OUR INSTRUCTORS

Training under the WKC

Because we are affiliated to the Welsh Karate Collective, our instructors teach to one shared syllabus and our students grade in front of a national panel rather than their own teacher. That keeps the standard honest and means a belt earned in Bryn carries the same weight at any affiliated club in Wales. See how belts and grading work, or come and meet the team at a free first session.

What the grades and titles mean

Sensei is the term for a qualified instructor - literally “one who has gone before” - and is earned, not adopted. Dan grades are the black belt ranks: 1st Dan (shodan) marks the point at which the basics are considered sound, and each grade after that represents years of further training. Junior and assistant instructors on this page are club members who help run sessions under the supervision of a senior instructor; they are named here because you will meet them on the mat, not because they carry teaching qualifications yet.

Safeguarding and insurance

Our instructors hold Advanced DBS checks and first aid qualifications, and every session is insured through the Welsh Karate Collective. Classes are run by more than one adult, and parents are welcome to stay and watch any session - we would rather you saw exactly how your child is being taught. If you have a safeguarding question, ask any instructor directly; nobody will mind.

Why more than one instructor matters

A club with a single teacher moves at that teacher’s pace and stops when they are away. Having several instructors on the mat means beginners get attention while senior grades are pushed, corrections come from more than one pair of eyes, and classes run whatever the week throws up. It is also how the next generation of instructors is built - several of the assistants listed here started as juniors in this club.