JKS Karate Chester (Hoole) School Instructor Spotlight

JKS Karate Chester (Hoole) Club Instructor Paul McAvoy (1st Dan) pictured here with JKS Chief Instructor Masao Kagawa Shihan 9th Dan at the JKS Spring Seminar on Sat 9th March 2019. ​Your club instructor may be getting on a bit but he has a wealth of experience to bring to any class. He started training aged 7 years old under his fiercest critic, his father in Bangor, Northern Ireland.  There is much talk about the good old days and moaning and groaning among senior (read as older) karateka about the decline of standards from the golden days of Karate in the 70's and 80's. As a product of those days Paul can testify that training methods have become somewhat more bearable. Running barefoot through a park in January in Northern Ireland builds a degree of fortitude if it doesn't strike you down with pneumonia! ​Paul has been teaching and training in traditional shotokan karate for 39 years. His greatest learning moment in karate came at the age of 16 when he failed his Shodan Black Belt under, Keinosuke Enoeda Sensai then Chief Instructor of the JKA (Great Britain & NI) for lack of spirit during sparring. This lack of spirit became a thing of the past quickly thereafter, and four years later, in 1993 when he retook and this time passed his Shodan, under Chief Instructor Masao Kawasoe (UKTKF), the sparring was vigorous indeed.  ​Paul's primary focus is on ensuring that students become the best karateka that they can be. His emphasis on traditional martial arts values and the occasional revisit to old school training methods ensures the highest of standards among all pupils. Paul has completed extensive Instructor training, is CRB enhanced checked and First Aid qualified. Additionally in his professional life, he is a qualified and practising sports therapist, working with athletes and the general public to fix faulty movement mechanics that often lead to injury. For those that are already injured, he helps them rehabilitate themselves to pain free movement and optimal sporting performance. He is a highly motivated individual, who realises the importance of his own training and development so that he can continue to inspire his students and deliver the high standard of tuition that is expected. He routinely spends 8 1/2 to 10 hours per week engaged in activities designed to complement and supplement his Karate practise. ​Paul established JKS Chester in Hoole to ensure that the people of Chester had access to the highest levels of teaching expertise and were able to train in a club that maintains direct links to traditional karate in Japan.