Traditional Japanese karate · Adults of all ages
Wado Ryu Karate in Worthing. The way of harmony.
Classical Wado Ryu, taught the traditional way. Build flexibility, strength and calm, learn a complete martial art, and train at your own pace in a friendly, ego-free dojo. Beginners and returning karateka welcome.
Why adults train with us
A lifelong practice for body and mind
Wado Ryu suits the adult body. Its movement is natural and economical, built on evasion and timing rather than force, so you can start at any age and keep improving for decades.
Flexibility & mobility
Every class opens with a thorough traditional warm-up and stretching. Hips, spine, shoulders and hamstrings loosen week by week, and balance and posture improve with them.
Wellbeing & calm
An hour of focused practice clears the head. Breathing, kata and dojo etiquette bring a settled, mindful quality that people say carries into the rest of their week.
Fitness at your own pace
Strength, stamina and coordination build gradually. Nobody is pushed beyond what their body can do, and techniques are adapted for joints, injuries and age.
Confidence & self-protection
Wado Ryu blends karate with Shindo Yoshin Ryu jujutsu: strikes, evasions, locks and takedowns. You learn to stay calm, read a situation and protect yourself.
Adults of every age
Whether you are 18 or 80, there is a place on the mat for you
Our members include complete beginners, people returning to karate after decades away, and experienced black belts. Everyone trains together with respect, and everyone works at their own level.
- No previous experience or fitness level needed
- Ideal for returning karateka looking for a traditional club
- Stretching and mobility work suited to older students
- A welcoming, ego-free dojo with no pressure to compete
和道流 · Wado Ryu
Karate and jujutsu, joined in one art
Wado Ryu was founded by Hironori Ōtsuka, a master of Shindo Yoshin Ryu jujutsu who also studied Okinawan karate. He fused the two into a single style whose name means the way of harmony.
Where some styles meet force with force, Wado Ryu moves the body out of the line of attack and counters in the same instant. Its strikes and blocks sit alongside the locks, throws and takedowns of classical Japanese jujutsu.
That makes it efficient, practical and kind to the body, and it is why Wado Ryu remains one of the most respected traditional karate styles in the world.
The core principles
Training follows the traditional pattern of kihon (fundamentals), kata (forms), and paired work in kihon kumite, with etiquette and respect at its heart. We also teach the jujutsu side of the art, the locks and takedowns of Shindo Yoshin Ryu.
The syllabus
Wado Ryu kata you will learn
- Kata 1Pinan Nidan
- Kata 2Pinan Shodan
- Kata 3Pinan Sandan
- Kata 4Pinan Yondan
- Kata 5Pinan Godan
- Kata 6Kushanku
- Kata 7Naihanchi
- Kata 8Seishan
- Kata 9Chinto
Classes
One class, every Thursday evening
We train once a week at the West Worthing Club. Come along, watch or join in. Your first lesson is free.
No contracts and no pressure. Just turn up on a Thursday, or get in touch first and we will look out for you.
Book your free lessonSensei
Your instructors
Chief Instructor
David Oakley
David began karate at thirteen, and Wado Ryu was his first art. Over more than forty years he has also trained in Wing Chun, judo, jujutsu and boxing, and competed in kickboxing, always testing what works in reality. He kept coming back to Wado Ryu as the most complete and practical of them all.
A UK Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee, David teaches Wado Ryu Karate and Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu, and is a qualified Level 3 trainer in conflict management and physical intervention. His mission is simple: to pass on what martial arts have given him. Learn to fight so you never have to.
Instructor
Graham Williams
Graham learned his karate from the Japanese masters themselves, training under Tatsuo Suzuki, Kuniaki Sakagami and Masafumi Shiomitsu, alongside the respected British instructor Tony Heap. It was an era when training was hard and uncompromising, and his licence and grading record carry the names of examiners of a calibre rarely seen in modern martial arts.
Graham brings that depth of traditional knowledge to every Thursday class. His eye for detail and understanding of Wado Ryu come from decades on the mat, and he is generous in passing it on to every student, from first lesson to black belt.
David Oakley
UK Martial Arts Hall of Fame · 2022
Honours & qualifications
UK Martial Arts Hall of Fame
“Very honoured to have been inducted into the UK Martial Arts Hall of Fame. An honour to have been on the same stage as my peers and the heroes who inspired my journey in martial arts.” David Oakley
Books by David Oakley
Violence starts in the mind. So does survival.
David's books draw on decades of martial arts and frontline experience, including work in security for one of the world's largest casino groups.
Hard Target
The Art of Psychological Self Protection. The essential guide to street awareness and personal survival for women, men, teenagers, frontline staff, lone workers and backpackers. Learn to recognise danger early, defuse tension and protect yourself when there is no other option.
£15.95 paperback, inc. P&P
Buy with PayPalThe Alchemy of Violence
David's latest book on the psychology of violence, self-protection and the warrior mindset, drawing on a lifetime in traditional martial arts.
Find out more写真 · Gallery
On the mat
Training nights, self-protection courses and special occasions at the academy.
What students say
Reviews from our adult students
David made me feel safe and comfortable throughout the class and is clearly very knowledgeable. The movements I learned through repetition were surprisingly easy to master and left me feeling exhilarated and empowered.
Maria
David's teaching style is straight to the point, with scenarios made as life-like as possible. He is a very dedicated teacher who is clearly passionate about passing on his knowledge and experience.
Gina Hollands
We cannot rate David highly enough. He is incredibly patient and a very good teacher. We could not have picked anyone more experienced. We only wish we had found him a long time ago.
Paula Robinson
Courses
Women's self-defence & personal safety
Practical one-day courses in awareness, conflict management and physical self-protection, plus lone worker training for organisations.
Course dates →Charity
Help us fight CCHS
The academy raises money for Keep Me Breathing, supporting families living with Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome.
How you can help →Start your training
Your first lesson is free
Get in touch, or simply come along on a Thursday at 7.00 pm. We look forward to welcoming you to the dojo.
