress, but at that stage Kobujutsu did not have the same appeal as Karate.

Sensei Mead's enthusiasm and desire to improve involved him in many karate championships for the club. Sensei Sullivan produced some excellent fighters both Wuko and full contact compliant. There were many occasions when they would visit other clubs to fight, something which is not considered appropriate today. Nevertheless it provided the excitement of not knowing what you were up against and taught the need to come to terms with opponents to defeat them as quickly as possible.

Desire for further challenges then led Sensei Mead to join the marines, something Sensei Sullivan found abhorrent. His philosophy was that a martial artist grows to be independent and individual whereas the forces cultivate group dependence. His suggestion, or perhaps demand was that before being posted Sensei Mead should consider going to Japan to continue his training. Sensei Inoue accepted Sullivan's request for him to train at the Honbu dojo and much to the displeasure of the forces, Sensei Mead set off for Japan.

 Part 2: Japan

In April 1980 Sensei Mead arrived in Tokyo, unable to speak any Japanese and with enough money for about 6 months existence. He still recalls the first visit to the Honbu dojo with Sensei Sullivan and the feelings of trepidation. The most obvious impact was the smell of sweat and the disciplined lines of students who all looked the same. The noise of an instructor shouting commands and the unified response of the students, intense and focused.

To one end of the hall was Sensei Inoue, a man of great presence and sparkling attentive eyes who never seemed to miss anything. He approached and from a hard watchful face broke into a boyish smile and greeted them both with great warmth.

It was obvious that he held Sensei Sullivan in high regard, something Sensei Mead found out later to be due to Sensei Sullivan's attitude and approach. They were then invited to sit and watch the lesson, very different from that of England, an impression that would last to this present day.

 They were then taken out to dinner where the itinerary was explained and Sensei Sullivan asked Sensei Mead to train as hard as he could with the right attitude. He had stated he would be at the Honbu dojo for a week and requested that Sensei Mead be in the dojo at 8:00 am the next morning with Sensei Inoue. He arrived early and changed and waited for his first lesson, only to be greeted by a taxi outside the dojo with Sullivan waiving from the window saying "I have to go now but you will be alright!" before driving away. This was the start of the training for independence and individualism.

 The dojo apartment was attached to the dojo so there was no escape from the training, the noise, and the atmosphere. The dojo was run in a strict format with everyone knowing exactly what they had to do and what was expected of them. Students had to be seated in seiza prior to the arrival of Sensei Inoue and respect and manners were paramount. Quickly the young Sensei Mead began to make progress along with the immersion into the Japanese etiquette and culture.

 Sensei Inoue who believed that you had to understand the roots, the culture, the why and how's in order to understand Japanese Budo, encouraged this. There was no rest from training, 7 days a week, working on kihon, kata, and kumite both in Karate and Kobujutsu. It was important that kobujutsu students had attained the level of Black belt in karate and inclusion into Kobujutsu was by only by invitation.

The combined training in Yui Shin Kai Karate and Ryukyu Kobujutsu opened Sensei Mead's eyes to the importance of bridging the gap between open hand and weapons. The body had to move in the same fashion and the importance of Tai Sabaki (body movement) and Yoko Sabaki (side movement) were paramount in order to achieve effectiveness.

During Sensei Mead's stay in Japan, which lasted for nearly 6 years, the relationship grew and Sensei Mead joined the seniors in doing Kobujutsu demonstrations around Japan. This proved to be a useful teaching ground in the aspects of zanshin (awareness) and Heiho (tactics). )

In time he accompanied Sensei Inoue to places such as Australia and South Africa to assist in teaching and learning much more about presentation. It was always emphasised that doing it is one thing but teaching it and getting effective results is another.

 Part 3: The RKAGB

In 1986 it was felt by Sensei Inoue that Sensei Mead needed to understand in his own way what he had been taught and it was implied that maybe he should leave Japan to take on his next step in development. This was initially taken as a feeling of rejection with the usual questions of what did I do wrong?

However as Sensei Inoue had had the guiding hand of Sensei Seiko Fujita (Koga Ninja Ryu) and been instructed in his development, Sensei Mead left Japan and returned to the United Kingdom to teach. It became very clear that as the bird must fly the nest one-day, leaving was an important part of Sensei Mead's development, evaluating and building on all that he had learnt. Growth is very important and one should look for expansion rather than containment.

On his return to England, Sensei Mead re-established the Yui Shin Kai Karate Club. The club was made particularly strong by a number of students from John Sullivan's original club, which had closed a few years before.

Many of the students returned to training with Sensei Mead and the club grew rapidly attracting students of all levels. Within a year the club had over 40 active students with a strong senior contingent to provide constant tuition in Kata and Kumite and in 1988 organised a friendly International event with the Yui Shin Kai Karate clubs in Finland and Sweden.

The Club soon developed to include additional classes in Ryukyu Kobujutsu, and the traditional nature of the style and the quality of the teaching, gained the club considerable recognition. Sensei Mead was invited to teach at various martial arts organisations around the country and it didn't take long before his reputation found an International audience.

In addition to refereeing at a number of International events he was soon invited to provide RyuKyu Kobujutsu training seminars around Europe, even being asked to provide weapons defense training to police forces at home and abroad.

In 1995 Sensei Mead formed the RyuKyu Kobujutsu Association of Great Britain, formally establishing the Club as the UK branch of the Honbu Dojo in Japan. The Association has grown rapidly with committed students establishing separate practicing branches in Scotland and Ireland and Sensei Mead teaches at these affiliated Clubs on a regular basis. He also teaches as a guest instructor at the established branches in other European Countries.

Sensei Mead's unique knowledge of Ryu Kobujutsu and expert training skills have made him a sought after teacher. He works tirelessly to promote RyuKyu Kobjutsu, offering classes 5 nights a week whilst also maintaining a busy schedule of weekend courses all over the world.