Budo Shin Ryu Martial Arts Academy | Mark Watson

“Martial arts is not about fighting; it’s about building character.”

We sit down with Mark Watson of Budo Shin Ryu, a mixed martial arts academy with classes all over South Cheshire and Staffordshire.

Mark opens up about his history with mixed martial arts, the many benefits for both adults and children and how martial arts supports his charity work aimed at supporting dog charities in the area.

Contact Mark via:

Facebook

07963 552107

kjujitsu@gmail.com

If you would like to feature as guest on a future episode of This Place, Our Voices, submit your application via our form: https://bit.ly/podme

"This Place, Our Voices" Credits:

Host: Elyssa Germain
Produced By: OneZeroCreative https://www.onezerocreative.co.uk/

Transcript

In this episode we join Mark Watson, a dedicated instructor and the heart of this multi style martial arts academy who's here to share how ancient martial arts transforms lives, building strength, resilience and a sense of connection for people of all ages. 

Hi Mark, nice to meet you.

Hi, pleasure to meet you too.

So, what inspired you to start practicing martial arts?

I think what it was when I was in my teens, my late teens, I was fed up with being bullied, to be fair, and I was getting a bit hot headed because I didn't know how to retaliate. And then, I stepped into a karate dojo for the first time when I was 18 and I did a bit of wadaru karate for a bit and then I did a bit of freestyle karate and then I had a sabbatical for a few years, got my career up and running because I was doing something else at the time. I was working on the railway, and it was just going into privatisation. And then I rekindled my love again because somebody introduced me to it again and I saw a martial art, which is kempo jujitsu, and I just fell in love with it all over again. And I thought, this is for me.

How long have you been training then? What led you to become an instructor?

All in all, it's about 40 years I've been involved in the martial arts, but without a sabbatical, probably about 34 years. I think what it was is because when your instructor has a bit of faith in you and he starts asking you to run clubs for them because you think, you've got some kind of panache, some kind of integrity to actually teach people. So, I started teaching a little bit for him and then I got to second Dan and then I was running different clubs for him now and again and then I started teaching again at another club and then that was it. I just fell in love with it. I just like the feeling of progression for children. You know, seeing people do really, really well in their achievements because they try so hard. Because everybody knows that you can be downtrodden quite easy. If you see some one progressing and you're behind them 100%, that makes a world of difference.

Are there any memorable moments you can share from your martial arts journey?

Well, there's quite a few. I mean, I think what sticks in my mind when I got my black belt, that was an experience, you know, that was fantastic. You work all them years and you get that black belt and then you get that tired around draw away from someone bows to you and cause your senser. You think that's the most amazing feeling in the world. And being in competitions as well, we did a bit of ground fighting, grappling competitions. That was a good buzz. I really enjoyed that. it opened my eyes to a lot of things then because I thought, well, this is what martial arts about diversity. Instead of just punching and kicking and what have you, it just opens your head up a little bit more for a bit of contentious achievement.

How do you adapt your teaching style for students of different skill levels?

I look for their strengths first. I don't look at the weakness, I look at their strengths and I put that to one side, and I work on something else. I'm not saying to them directly that's a weak part of you. It's just facing stuff in an approachable way. And that's how I look at it. I look at students, I look at their capabilities and more often than not I get to know the students beforehand when they come for the session. I talk to them anyway. They come and have a chat with me, and I can, I can sort of like sum somebody up quite quickly. But then what I tend to do is it doesn't matter what level they are. I always start off slowly, naturally. And then you've got some people, they're a bit more experience shy. You've got some people that shy, they just need that encouragement, and they need that bit of a mollycoddling, you know, where you can actually bring them out a little bit, but you give that individual attention to them without encroaching too much on them. So, you can actually say, right, come on and encourage them a lot. And that makes a massive difference. And then when you sort of like do something and you do a technique or you do a powerful kick or something, these go, wow, you know, that can be you. And they go, and that mindset, then it triggers something off.

How do you incorporate the philosophy of martial arts into your everyday life?

Right. My wife will tell you this. I'm so orientated with Bushido and the Japanese culture. I got a diploma in Japanese language, went to night school. This is how much of empowerment I've got because I've just got so much thesis on it and passion for it. And I think what it is that shines through as well, when you've got a passion for something, people can see that and that triggers something as well. But I try to be kind, I try to be benevolent. Humility. I'm a very humble person, extremely humble. Integrity as well. That goes a long way. Knowing how to behave around on people and speak to people with respect as opposed to talking down to them. And there's loads of things that can actually be encompassed in it. But our try to be as open honourable as possible. So, if people and ask me a question I'm not going to lie to, I'm say this is how it is. I look at things in a grateful way. That's where the humility comes in. I wake up every day and I'm grateful for what I've got. I'm grateful for what I've achieved and I'm grateful for everything that's happening. I mean, yes, we all have bad things happen sometimes, but you still have to look at the resolve in that.

