MARTIAL ARTS INSTRUCTORS

• 7th Dan
• Chief Instructor at Budokwai 1986-present
• B.Ed(Hons) Physical Education
• M.A Educational Management
• NPQH Occupation Assistant Principal

Contest Record:

• NHC Area Champion 1975-1979
• All England Champion 1978
• British National Champion 1979
• British Student Champion 1975-1979
• Various Internationals including World Student Games 1978 & 5th European Team Championships 1980

Peter started Judo in 1965 at South Bucks Judo society. Having been graded as a junior by Tony Leaper and Alan Green, Peter started to train at the Budokwai in 1971. In 1973 Peter was awarded his 1st Dan on first attempt at the Budokwai. His line up included Chris Bowles who later also went on to represent the Budokwai and Great Britain in the Olympic Games.

7th Dan
Senior Instructor at the Budokwai
Vice Chairman London Area
Chairman / Senior Instructor Wimbledon Judo Club
Brazilian JuiJitsu Black Belt
Celebrity Personal Fitness / Judo Trainer
SUMMARY CONTEST RECORD

Northern Home Counties Champion - 1980
British National Champion – Multiple
All England Champion – 1983
Austrian Open – Silver 1984
Welsh Open Champion – Multiple
Scottish Open Champion - Multiple
British Closed Champion – Multiple
British Masters Champion – 1985
British Open Champion – 1990, 1993,1994
European Team Bronze- Multiple
European Silver – 1993
Paris Tournament Bronze – Multiple
Commonwealth Games Champion – 1986.1990
Dubrovnic Cup Champion – 1987
Olympic Silver – 1992
Olympic Representative - 1996
Ray gained his black belt in a line up aged 16yrs and competed on the GB squad from 1980 – 1997.
Ray has had a long and illustrious career inside British Judo and is known internationally as someone who has excelled at the highest level whose approach combines dedication with technique and creative flair. 
He was always considered by his fellow competitors and the judo public as one of the most skilful of Judoka with his dynamic throwing and equally effective groundwork techniques. 
His professionally competitive approach, but non-intimidating style and regard for dojo ethos has led him being valued as an inspirational teacher.
Ray’s recent acceptance of the position of Vice Chairman of the BJA London Area promises additional and exciting benefits for British Judo.
 www.raystevensacademy.co.uk 

2nd Dan

Personal Testament:

I started practicing Judo when I was 9 years old in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.
When I was 11 year my coach asked my parents to let me go to the Academy EIDE - Escuela de Iniciacion Deportiva Escolar, which is a Specialist Sports School.
I had to leave my house and stay there full time for 4 years . In those 4 years, I got to see my family every 25 days for 5 days at a time.
After a successful time there I had the opportunity to go to La Habana the capital of Cuba to become part of the Cuban Squad in 1996.
I had a great experience, was able to improve my skills in Judo and I made very good progress. As part of the squad, I had the opportunity to train with Israel Hernandez twice bronze medal Olympian and Manolo Poulot, World Champion and bronze Olympic medalist. They both came from Santiago de Cuba.

Testimonial:

David is a professional, qualified and experienced Judo coach, referee, sports teacher and personal trainer. As a national Cuban Junior Judo Champion and winner of the Best Regional Coach award, David Mesa Rey has been a successful and effective role model and mentor to his students and coaching colleagues. Achievements include leading teams to national success using a mixed approach of positive motivational psychology and discipline. A native Cuban with leave to remain in the UK David is looking for challenging opportunities to apply his skills and experience in the UK.

