KESSHIN KAI
Dedication : Fitness : Fun
Welcome to the official website for Kesshin Kai, formerly known as Lakeland Ju-Jitsu Academy.
The History of Ju Jitsu
Ju-Jitsu is an ancient Japanese martial art the practice of which dates back to the pre-Tokugawa Shogunate times. Although Ju-Jitsu is an art in itself, it is also considered to be a parent art and arts such as Judo (Gentle Way) and Aikido (Way of Mind, Body and Spirit) can be traced back to it.
It is believed that Ju-Jitsu is over 2,500 years old and was practiced by the ancient Samurai in the open hand form alongside their weapons training. The art of Ju-Jitsu is thought to have been developed from many individual forms of unarmed combat native to Japan as well as some that might have been brought into Japan from other Asian countries such as China.
The first mention of a form of unarmed combat can be traced back to China in 772-481 BC when open hand techniques were being used in the course of combat. In 525 AD an Indian Zen Buddhist monk named Bhoddidharma brought yogic breathing forms into China and while visiting a Shaolin monastery combined them with Chinese Kempo, or Kenpo in Japanese, which as legend would have it he later developed in to a style of open hand self defence called Go-Shin-Jutsu-Karate or self defence art of the open hand.
Around 794 – 1185 AD (The Heian period) there is also evidence of open hand styles being taught along side the traditional weapons training for Samurai. In 880 AD when Prince Teijun founded the Daito-Ryu Aiki Ju-Jitsu school which used the secret teachings of Shugendo and eventually became the source for Kendo, which uses small circular hand movements to assist in defence of oneself whilst using weapons.
The formalisation of Ju-Jitsu training is generally credited to Hisamori Teninuchi, who in 1532 formed a school of Ju-Jitsu, but the next step forward came when a monk called Chin Gen Pinh moved from China to Japan bringing Kempo with him which became integrated into the teaching of Ju-Jitsu, during the Tokugawa era circa 1650 Ju-Jitsu continued to flourish as part of the formalised Samurai training.
Club History
The Ju-Jitsu club was officially set up in October 1997 for the students of Charlotte Mason College in Ambleside. Through the success and development both Nationally and Internationally in 2012 our Association name was known as Kesshin Kai
The following September, I decided to launch the Ju-Jitsu club as Lakeland Ju-Jitsu Club to members of the public. Much to my surprise fifteen juniors and eight seniors enrolled.
Soon after I opened a club in Kendal and the junior’s sessions slowly grew there too.
Since 1997 all the clubs have continued to increase and there are now over 150 members ranging from three years old to adult. The clubs are held at Windermere H.Q., Ambleside, Kendal and Carlisle. Through the success and development both Nationally and Internationally, in January 2012 our Association name changed is now known as Kesshin Kai.
The World Championships
reKesshin Kai was proud to host this years World Nunchaku Championships. The World Championships took place at the The Judo Pre-Olympic Training Centre, Kendal 20th/21st.
We held host to some of the worlds most talented Martial Artists.
Kesshin Kai students were given the chance to compete against teams and students from all over the world. We have some very talented Nunchaku students within the club who got great results at an International level.
Students from the club have already achieved medals at previous World Championships and we are confident this will be replicated on home soil! This year was the biggest event to date, with local stalls and live streaming.
Sensei R. Smith
6th Dan Ju-Jitsu
6th Dan Nunchaku
2nd Dan Kobudo
1st Dan Iaido
Contact us by clicking on the Messenger link Below
Messenger Link
07718 530 346
Sensei Smith's Rankings
🥋 Nunchaku and Kobudo Competition Record – Highlights
Switzerland, Morges – June 2005
8th Place, World Championships
Paris – Dec 2008
5th Place, European Championships
Switzerland – Mar 2008
5th Place, World Championships
Alsace – Dec 2009
4th Place, World Championships
Kendal – May 2010
5th Place, World Championships
Windermere – Nov 2010
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
Holland – May 2011
4th Place, European Championships
Holland – Oct 2011
🥈 Silver Medal – European Championships
Windermere – Nov 2011
🥇 Gold Medal – National Championships
Holland – Oct 2012
🥈 Silver Medal – European Championships
Russia – Nov 2012
4th Place (Fighting) & 4th Place (Freestyle) – World Championships
Windermere – Nov 2012
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
Latvia – Mar 2013
🥉 Bronze Medal – European Championships
Windermere – Jul 2013
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
Kendal – Nov 2013
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
Russia – Nov 2013
🥈 Silver Medal – European Championships
🥉 Bronze Medal – European Championships
Holland – Mar 2014
🥉 Bronze – Freestyle
Switzerland – May 2014
5th Place (Combat) • 7th Place (Freestyle) – European Championships
Kendal – Jun 2014
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
Russia – Nov 2014
4th Place (Combat) • 5th Place (Kobudo) – European Championships
Windermere – Nov 2014
🥇 2 x Gold Medal (Combat) – National Championships
Kendal – Jun 2015 (World Nunchaku Championships)
🥈 Silver Medal – Master Level, World Championships
Kobudo – Jun 2015 (World Championships)
🥇 Gold Medal – Master Level
Windermere – Nov 2015
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
Kendal – March 2016
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
Windermere – Nov 2016
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
Kendal – March 2017
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
Windermere – Nov 2017
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
Kendal – March 2018
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
Switzerland – June 2018
🥈 Silver Medal – European Championships
Paris – Dec 2019
🥇1st U.K. World Nunchaku Champion, World Championships.
🥈 2 x Silver Medal
Greater Manchester – March 2023
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
Windermere – June 2023
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
Windermere – June 2024
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
Greater Manchester – October 2024
🥇 2 x Gold Medal – National Championships
London – November 2024
🥇2 x Gold Medal – European Championships
Italy, Milan – October 2025
🥇 2 x Gold Medal (Combat) – European Championships
🥈 1 x Silver Medal (Freestyle)
