SENSEI KLEIN (continued)

Lawrence remained a student at Pickets Lock right through the 70’s and 80’s and into the 90s and started his first club at the Wellington Road Youth Club, North Chingford, London in 1985. Lawrence was assisted and guided in his new teaching role by Michael Herbert 3rd dan and Alan Keegan first dan. His connection with his original club continued and Lawrence stayed closely connected to his club instructors Mick Randall 8th Dan and Greg Durant then 5th dan. Lawrence taught twice a week at his club but continued his personal training at his mother club 2 or 3 times a week.

During this time many new karate associations were born and many splits made between various clubs and associations it was a time of great change and confusion. Kanazawa had split from the Japan Karate Association. Then the North London Club split from Kanazawa. Many similar events were taking place all over the country and beyond.

Lawrence entered a number of competitions around the country and enjoyed some personal success but his real passion was his club and teaching his students with the aid of his senior instructors.

He was very fortunate to train with so many famous and prominent karate experts from both here and Japan. Lawrence attended a great number of the Crystal Palace Courses that took place each year and the visiting instructors were among the top experts in the world. The courses were overseen by the legendry Sensei Enoeda, he was the Chief European Instructor at that time and the Chief Instructor of the Karate Union of Great Britain. Lawrence was a frequent visitor to the famous Marshall Street Dojo, in London and was often able to train in the lunch time sessions with Sensei Enoeda or his assistant instructors.

Lawrence has also visited Japan a number of times to train at the world headquarters for his style, he has also been to Sensei Kanazawa's Dojo in Kugahara on the outskirts of Tokyo many times, he is the only local Shotokan Karate Instructor with this valuable experience. Lawrence has graded under a number of great Karate - ka, Sensei Kanazawa, Enoeda, Ochi, Tanaka, Osaka, Sawada, Assano, Andrew Sherry & M Randall. Few practitioners can boast such a prominent list of grading instructors and teachers and over such a long time of training. More..