Charlie Culver

I began my learning of Karate in 1992, as a young boy in a small American town, under the only Sensei around, Sensei David Rhodes (6th Dan), Wado-Ryu. In Sensei’s class we would train a 3-prong system for 5 hours every week: Kihon, Kata, & Free-style sparring. This improved my confidence and self-defence capabilities at school while also being quite fun. I remember times when while we were sparring Sensei would turn off the lights, switch on a strobe light and blast cheesy 80’s rock anthems.

When misguided kicks come whirling at you in the dark from left, right and centre, you quickly learn to become VERY AWARE of your surroundings.

I earned my Sho Dan in March of 1997, by far the youngest black belt in Tennessee’s Wado-Ryu, with over 500 students state-wide. I competed in over 10 open style tournaments in both Kata and Sparring. Looking back, I don’t believe it’s right to award this rank to a child, but I am grateful for the experience, as it helped me in various ways in my teenage years.

Unfortunately, I had a very long hiatus from Karate, exactly 25 years! In my 30’s and as a Type-1 Diabetic feeling my health slip, I wanted something practical and stylistic to add to my training. I remembered karate and started again at dojos around Bedford under two excellent Senseis: Dan Young (CFTS - Shotokan 4th Dan) and Daljit Virdee (VGK - Goju Ryu 3rd Dan). I took traditional depth from Shotokan and hard conditioning and Iri-kumi sparring from Goju’s hard-soft style.

It was VERY challenging studying Shotokan and Goju-Ryu simultaneously, as you must ensure an understanding of the differences and nuance of technique along with the purpose of movement. I love driving into the theoretical explanation and practical expression of a simple technique, but shown from two different style’s perspectives. Thinking of how one kata, derived through one stylistic lens but then adapted by another style and taught through China, Okinawa, Japan, and later the UK across a span of over 1200 years is quite a nerdy thing to ponder, but I love it. It’s history. It’s culture. It’s the study of Budo.

Studying multiple styles helps to shine a light on these hidden details. It opens your mind and allows you to feel a closer relationship with karate.

You begin to make the art your own.

In September 2025, I moved to Scotland and began training Wado-Kai with Sensei Michael Exley (5th Dan), but this was at a critical moment in my Shotokan journey, I was preparing for Sho Dan grading! Three times in a month I would make the 6 hour journey to Bedford and train with Sensei Young for several days, then return to Scotland where I’d rent out space at the local community centre and practice solo. Between all the sweat, time and petrol spent, I put everything I had into training for my Sho Dan, which I was awarded in October of 2025.

I deeply respect Sensei Young’s depth of knowledge and discipline in the art of Shotokan, so I always make sure to train in his dojo at every opportunity I get. Through training under him and also Sensei Virdee, I have rekindled my passion for Karate. I continue to enjoy deepening my knowledge and broadening my skills within both traditional and modern martial arts to this day.