Can you speak some Japanese?

*Speaks Japanese*

Gosh.

*Speaks Japanese*

*Speaks Japanese*

means pleased to meet you. *Speaks Japanese*

Oh, wow. This is impressive.

*Speaks Japanese*

The thing is as well because it becomes a bit rusty as there's not many people that actually speak round Stoke. I had a private tutor as well. She was Japanese. she was fantastic. But then Covid happened so I had to stop for a bit, which I want to rekindle again because I just think whole thing about it. I’ve just got so much enthusiasm for it and love for it and adoration. I mean, I like the old culture of it. And then I was writing Japanese as well. Now that's very difficult. You know, when you're doing here, you've got higana katakanaa, and kanji. So, there's difference between each one you see. So, one phonetic and all that lot. So, it's good. It's very interesting because, you know, you can describe things in so many different ways. Just for one thing. It's amazing.

You've really immersed yourself in the culture, haven't you?

Absolutely. 100%. I've embraced it, I suppose because I want to be a samurai. I suppose by the way they lived their thesis on life and the how they. Because people assume that a samurai is volatile and violent and aggressive. On the contrary, they weren't. They used to bathe before they went into battle these to make sure they smelt nice, and they were pristine. They took their arm into consideration with respect because it may be the last day on earth they're here and they only fought for honour. They didn't fight for aggression. So that's the difference, you see. And this is what I try and encourage all the students here is never ever dictate violence. Let it happen, deal with it if you have to, but if you can walk away, walk away from it.

How important is physical fitness versus technique for excelling in martial arts?

Right, I'm gonna be really honest with you, it makes no difference. You can be unfit, and we get you fit. How I look at it, how I approach it all, I have people saying, Mark, I overweight I'm asthmatic or I've got this, I'm like, doesn't matter, come along because I will accommodate to your needs. Because at the end of the day every person is different. Everybody's unique, everybody's got fitness levels that are up and down. They're sporadic, aren't they? I mean, I'm not brilliant anyway. I mean I've got COPD and asthma, but I know my capabilities. I've had people with arthritis, MS, all sorts of stuff. We teach autistic children and it's all about their needs that come first. So, if somebody was saying I can't do 10, press I can, I do five.

Fine, but you'll trying, you'll do six next week.

Yeah, exactly. But if they were in competition, say if they were fighting in the ring, that's a different kettle of fish. Or if they were doing Brazilian jiu jitsu, grappling or something like that, then yeah, fitness is a must. But you've got to think that if you're walking down the street and somebody accosts you, they're not going to be. Jason Statham in fitness level. Are they attacking you? They could be average, normal Joe. Why should you have that athleticism So be able to be, defend yourself as a normal person.

Have you witnessed any life changing transformations in your students?

Absolutely, 100%. I've got a young man, he's autistic, and since it's been coming to us, his confidence is exemplified. He's so confident, and he held his head up high, and he feels comfortable in his own surroundings now and he's excelling as well. I've had people with mental health problems. They've come to me, and they've actually got rid of the tablets because this is something that gives them that endorphin rush because it's something they look forward to and aspire to because it's fun, it's fitness to a certain degree, but it's also, it's like an extended family. So, they can come and just have fun and have a laugh and just train and go home again and think that was amazing. I want to do it again next week.

How does teaching martial arts help you connect with your local community?

I think what it is because people actually look at you in a different light. You know, I mean, I'm the most approachable amicable bloke you'll ever meet. It's like having a reputation when you're younger and stuff like that. But when you're in a community, I think kids, especially for when they see you walking down the street, they say sensei and they get really excited. Then people talk about it, I think what it is as well, the sense of communities that they know that children are somewhere safe. We all know how volatile society is at the moment and it's getting worse. And I think being in the heart of the community like that, I think people embrace that and encourage it a lot because they know for a fact their children are going somewhere to learn something. Not just martial arts skills for self-defence, but behavioural skills, life skills, you know, where it's discipline. They discipline themselves. They're having discipline inflicted on them. Not in, a bad way, but not corporal punishment. But, you know, where we sort like pushing past that comfort zone, so they know about the expectations of life, what to expect later on when they're working or they've got a mortgage, got a family and things curtail and they throw themselves out. I think with the community. I don't know about you, but when I see people walking down the street and they're nice and pleasant and they are smiling, especially you younger teenagers. So that makes it feel a lot safer for other people. If you're walking down the street, there's a group of kids on the corner. There's 14, 15 teenagers there and they look angry. I think it puts a lot of doubt in people's heads. But if you walk past, they’re oh yeah'll be doing. You know what I mean? That's what the community is about.