Qualifications and other Skills:

• Black Belt 2 Dan
• Qualified and accredited Therapeutic Sports Masseur
• Qualified First Aid for Judo
• Qualified and experienced Judo Referee including matches at a regional level
• Experienced teacher, coach and mentor to Junior National Judo Champions
• Excellent leadership skills including organisational lead for national competitions
• Team leader and mentor to junior coaches
• First class planning skills for team and individual improvement from individual sessions to long

Schemes of work

• Native Spanish speaker
• Competent in English (Cambridge ESOL)
• CRB Checked

Sporting Successes:

Competitor

• 1994 Cuban National Junior Judo Championships Silver medal
• 1996 Cuban National Junior Judo Championships Gold medal
• 1997 International Judo Championships Team member
• 1999 Cuban National Judo Championships Silver medal
• 2001 Cuban National Judo Championships Bronze member

Coach

• 2003 Cuban National Junior Judo Championships 1st place
• 2004 Cuban National Junior Judo Championships 2nd Place
• 2005 Cuban National Junior Judo Championships 2nd Place
• 2010 Named Best Coach in Santiago de Cuba
• 2010 Cuban Regional Junior Judo Championships 1st place

I began Judo at age five and trained for six years at Nagasaki Nihon University Junior and Senior High School, the same school as Olympic champion Takanori Nagase (-81kg). In my third year of high school, I became team captain and represented Nagasaki Prefecture in the inter- high competitions in both the -73kg category and team events.

I then attended Meiji University, known for producing elite judoka like Masashi Ebinuma (-66kg, two-time Olympic medalist) and Haruki Uemura (Montreal Olympic open-weight champion). During my second year, I tore my ACL and spent a year recovering. Despite this setback, I secured third place in the -73kg category at the All Japan University Championships in my fourth year and placed fifth at the Kodokan Cup.

After graduating, I continued judo for two years as a business team member. Since September 2023, I have been teaching judo at The Budokwai in London.

Contest Record:

2019 All Japan University Championships 3rd place in the -73kg category 
2019 Kodokan Cup Championships 5th place in the -73kg category 
Certifications:

3rd Dan (Kodokan, BJA)
British Judo 1st4Sport Level 2 Judo Coaching Course
NSPCC Child Protection in Sport and Physical Activity Course 
Judo Specific Emergency First Aid Course

• Chief Karate Instructor at Budokwai since 2003 when he took over from the late Sensei Enoeda
• Instructor at Budokwai since 1997
• 8th Dan in Shotokan Karate
• Chairman and Chief Instructor of the Japanese Karate Association England.
• Sensei Ohta is a graduate of Takushoku University. Between 1982 and 1993 he was the official assistant to the late Sensei K. Enoeda 9th Dan. During this time Sensei Ohta has built up an international reputation and is now considered as one of the most popular and technically skilled Shotokan Instructors in the world today. Sensei Ohta and the JKAE are dedicated to teaching authentic JKA Karate.

• Chief Instructor
• Instructor at Budokwai since 2000
• 4th Dan Shotokan Karate
• Winner of the Southern Region Championships - 8 times

Sue has been training in Shotokan Karate for the past 41 years. She went to Japan in 1981, 1983 and 1985 to further her Karate training. The last time she stayed 18 months. She trained at the JKA and was lucky enough to be able to train at the infamous Takushoku University where Sensei Enoeda and Sensei Ohta graduated. In 1985 she took part in the 1st Shoto World Cup, where she was placed 5th in kata.

• Instructor at Budokwai since 1998
• 4th Dan Shotokan Karate

Jason has been training in Shotokan Karate for the past 25 years, during which time he trained in Japan under Sensei Yahari.

BJJ BLACK BELT (3RD DAN) + JUDO BLACK BELT (7TH DAN)

Ray has been a judo practitioner from an early age, he was a member of the Judo GB squad from 1980-1997, achieving various medals such as an ‘Olympic silver medal’ (1992). He was Roger Gracie’s first BJJ Black belt. He is also the head instructor at the Ray Stevens academy in Wimbledon. He has a special ability to assess the specific individual needs of his pupils within the group class, allowing you to work on exactly what it is needed for you to succeed and helping you improve faster.

