Mark Holding Mitsuru Karate

Club Venues in Penrith, Keswick, Appleby, Shap, Dalston, Sedbergh and Carlisle

What Is Karate?

Wado Ryu Karate is a Japanese martial art, founded in 1934 by Grandmaster Hironori Otsuka. Wado Ryu is a fast fighting, scientific system and one of the most popular Karate styles practiced worldwide.

Benefits of our organisation

Why You Should Join Us

Karate is taught in a productive enjoyable environment by fully qualified and very experienced instructors. The clubs are family based with the capability of parents training along side their children. The style of Karate practised is Wado-Ryu Karate with a strong emphasis on functional self defence and competitive Karate.

About Us

Get To Know Us

The founder of the Club is Mark Holding 6th Dan a former British Champion and numerous national and International medallist. He is also a Current English Karate Federation Regional Coach
Mark is responsible for the day to day running of all the Clubs both in instruction an administrative aspect.

His background in the martial arts started as a child with Judo and Tae Kwon Do however his true love became Karate in the late eighties.
Training at the Chojinkai Karate Club at Penrith under Sensei Richard Bird and Chief Instructor Doug James. In 1995 he took over the running of the club as the Head Instructor on the retirement of Richard Bird and has ran the club for almost two decades.

In late 2014 he made one of the hardest decisions he has had to make and he left his then association British Karate Chojinkai to pursue and develop his students to his own ethics and beliefs.

Whilst the current clubs are new by name the structure behind them and the experience of the instructors goes back several decades. It is a modern progressive association training with traditional values.

dont just take our word for it

Club Members

Fin and Marshall talks about our club and how Karate changed their lifestyle. Karate isn’t just a sport, it diciplines the individuals whilst learning how to protect themselves as well as building new friendships along the way.

Frequently asked questions

Get To Know More

How do I join?

Come along and try the classes FREE for ONE MONTH to see if its for you.

What do I wear?

I do not even want you to think about a Karate Suit until you have a least finished the first free month, by that time, you will have an idea whether or not Karate is for you. Until then just track pants and T-Shirt is acceptable.