Shotokan Pocket Book (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781412093422)

During the day he manages a technical team of Building Surveyors and Occupational Therapists and at night he trains and teaches Shotokan Karate. Ken Lyons has presently attained the grade of Shodan with the Shotokan of England Karate Union. He is the instructor at the Machi Dojo, RAF Uxbridge which is (for those that are interested) a stones throw from London Heathrow Airport in the UK.

Ken Lyons began training in the art of Karate-Do at the ripe old age of 42. Initially, this was to encourage his daughter Katie (aged 10 years old at the time) to learn self-defence and to help her gain confidence. The training sessions included both adults and children and seemed a fun way to keep fit.

5 years later Ken and Katie had progressed through the grades to (4th Kyu) and had taken part in numerous competitions but Katie had school exams and boys on her mind. She gave up training and dad was left to attend lessons on his own. By now Ken had got the bug and was an enthusiastic student, keen to improve and master the more difficult techniques and Kata. At this time, Ken discovered that although the big five 0 was gradually looming closer he was generally getting fitter. Prior to taking up Karate he had suffered from a mild form of arthritis but it now appeared that the condition was getting better and the regular exercise was undoubtedly doing some good.

In the summer of 2001 Ken was bitten on the ankle by a spider and ended up on his back in hospital with an intravenous dip in his arm. With his brain active but with body temporarily out of commission, the days ticked by as he watched the infection spread up his leg. The team of doctors would gather around his bed each day and mark his leg with felt-tipped pens as they contemplated amputation of the lower section of his leg in order to save the knee joint. He was desperately missing the training session and spent most of his time reading the Karate books that he had accumulated over the years but never had time to read. Eventually, the antibiotics began to work and his leg was saved but during the four weeks in hospital and a further five weeks of convalescing at home his brain was a sponge soaking up data on Karate and the history of Japanese martial arts. Ken was hungry for more information and he tried to find a comprehensive book on Shotokan Karate that contained all the data and answers to the most common questions but discovered that there was not one available. This was the seed of the Shotokan Pocket Book.