Bushido Barnoldswick History

The Club was formed in 1995 by John Idle (5^th Dan Black Belt) with the help of friend and long time training partner Norman Hudson (also 5^th Dan) and his wife Brenda (4^thDan). John and Norman had at that time, trained together several times a week for almost twenty years.  Both were, however, becoming increasingly uncomfortable about their previous club’s apparent drift into isolation.  Bushido Ju-Jitsu Barnoldswick  (Barnoldswick is our home town in the North of England), was formed with the sole intention of steering a course back towards our roots within the British Ju-Jitsu Association.  To this end, we applied to join the elite Bushido Ju-Jitsu Academy based on Merseyside.  These are a sub-division of the British Ju-Jitsu Association ( BJJA GB) and are run by some of the highest ranked Ju-Jitsu exponents in the world.  We were accepted into their ranks in 1995.

Since then we have been joined by Messrs Philip Atkinson (5^th Dan), Richard Asbery (5^th Dan) and Robert Rebanks (4^th Dan).  These three, along with the afore mentioned Norman and Brenda Hudson now form our working committee, with John Idle the Founder and Chief Instructor.

At present we have 30 students, the Highest Kyu-grades being Brown Belts.  These Brown Belts can look forward to a year of intensive training in preparation for being considered for Dan grading.  The other Kyu-grades are progressing well and all seem to enjoy the keen amateur spirit within the club.  All we ask in return is that they observe the proper etiquette and that they treat the art with the respect it deserves and not reduce it to the level of a  commodity to be bought and sold – should they go on to become instructors themselves one day.