Shim's Way Instructors
The instructors at Shims Way Jujitsu have all been involved with the compilation of the new syllabus, bringing their experience from other martial arts. All the instructors are fully insured and have qualifications in First Aid, Child Protection, Health and Safety, Coaching and Instructing. Learn more about the instructors and their experience of martial arts below.
Organisational Structure of Shims Way Jujitsu
Sensei Steve Pinfold - Chief Instructor/Owner (5th Dan Jujitsu, 4th Dan Brithai, 1st Dan Karate)
I lived in Singapore for 4 years and my relatives are still resident there. I first arrived in the United Kingdom after Singapore and moved to Portsmouth, Hampshire. I then moved to Deal in Kent which is near to where I have settled.
Why did I take up Martial arts?
My main reason was that I was bullied at school. Having an English Father and a Malaysian Mother made me different. I was commonly described as 'half cast'. It can be cruel, the things that children say but do not neccessarily understand. My experience of these instances carried on for most of my secondary school life until I left school at eighteen years of age. I had had enough of being bullied so decided to take up Shotokan Karate and weight training (1984).
How have Martial Arts benefitted me?
I felt that the Karate gave me confidence, discipline and a new circle of very good friends. One very important lesson I have learned is never to judge someone by their looks, never think that you are unbeatable and there is always someone who is bigger, faster and better than you, so beware. I attended classes 2 to 4 times a week and entered several competitions. Something that I feel was an honour was to be training under Sensei Enoeda & Sensei Ohta at a couple of classes. I continued karate until 1996 and left as a 1st dan.
The Evolution of Shim's Way Jujitsu
In 1996 three friends and myself started a small fighting and keep fit club. One was a complete novice to Martial arts but had done some boxing, another was a Dan grade at Aikido and the other, like myself, had made the Dan grade at Karate. We trained in Kick Boxing, Aikido, Karate and Boxing to keep fit. For about 6 months we hired a small hall at the Young Offenders Institute in Dover.
In the early part of 1997 we were introduced to new comer, a soft talking, very pleasant northerner his name - Mark Shimwell. Every Tuesday thereafter we trained with Mr Shimwell who tied us up in knots with a style called Jujitsu! I was taken aback and very smitten.
Unfortunately we lost our Tuesday venue along with two of our gang so we then started a Jujitsu club in a local village hall, which had a very hard and very cold floor. The three of us (Mark Savage, Mark Shimwell and myself) trained whenever and wherever possible. Mark Savage and I took our 1st Dan's in June 2000 followed by our 2nd Dan's in August 2001.
When our Instructor Mark Shimwell (5th Dan) moved away in July 1999 I started a new school at a new venue with a brand new name. 'Shim's Way Jujitsu' was named partly after my instructor. Since then the school has blossomed and grown into a nice sized club. We now have a large size hall covered with matting and teach around 40 junior students and an adult class of 20 members upwards.
The calibre of my student's is very high as we have quite a few senior grades from other styles learning Jujitsu. All started from white belt and progressed upwards. There is a great sense of belonging to the school and I am very proud of my students' achievements through the years and I acknowledge how the school has grown with their help and commitment! They all train hard and reap the benefits - "From little acorns do mighty Oaks grow". I like to think of them all as friends as well as martial artists, we are one large happy family.
What do I see ahead for the club?
We will endeavour to ensure that Shim's Way Jujitsu school retain our very high standards and the highest possible profile in the public domain. We aim to assist the community where possible and to continue our charity work whenever possible. In addition to this we will continue to set a good example to others and to provide any persons involved with the best available training, instruction and coaching.
We aim to highlight the positive side of Martial Arts and to assist Toka Maf [visit http://www.tokamaf.org.uk/] in giving the correct Martial Arts profile by encourage others to take up the challenge and prolong Martial Arts' good name. Bring on the challenge we are all willing and ready to embrace it.
Remember:
Do not judge others by what you think they should do or say, but by how you treat them and they reciprocate. Do not measure a person by their looks and what they do, but by how they do it. To wear a black belt does not mean you have stopped learning, you have just begun to know what true learning is.