It can be quite intimidating, like you say, especially now kids hanging around in groups. And I'd say there's not really a lot of things for them to do. There's no youth clubs, of course, you've got scouts. But martial arts has always been something I've been aware of for children to do after school. There's not much else, is there?

No, that's it. You see, this is why we offer taster sessions, so the children and parents and adults can have a go and sample at Budo Shin Ryu, so they can actually come along, see if it's for them. But we offer so Much. You see, we offer not just one style, we're a multi style. So it may, you know, they may come on to a jujitsu class. They don't like that they want to do stand up. Got Japanese kickboxes. If they don't want to do that, we've got Kemppo arts or we've just started a new class now. Little titans for four- to six-year-old mixed martial arts. I don't think there's many martial arts academies that actually have just one specific class or club for tots. They have the same kind of category all the way through. Like you, it's kickboxing, the tots, kickboxing with juniors, kickboxing adults. But we've actually taken that because we're a multi style martial arts academy. I'm training kickboxing, grate and jiu jitsu. So, we've actually had a lot of feedback off it. Parents actually enjoy it. The fact that these children come along, they're doing a bit of fun games, but they're learning something as well at the same time without even thinking they're learning something. So, their behaviour changes and their attitude changes, they become a little bit more switched on. So, when they're told no, they go, okay, I'll understand that. Or it's like, if you don't stop it, I'll tell sensei Mark. Okay, I'll stop. And I think it just gives them a sense of wellbeing the fact that they can take their children to learn the martial arts knowing the fact they're going to be introduced to something where they can pursue it if they want to. When they're older or when they're after the six, they can go different classes. I think children, when you see them, they really, really buzz about martial arts. They absolutely buzz about it. They can do football, but you've got to be dedicated footballer or rugby. Gotta be a dedicated rugby player. But with martial arts they think it's me, I can't, I've got two left feet coming here. Then they can put it to you.

You say, do kids four to six know about Karate Kid, the movie?

I don't think so, no.

To be fair, you need to change that.

I think they know about Cobra Kai.

oh, of course, yeah. That's quite a recent one, isn't it?

Yeah. So, I mean the first thing they say to me is sensei Mark, do you watch Cobra Kai? I say, yeah, I do actually. It's one of my favourite programmes because it's cheesy, it's, it's fun, it's just you sit back and just kick back a little B and they say, yeah, I want to be like that. You know what I mean? I want to be like Johnny Lawrence or something. I, one of a couple of kids the other day said, oh, you remind me a sensei Creis. I'm like, I'm not that bad. I no, no, it's just because you're a sensei. This is where the mindset goes. They aspire to something. So, if they're seeing something like that they want to do a jump in front kick or they want to do a power roundhouse or they want to do a certain throw or they want to grap on the floor, it's ideal really.

I'm really disappointed there's no 4- to 6-year-olds coming in saying wax on, wax off.

They probably will one day, you know.

It does come around, doesn't it?

Oh, absolutely. Well, that's it, you see, because you've got toa think that their parents are the same age, so they've probably watched it and they probably say, if you like cobra kai watch this. This is what I grew up with. And you never know. I do anticipate that moment.

Well, let me know when that happens.

Yeah, I record it.

How would somebody interested in giving it a go make that first step?

In martial arts in general.

With yourself and,

With myself. Right. Okay. The first thing is just find a reputable school. Something you feel comfortable with, something you know, that you feel safe with. What I pride myself on in Budo Shin Ryu is we have a lot of clubs, but they're not overly packed. We have 15, 16 people, in a class, which is not intimidating then because the harness part is walking through that door. So, I'd say, you know, I mean, if you want to come and see me, that's fine. You know, I'm on WhatsApp on Facebook. Budu Shin Ryu Martial Arts Academy. Give me a call, look me up and come for a taster session. Breach that a little bit, you know, so at least you can actually go in and sample what it's about. Even if you came to me just for a sample to see what he wanted. But when someone else, at least you're on them stones to walk across that reality, the other side of martial arts. So, it's just about experimentation, finding what makes you tick, what you like, what you enjoy. and I always say that, you know, when you go into a class, that speaks volumes. If you can walk into a class and the atmosphere is buzzing and it's alive. That's the place to be. If you walk in somewhere and it's quite dull, it's quite disciplined. Where people dare speak, that's a no. No. Also, don't walk in somewhere where they're giving grades out willy nilly. You walk on, you put a GE on, there's your belt. No, you've got to have some little bit about you. But like I said, the main part is having a trial. Most places offer two free trials or one free trial. We offer a taste of session. It's only a fiver. If you don't want to go further, you only lose a fiver.

What can you buy for a five these days?

Not a lot.

That's really good value.

Exactly. And then the thing of the beauty of it is, if they enrolled with us, that five pound comes off their first month's fees. So, they get it back anyway.

Can't, argue with that.

