Meet the Team

Grand Master Hanshi Ken Stronach

Experience: 7th Dan Grand Master Instructor – Tora Kai Karate 45 years martial arts experience
Favourite film: Never ending story
Favourite Food: Roast dinner
Favourite Car: Old Vw Beetle
Favourite Quote: My goal is not to be better than anyone else… Instead, it’s to be better than I used to be… – Dr Wayne W. Dyer

Experience: 5th Dan Master Instructor – Tora Kai Combative Aikido 40+years experience
Favourite Film: Highlander
Favourite Food: Steak
Favourite Car: 69 Dodge Charger
Favourite Quote: Always remember that you are perfectly unique, just like everyone else. – Margaret Mead

Experience: 5th Dan Tora Kai Karate Instructor Training in Karate schools from the age of 6, achieved Black Belt in Wado Ryu Karate, 2nd Dan in Bushido Karate, 5th Dan Tora Kai Karate Teaching Martial Arts and Self Defence since 2001.
Favourite Film: Forrest Gump
Favourite Food: Pizza
Favourite Car: Mk2 VW Golf
Favourite Quote: The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning. – Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Experience: 3rd Dan Tora Kai Combative Aikido Instructor I started martial arts in 2003. Got my 1st Dan in Aikido-te in 2008, black belt in bushido karate 2009 and green belt in Ken Kai Ryu which I wear proudly around the house to this day.
Favourite Film: Kung Fu Panda (1, 2 & 3)
Favourite Food: Slow cooked, pulled beef, chilli with fresh homemade guacamole
Favourite Car: Mercedes G wagon
Favourite Quote: Tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip. – Winston Churchill

Experience: 3rd Dan Tora Kai Technical Director. Home Ed Lead Instructor, , full-time karate instructor.
I joined in 2011 when I was 5 years old, I am now a full-time Karate Instructor, Home Education Lead Instructor as well as Technical Director for Tora Kai Karate.
Favourite film: The Longest yard
Favourite Food: Gyros
Favourite Car: Ford Mustang 1969
Favourite quote: It always seems impossible until it’s done. – Nelson Mandela

Experience: 3rd Dan Tora Kai Karate Instructor, Tricking Coach, Tiny Tigers and Juniors Lead Instructor. I started my journey at 5 years old and now I currently hold a 3rd Dan. I’m a full-time karate Instructor at Tora Kai Karate.
Favourite Film: Rambo
Favourite food: Cheeky Nando’s
Favourite Cars: Nissan Skyline r34/ GTR
Favourite Quote: Even the strongest warriors experienced fears. What makes them a true warrior is the courage they possess to overcome that fear. – Vegeta, Dragonball Z

Experience: Black Belt in Tora-Kai Karate. I started my Martial Arts journey in August 2020. I have a wealth of knowledge in the admin world and work full time at the centre, looking after all our wonderful members.
Film: Three Men and a Little Lady
Food: Roast dinner with all the trimmings
Car: Fiat 500
Quote: It’s not about being better than someone else, it's about being better than you were the day before.

Experience: Black Belt in Tora-Kai Karate
Film: Wolf on Wall Street
Food: Steak, egg and chips
Car: Porsche 911 GY3 RS
Quote: Don't let your mind bully your body into believing it must carry the burden of it's worries.

Experience: Karate Mum for 13 years. I received my Black Belt after 4 and a half years of training. I volunteered at the club for 9 years and now run the Dojo Coffee Shop on site.
I began Mushin Training 3 years ago and became a Mushin Well-Being Coach in 2024.
Film: Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Food: English Breakfast
Car: 1972 Ford Mustang Cobra
Quote: The heart of the human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, or gives you a sense of meaning, by joy or passion. Terry Orlick

Experience: 2nd Dan Tora Kai Karate Instructor.
Favourite Film: Showdown in Little Tokyo
Favourite Food: Always a good veg chillie.
Favourite Car: Lamborghini and the 80’s Transam.
Favourite Quote: My own quote: “Life is a projection of our own deliberate thought, word and action.” This one is also special to me: “live, love, laugh.”