Name Lawrence Elcock Date of Birth 7th May 1957 Grade 6th Dan Favorite Technique Kizami Zuki Teaches at the following Dojo’s Blackbird Leys Sports Centre , Warriner School, Monkston Park Community Centre, Hinckley Leisure Centre, Stantonbury Leisure Centre, Kingsley College Sports Centre, Bicester Sports Centre, Shenley Leisure Centre.
Lawrence began his Karate training in Bedford with Shotokan Karate International in 1974, grading under the world renowned Karate Sensei Hirokazu Kanazawa. Lawrence found that this early training formed a good foundation to his future in Karate this was all due to his instructor at the time Sensei John Van Weenen who later formed an Association along side some of his peers. In 1980 Lawrence won the English Shotokan Karate Association National Championships and in the next few years added titles such as East Anglian Open Karate Championships, Southern Karate Championships, East midlands Open Karate Championships and many more team and individual titles, Now a 6th dan, Lawrence has competed in a multitude of Kumite events, at national and international level. But the most significant event in his Karate career was the visit he made to Japan in 1984 to train with the some of Japan’s finest instructors. This experience proved to be the inspiration he needed to dedicate his future to training and teaching Karate. Lawrence’s first club was opened in Milton Keynes at Stantonbury Leisure Centre in 1990. Having taught Shotokan Karate for some years, he formed his own association in 1995 called Bushido (The word Bushido means the Warriors Code which aptly sums up Lawrence’s attitude and spirit towards his Karate) in 1998 he met the instructor who would prove to be the turning point in his Karate the legendary Shihan Akio Minakami who to this day continues to be Lawrence’s guiding light his love of karate has never diminished and he still teaches and trains with Shihan Akio Minakami whenever he visits the United Kingdom, Lawrence teaches many classes in the United Kingdom and internationally on the island of O’ahu in Hawaii. Lawrence is a fine teacher with a vast amount of knowledge he is a dedicated and enthusiastic practitioner and teacher of Karate
Name Becky Finney Date of Birth 11th April 1989 Grade 3rd Dan Favorite Technique Ushiro Geri
Teaches at the following Dojo’s Walton High School , Shenley Leisure Centre
Becky began her Karate training with Bushido Karate in April 2000 under the Guidance of Sensei’s Atkins and McKenna. It soon became obvious to her instructors that she had something special, due her lightning fast reflexes and power she was brought to the attention of Sensei Lawrence Elcock, who invited her to train in his advanced class, which at the time was known to be brutally hard. Becky all thought only a yellow belt took to the advanced class like a duck to water, not only did she survive the harsh training, but Becky went on to win numerous association championships in both Kata and Kumite. In 2002 and still only a brown belt Becky attained third place in the English Karate National Championships at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, in the same year Becky was presented by the mayor of Milton Keynes the prestigious award of sports Achiever of the month for her outstanding contribution to Karate. In 2004 she gained her 1st Dan and later remarked how this experience changed her life by making her more resilient. She went on to attain 2nd Dan in 2006, followed by her 3rd Dan in 2009. In 2010 Becky traveled to Japan to compete in the Japan Hayashi National championships and also train on a one to one basis with the great Hiromi Inagaki, one of the worlds finest Kata exponents. There she found another level of Karate and it has given her the motivation to reach newer heights in her personal training. Over the years Sensei Finney has become a highly respected and motivating senior instructor within Bushido Shotokan Karate and her skill and expertise continues to improve at an alarming rate.