47 years of martial arts in Yorkshire
WYSOK was established in 1979 and is headed by the son of its founder. Across sixteen clubs in West and South Yorkshire we teach Wado Ryu Karate, Ju Jitsu, Kickboxing and traditional Okinawan weaponry — to four-year-olds taking their first class and to black belts who have been training since before some of our clubs existed.
The woman who started it
WYSOK was founded in 1979 by Shihan Ann Walker who, after more than thirty-five years of training and dedication to the martial arts, became the first woman in Europe to be awarded the prestigious title of 7th Dan in Wado Ryu Karate.
Ann continued to lead WYSOK until her death in 2014, by which time she had trained and taught in the martial arts for over forty years.
The association she built is still run the way she ran it. No contracts, no joining fees, no pressure — students train because they want to, and instructors teach because they were taught that way.
Whilst WYSOK is big enough to support students in learning and instructors in teaching, it is small enough to ensure all students and instructors are made to feel part of the family.
From one club to sixteen
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1979
The association is founded
Shihan Ann Walker founds the West Yorkshire Schools of Karate & Oriental Arts.
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1982
Shane Walker takes his first grade
Brought along to his mother’s classes as a small child, he eventually joined in. His first Ju Jitsu grade follows in 1984.
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1989
Matthew Barlow starts training
As a boy. He is still here — teaching, grading and helping run the association.
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2008
First woman in Europe to reach 7th Dan in Wado Ryu
Ann Walker is awarded 7th Dan, after more than thirty-five years of training and teaching.
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2014
Shihan Ann Walker dies
After thirty-five years leading the association and more than forty years in the martial arts. Her son Shane takes over as Chief Instructor.
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2026
Sixteen clubs across two counties
The association teaches across Wakefield, Leeds, Dewsbury and Barnsley.
Sensei Shane Walker
7th Dan Karate · 6th Dan Ju Jitsu · 4th Dan Kobu Jutsu · 4th Dan Kickboxing
Shane Walker grew up in the association. He was brought along to his mother's classes as a small child, watched from the side for a while, and eventually joined in. He took his first grade in Karate in 1982, and his first in Ju Jitsu two years later in 1984. He has trained ever since.
He teaches Karate at Newmillerdam, the association's home club, and Ju Jitsu at Optimal Martial Arts & Self Defence. He holds 7th Dan in Karate, 6th Dan in Ju Jitsu, and 4th Dan in both Kobu Jutsu and Kickboxing.
When Shihan Ann Walker died in 2014 he succeeded her as Chief Instructor of WYSOK, and he leads the association today.
What we are for
One of the main aims of WYSOK is to foster and encourage the development of the martial arts, in whatever form they may take, and to forge good relations with others and local communities.
One association, sixteen clubs
We regularly hold courses, gradings, tournaments and social events, so students are in regular contact with the other clubs and instructors across the association.
It means a student at a small club in Barnsley trains alongside black belts from Leeds several times a year, and a child who starts at four grows up knowing instructors from every corner of the organisation.
The one who has always been there
Matthew Barlow walked into a WYSOK class as a boy in 1989 and has not stopped since — first as a student, then as an instructor, and for well over thirty years as one of the constants the association has been built on.
He supported Shihan Ann Walker through her years leading WYSOK, right up to her death in 2014, and he is the person Sensei Shane Walker relies on most in running it today. Second in charge in title, and in practice the other pair of hands behind almost everything the association does.
He teaches at Eagle Rose School of Karate in Horbury, and holds 7th Dan in Wado Ryu Karate alongside senior grades in weaponry and Mu Chindo. His loyalty and commitment to WYSOK, over more than three and a half decades, has been beyond reproach.
Who you would be training with
Between them they hold grades from 2nd to 7th Dan, and several have trained with the association since childhood.
Joined us as a teenager in 2005 and went on to earn Black Belts in many styles and now runs Suzaku Martial Arts & Suzaku Sparks.
Chief Instructor of WYSOK and son of founder Shihan Ann Walker. Has trained since childhood and taught across the association for over three decades.
Started training as a child in 1997 then went on to open Iruka Karate Club and has continued to run it ever since.
Came to train alongside her daughter in 2001 and is still going strong, now runs Newmillerdam Pee Wee Karate Club.
Began training as a 7 year old child and has continued ever since gaining Black Belts in multiple weapons styles along the way.
Began training as a young child alongside his dad in 2012 and has gone on to earn Black Belts in several styles. He runs the Ju Jitsu club at Thornhill.
Began training as a young child in his home town in Wales then after a break relocated to Barnsley where he reconnected and has continued training since and now runs Trojan Karate.
Began training as a teenager in 1987, used to run the WYSOK tournament squad and has competed at every level up to world championships.
Began training with his wife and son in 2013, went on to gain Black Belts in multiple styles and now runs Yojindo Ryu Martial Arts Club.
Deputy Chief Instructor of WYSOK, began training in 1989 and has trained and taught uninterrupted ever since.
Began training with his son in 2012 and has gone on to gain Black Belts in multiple weapons styles and founded Hellcat Martial Arts.
Began training at the age of 9 in her home town in East Yorkshire then joined a WYSOK club after relocating to the area and has continued training ever since.
Began training with his brother in 1997 as a student of Ann Walker. Later went on to open Hanshin Martial Arts.
Come and be part of it
Sixteen clubs, five martial arts, and a free first session at every one of them.