Michael Tattersall: Shukokai Sensei
By John Wheelhouse, East Leeds Magazine,
November 2010

He might have a name like a Victorian mill owner but Michael Tattersall is very much a man of our times. A veteran of 27 years and 5th Dan black belt at Shukokai Karate, Michael doesn't pull his punches or his words.

"When you reach the black belt stage and start to go through the Dans, that's when the hard work and learning begins.  Y'know what really winds me up? It's when I see karate instructors with pot bellies. They've done their black belt and think it's enough. Well it's not, what kind of example is it to students, when you turn up to classes looking like you’ve had a night out on the beer."

You only have to sit down with Michael for 5 minutes to realise he is serious. His brown eyes bore into you as he speaks, not in an intimidating way, more of a confident and self assured way.

"I am confident, but when I was younger I couldn't look people in the eye. The karate gave me self-confidence, sometimes that's mistaken for arrogance. I've been running the karate club for twenty years now. I set the highest standards for myself and the club. I think it's important potential students and parents know they are in the hands of one of the best."

And one of the best, his club certainly is. They compete in about 8 tournaments a year, locally, regionally and nationally. Recently they entered 20 club members in the All England National Championships in Bradford, a notoriously tough tournament. They'd entered before and won stuff before, but this time they walked away with twenty trophies.

"There's too many good things to mention from that day and I don't think it's fair to single anyone out, everyone just performed brilliantly."

Although we can forgive him for adding with a glint of paternal pride his own son Adam (aged 7) who walked away with two trophies.

"Shukokai is a powerfull form of karate, it's about harnessing the power and movement of the body, using techniques and timing to make you punch and kick to the maximum. It came about in the sixties and was the first martial art to use pads rather than kicking into thin air."

Michael’s classes at Temple Newsam Halton Primary School are thriving but they’re not for the faint hearted.

"Probably 2-3 out of ten will make it to the black belt stage. Some drop out because it's too difficult; some because of the discipline needed. I like parents to be involved, even if it's only watching for a while when they drop their kids off. That way they can see what's involved and understand it's not a youth club or a babysitting service. If you have the desire, commitment and support, you will reap the rewards."

And it's desire and commitment that's just enabled Michael to complete the New York Marathon without really training for it.

"As part of the karate training I've always run because you need to have endurance and stamina. I've regularly done the 'Rombald Stride (a 25 mile walk or run every February, starting in Guisley and taking in Ilkley Moor, Baildon Moor and Otley Chevin among others). I do 10k's and half marathons but London was my first in 2007. I want to do the 'big 5' - so I've got Boston, Chicago and Berlin still to do. With working during the day and karate in the evening I can't train as much as I'd like, but the karate stuff keeps me fit enough to be able to compete."

While he was in New York, Michael managed to see one of his heroes live.

"Paul Weller was playing the Apollo in Harlem on the American leg of his world tour, so I managed to see one of my boyhood heroes at a legendary venue. I couldn't believe it when I saw him at the airport. I'm not one for the celebrity thing but Weller is no celeb, he's a legend."

Michael's Karate Club is every Tuesday and Thursday. He's due his sixth Dan early next year and will continue raising money for charity with his running... Now, if that's not ‘worth doffing yer cap for’, then nothing is.

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