Sempai Ian Culpan

Photos:

In November 2011 Sensei Ian competed with Fran and Bex in the Team Kata event at the JKS Nationals in Nottingham.

Above : Sensei Fran, Ian and Bex perform Jion for Team Kata

Achievements
1990	1st	Kodokai National Championships	Team Kata
1989	2nd	Kodokai National Championships	Brown Belt Kata
1989	2nd	SSKC	Kata
1988	1st	SSKC	Kata
1987	2nd	SSKC	Kata

Ian's Grades
9th Kyu	14th September 1986
8th Kyu	15th February 1987
7th Kyu	31st May 1987
6th Kyu	6th September 1987
5th Kyu	24th Jan 1988
4th Kyu	29th May 1988
3rd Kyu	4th September 1988
2nd Kyu	29th January 1989
1st Kyu	17th May 1989
1st Dan	2nd December 1990
2nd Dan	26th February 2012

Date of Birth: 31st May 1972

Home Town:

Date entered martial arts: September 1986

Date entered Selby Shotokan Karate Club: September 1986

Karate Highs: Gaining Shodan at a York course with Sensei’s Kato and Kagawa. Then 6 weeks after this getting to the final of the national championships in Black Belt Kata (I came last in the final but getting there was victory enough for me).
Being part of the team from SSKC that won the national championships in team kata was also a big one for me, especially as it was in the same year as the above.
In general most of my time when training in karate has been a high, I have even taken the lows and tried to get something positive from them.
Karate Lows: Stopping training when I went to university due to University politics. Getting frustrated because I can not do things the way sensei wants me and generally not being as good as I would like to be.
Favourite Kata: As far as the standard 26 go it would be Heian Godan for a Kyu kata, some good application in there. Empi is my favourite grade kata and Sochin, Kanku Sho and Bassai Sho for the next level. I have not nearly had enough instruction in these, but do love to perform them as to me each has a very challenging aspect that pushes my karate to the next level. Above these I also love Jiin and Gojushiho Dai, I would love to do these kata more as well and hopefully over the coming years I will.
The fact is that I love kata and being part of the IJKA is like all your Christmas’s at once if you, like me, love kata. I have gone through Kashu a couple of times in training with Sensei Helen and Meikyo Nidan (my favourite youtube kata) with Sensei Paul so these would rank as my favourite Asai kata (even though I do not know them all the way through). So as you can see I am a Kata NERD.
Karate Ambitions: To get the standard I once was and then build my karate from there. I have a long way to go and much to catch up on. More importantly I want to be a good student and hopefully give something back to SSKC. As an aside, want to loose weight which will help not only in my karate life, but also in my home life as well.
When I was a youngster the one true ambition I had was to represent my country in Karate, I might be too far passed it now, but I will not give up trying. If I fail I will still have tried.
Other Interests: Well I have a very young family so they take up most of mine and my wife’s time, but I enjoy cooking and gardening. Both me and the better half love gardening (we are no bloody good at it), but love it though.

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