So, we, you know, we teach Japanese kit boxing, keno jujitsu, Kempo combatives, which is like a close quarter combatives, you know. and that's all stems from the kemppo side of keno jujitsu that we see. So, it's open on striking, kicking, blocking locks, a bit of pressure point striking and stuff like that. And the children, you know, they learn jiu jitsu and kickbox. So, we've had no complaints yet. You're gonna get people that leave, but people want to go on to other things. It's called growing up, isn't it?

Yeah, absolutely.

But I'll never grow up.

It's overrated.

Yeah, it is. Don't like being an adult.

So where is it you teach your classes? You previously mentioned Stoke, but we're in Crewe in, Nantwich at the moment. So, you have classes in and around here too?

Yes, I teach Camp Jjectu to juniors, the children at, Hough in Crewe on a Monday, we teach adults kempo jujitsu On a Tuesday in HFF as well, we teach in all stage. On Wednesday we teach jiu jitsu and Kemp Po combatives there on a Wednesday, Thursday we're at Nantwich, we're at Blakenhall actually teaching an adults only kickboxing, Japanese kickboxing class. And we also teach at Harrisea Head and Stoke. So, I teach at Stoke and then I drive over to that which do back to back. And then Fridays we've got little Titans mixed martial arts at Rode Heath in Stoke. and the Japanese kickboxing for the family.

Fantastic.

Very busy.

Busy. Absolutely. So, what's the best way that people can contact you to book one or all of those classes? Through social media?

Yes, they can find me on Facebook. Budu Shin Ryu Martial Arts Academy. Or they can find me Mark, Governor Watson. long story. Or you can contact me on WhatsApp, 07963552107 and I'll get back to straight away. and then I'll answer any questions you may have.

When does the charity event take place?

The charity event takes place in October. It's October 11th this year and it's based in Tunstall at the Floral Hall. Now we do actually put stuff on, Facebook as well, if anybody wants to make donations, called the SCMA, which is the Staffordshire and Cheshire Martial Arts Charity Event. every year we get everybody from all over the country. We have loads of reputable instructors, we have loads of people come training and we raise money for dogs. We've raised a lot of money for Dogs Trust and Dogs for Rescue and, Paw Prints for Freedom at Nantwich. We've raised some money for them. We think we've raised about seven and half thousand pounds so far. We celebrate our fifth year this year and we're hoping to take it to £10,000. Wow. I'm a massive dog lover. Huge dog lover. And I think sometimes that they, take the backseat on stuff and I think people should actually act a bit more, you know, helping them because dogs are amazing. They're full of character, they're full of love and you only have to look in the dog's eyes to know that the bond that you've got unconditionally, you know what I mean? We also do dog runs where we actually collect bedding, food, leads, all sorts of stuff like that. We take them to the dogs homes every year, try and do as much as we can, but I always feel it's still never enough. I'd like to do more but, sometimes, you know, it's out your hand, isn't it? We also hold seminars at, in Nantwich and Stoke. We've got a big tournament as well in June, a toe to toe and grappling one with Catter as well. So that's going to be good because, my friend who organises other events in Nottingham, he's on board with me and we just have tournaments and that's something that I always recommend to try. A tournament. What a buzz. It hurts a bit, but who cares? Pain is temporary.

Absolutely. The experience lasts forever.

Absolutely. And solid memories. You know, when you sit there, you say, well yeah, I did a bit of competition. You know, it, it was great fun. We got invited last year to do a demonstration. So, I brought some children down and some adults down with pre of demonstration. It went down amazing. It was brilliant. That was a buzz. The kids loved it. Absolutely. Look, they were showing off, but not to a degree where it was becoming arrogant, but the confidence, it was like. That was amazing. That was. they just had a really good day because they could go around and do whatever they wanted to do during the day and then come back and do a bit more of a demonstration. That's good confidence boost status. When you do martial arts, you get invited to a massive event like that. And you can do stuff as a child in front of all these people and they're clapping and they're like, wow, that was amazing. You can imagine how much they felt.

Oh yeah, it's huge for them, isn't it?

They were all out top of the world. They were. I'll be honest with you. I mean I've got some great people. The kids, I love the kids. Brilliant. I like all my students, naturally I do, but the kids are just somewhere else because I just see something in it. and sometimes I take some children as well where they just need that chance. It makes a massive difference. And that to me exemplifies my smugness, I suppose, because I feel really good. The fact that'self-satisfied because they've done something and I think I've a part of that.

And so you should, you should be very proud of everything you've done. What they've achieved is because of you, 100%.

But I'm also very grateful for it.

Thank you so much for your time, Mark. It's been fascinating. I'll make sure that all the links are in the podcast description and if anyone's got any questions, they can reach out to you directly.

Thank you very much. It's been lovely talk you to you.

Thank you.