Our History

At CMA Karate we are fortunate to have received instruction from some of the best karate-ka in the world.

This includes the late Master Tatsuo Suzuki 8th Dan Hanshi, one of the foremost students of Master Hironori Otsuka 10th Dan Meijin the founder of Wado Ryu Karate Do.

In the U.K we have been lucky enough to learn from brilliant instructors, such as, Chris Kent 7^th Dan, Terry Robins 5^th Dan (RIP), Jon Wicks 8^th Dan, Wayne Otto OBE 6^th Dan 9 x World Champion, Geoff Thompson 7^th Dan World Champion, Nariman Jeddi 8^th Dan, Ian Abernethy 7^th Dan and Ticky Donovan 10^th Dan.

This has allowed us to evolve as an association and be confident to push our karate to its limits while still maintaining the traditional aspects of Wado Ryu Karate-Do.

Meet Our Instructors

Barry Lovett

5th Dan

Sensei Barry is one of our senior instructors, with many years experience teaching. He has trained with some of the best karate-ka, including Suzuki Sensei and Fukazawa Sensei. He is a serious karate-ka, who is not to be messed with when a bit grumpy.

Sensei Barry was also a referee for the English Karate Federation for over twenty years achieving the British Karate Federation referee qualification, refereeing at National, European and World competitions before retiring in 2017.

One of his most memorable moments in karate was visiting Japan for Suzuki Sensei’s 75th birthday and 60th year in karate celebrations. He also has remarked that Sensei James is one of his greatest achievements teaching karate!

Sensei Barry has always been thankful for the guidance and instruction of his senseis, Chris Kent 7th dan and Terry Robins 5th dan (RIP) from a raw beginner to where he is today.

Sarah Padget

4th Dan

Sensei Sarah is one of our senior instructors, she has an impressive karate history, with many students graded to black belt including championship winning students too! From thinking up new ways of teaching karate for the children, to going through kata to a meticulous standard and expecting a high level in traditional classes, Sarah gives everything to her students and demands the best from them! A very tough karate-ka (did you know she broke her foot in one of her black belt grades!) its best not to get between her and her coveted orange smarties!

Sensei Sarah has always been thankful for the guidance and inspiration of her senseis, Chris Kent 7th dan and Barry Lovett 5th dan from a complete beginner to where she is today.

James Archer

4th Dan

Sensei James is one of Sensei Barry’s most senior students at the Uckfield dojo. He is a traditionalist enjoying Kata and the traditional pairs such as Kihon Gumite, Tanto Dori and Tachi Dori. James is a very curious karate-ka, who loves looking into the history and differences our vast art has to offer. Did you know, he once turned up to our annual sleep over with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles duvet, he was aged 23!

Sensei James will always be thankful to Sensei Barry for his teaching, guidance and trust. Walking into the dojo that first time changed his life forever!

Mark Stears

4th Dan

Starting karate in 2002 at the age of seven, Sensei Mark is true example of what someone can achieve at CMA Karate. Enjoying the fighting elements of his karate, Mark likes to analyse kata, breaking it down to decipher the applications that can be applied to a fighting situation. Mark is also our webmaster creating and looking after our website as he is a developer by profession. Mark has also been known with another name (the pink panther) by some members of the club, this was after he attended a course out in Spain and was burned pink from the sun while training!

Our senior instructors, Barry and Sarah together have over fifty years experience practising and teaching karate.

After twenty years training in Judo, Barry started his training in karate in 1986, receiving his 1st Dan black belt in 1995 under Sensei Chris Kent of Kicks Martial Arts Centres (KMAC). Having started karate too late in life to compete Barry went into refereeing competition karate, refereeing at national, european and world levels for over twenty years.

With her son already training (to become a Power Ranger), Sarah started training in 1996, progressing through the grades and assisting in the dojo as an assistant instructor. Sarah attained 1st Dan and her EKF coaching qualification in 2002 and began teaching full time.

After many years of training and teaching at KMAC Barry and Sarah made the decision to branch out on their own, forming CMA Karate in 2009 joining the English Karate Federation through an affiliation with Sensei Suzuki’s Wado International Karate-Do Federation (WIKF) with Barry heading up the WIKF England referees as Chief Referee.

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With karate clubs throughout Sussex and Kent and a growing team of instructors Barry and Sarah parted ways with WIKF to begin a new stage of CMA Karate, receiving association status with the English Karate Federation in 2018.

Over the years both Barry and Sarah have produced many students, including their own sons, to black level and in the competitive world of Sport Karate they have had many students become National, European and World Champions in Wado and All Styles events.

Barry and Sarah have always demanded the best from their students, something they now instil in their instructors. This helps maintain the highest standard of karate that we can all be proud of.

We feel that if our students become better than us, then we have done a good job!

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