Gareth Rees( 7th dan)

Began training almost 50 years ago, and is one of the original students from the mid 1970s who practiced the martial arts when karate and kung fu first came to Banbury.

After some years training with the Lau Gar kung fu club, Sensei Rees started his training with the Shukokai karate style, under the tutelage of Sensei Mick Crossley (The Banbury Karate Academy)

Gareth opened his first club in 1987(Banbury Shukokai Karate Centres) and now in its 39th year with 10 active clubs in and around the Banbury area.  After 50 years karate training, his goal continues to be the pursuit of excellence and knowledge in the study of karate-do.

Gareth Rees is a fully DBS checked karate instructor/coach.He and all the clubs are registered with the Shukokai Karate Association governing body and has successfully been instructing children and adults for 40 years.

BELOW: Senior grade course, Banbury October 2024

Here at Banbury Karate Centres, we teach children and adults.  

SELF CONFIDENCE

Karate helps prepare a child for life.  The children in our karate classes know more is expected from them and with a little encouragement and support from their instructor and parents , they can rise to the occasion.

ETIQUETTE

Children are taught from the outset that karate is primarily a defensive and not an offensive martial art.  They learn to be polite and respect their fellow students.

WHAT WILL TRAINING INVOLVE?

Your training will be structured into 3 main sections: Kihon(basic techniques) Kata(set sequences of techniques) Kumite (sparring) and Padwork.  Each section has a range of complexity to suit the different skill levels of students.  Kumite will be introduced to you as basic blocking and counter attacking, but will ultimately lead you to freestyle fighting, where you will be taught to attack with and defend against unannounced attacks.

HOW WILL I MEASURE MY PROGRESS?

Students are entitled to take grading examinations, conducted by senior SKA examiners after set periods of training.  There is a grading syllabus for each level with coloured belts used to denote the grades.  With regular and correct training, students can expect to achieve black belt standard within 4 to 5 years.

Please contact for details banburyshukokaikarate@gmail.com