BJJ PURPLE BELT (4 STRIPE)

Joseph has been training BJJ for seven years at the Budokwai. He has also trained with ‘American Top Team’ and the ‘Blackzillians’ in Miami Florida. He is a regular competitor, and placed 3rd in the Pan American tournament (2019), 4th in the British open (2018) and 5th place in the English open (2021).

BJJ PUURPLE BELT (4 STRIPE)

James has also been training at the Budokwai for seven years, he has been a martial artist his whole life, training in a variety of disciplines such as Tae Kwon Do (world silver medalist 1996 championships), kick boxing and Boxing. He discovered Jiu-Jitsu later in life and it became a real passion for him. He is a regular competitor. He has achieved gold medals in the ‘English open (2021), British open (2019), and the Abu Dhabi grand slam (2018).

Roberto Almeida started Judo at the age of four and has been a Judo black belt for over thirty years.  He is currently a fourth Dan Black belt. Roberto started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at the age of sixteen and he was a black belt by the age of twenty three.  He is currently a fourth Degree Black belt. Roberto was also a member of the Brazilian Judo National Team and five times all Brazilian Judo champion. Roberto is a former Judo coach to the Junior Brazilian National team.  He is also an international Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu referee.

Thomas Buckmaster holds a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Roger Gracie and is a 1st Dan black belt in Judo. He started both disciplines at the Budokwai, where he still teaches to this day. Thomas teaches the no-gi classes on Thursdays and places a large emphasis on fundamentals and efficient application of technique. He believes that Jiu-Jitsu is for everyone and if you give it time and patience, no matter how big or small you are, you can become a much stronger version of yourself. Remember a black belt is just someone who never gave up!

BJJ BLACK BELT (2ND DAN)

John has been training BJJ for 16 year, he received his black belt in 2015, he was also the first person to receive a BJJ black belt off Ray Stevens. He started martial arts from an early age, training in various styles such as Karate, Tae Kwon Do and kickboxing. He was a British kickboxing union junior champion at the age of 17.  John started training BJJ and Judo in 2006, he started teaching in 2011 and continues to do so today. He believes that BJJ is for everyone and all that is required is time.

I have been studying Aikido since 1997. I
am seriously committed to Aikido training,
participating every year at several
International Aikido Seminars in Europe
and Japan.
I hold a 5th Dan degree (Aikikai of Japan)
awarded in 2020 by my teacher, Tada
Hiroshi Sensei, 9th Dan Shihan, and a
Coach Level 2 certificate (Joint Aikikai
Council, UK, 2017).
I teach Traditional Aikido, following the line
of Tada Hiroshi Sensei. In this school,
classes are focused on the study of the
body art, the use of the weapons, the
breathing exercises and their connection
with the body and the mind.
Tada Hiroshi Shihan is a disciple of the
founder of Aikido, O’Sensei, Ueshiba
Morihei. Tada Sensei studied with the
O’Sensei for 15 years, before moving to
Italy (1964-1971). He is currently the
highest ranked Aikido Hombu Dojo
Instructor, he is still teaching regularly in
Japan and holding seminars abroad.
My Aikido path started in Rome in 1997,
after 8 years of intensive practice of
Kickboxing and Boxing. It started with a
seminar of Tada Sensei, and since then I
have been training Aikido assiduously and
travelled to Japan several times to study
Aikido under Tada Sensei’s guidance in
Tokyo at Gessoji Dojo and Hombu Dojo, for
periods varying between 2 and 6 weeks.
In 2008, I moved to Tokyo for about a year
and a half to deepen my understanding of
Aikido, studying at Gessoji Dojo under Tada
Sensei and at Hombu Dojo under the
current Doshu, Ueshiba Moriteru (grandson of the founder), the Dojo-Cho, Ueshiba
Mitsuteru, and the other Hombu Dojo
Shihan.
I started teaching Aikido in London in 2015.
In 2019, I opened my own Aikido Dojo, the
Ki No Nagare London.