John Salt 6th Dan

John Salt had a much later start in martial arts. In fact it was not until his late twenties that a friend who had gained orange belt under Tommy Scott asked John to accompany him to Hazel Grove Recreation Centre to watch a karate class. A man stood on a chair and addressed all the beginners and explained what it was all about and the next week John began with 28 other eager raw novices. That man was Sensei Roy Stanhope at the time 6th Dan and founder of UKASKO and former Great Britain team manager. Roy Stanhope, although originally of Wado Ryu under Tatso Suzuki had changed over to Shukokai after training with Sensei Shigeru Kimura. It was not known then by John how important it is to start with a good instructor and only later, as he was going up the belts, did he appreciate how lucky he was to have had Roy Stanhope as an instructor giving him solid foundations on which to build. At Sensei Stanhopes’ dojo Keith Lomas (former WKA team manager) was an ever present black belt as was Kevin Sugrue. John owes all his early development to these three excellent black belts. As Sensei Stanhope was Chief Instructor many other senior grades from within UKASKO made sporadic appearances at the dojo exposing John to some very good martial arts. Although it was not Johns’ intention to ever compete as he felt himself a late starter John did. Entering his first tournament as a yellow belt winning his first fight then getting very nearly disqualified for excessive contact before being beaten in his second fight. His first really big competition was as a green belt at the FSKs’ where he fought in the teams and in the individual section again with no luck. In fact it was to be many years before John claimed any success despite repeatedly entering competitions. However more of that later. John was and still is more interested in Martial Arts training than competitions, this being the life blood of what he does, whereas competitions, although good and he feels necessary, are the icing on the cake.

Whilst still a purple belt John was asked to assist in teaching and at 3rd Kyu was actually given a cadets class to run on his own by Sensei Stanhope and so began his teaching career. By the time John gained his 1st Kyu he was given Sensei Stanhopes’ senior class to run as well. Roy Stanhope needed more time to run UKASKO and had to back off regular teaching although he gave John and his friend and training partner Mark Dutton regular private lessons. Mark Dutton ran the Cheadle Hulme class for Sensei Stanhope and trained for many years with John. It was also whilst at the grade of 1st Kyu that John first met Dave Morris although he had heard of him beforehand. Dave was running a class in Bramhall and some of his students were also training with John so Dave went to check his class out. Dave gave his seal of approval, his students continued to train at Johns’ and the start of a long association and eventual friendship had begun. This was in 1988.

Gaining Shodan in May 1989 John began training in Ju Jitsu to broaden his horizons eventually grading in the style of Bushi Kempo Jutsu run by Sensei David Hand and ably taught by Alan Bradbury. This was with Sensei Stanhopes full permission as he actively encouraged his students to try other styles. In fact John was a regular on all types of seminars run by martial artists from many fields including people like Phil Mead, Bob Breen, Gary Spears, John Harvey, Ray McKenzie, Terry Mather to name but a few. In addition to this John was now training regularly at Dave Morris’s class. Dave was part of Joe Tierneys’ Shorai association and John was also lucky enough to be invited on several of Sensei Tierneys’ courses. The way the training was conducted within Shorai immediately impressed John but little did he then know what role Shorai was to play in his future.

John opened his own dojo in May 1990 at Disley. A club which has now moved a mile away to High Lane but is still running. He maintained the Hazel Grove club until 1991 eventually handing it on to one of his own black belts. In November 1991 John suffered the first of his slipped discs whilst training which left him with permanent back problems and to this day John endures many days a year of discomfort. May 1992 saw John gain Nidan under Sensei Stanhope in what was to be a very eventful year. Later in the year, June to be exact, Dave came over to train with John at Disley. Once again Dave asked John to join Shorai. Up until then John had declined the offer not wishing to leave his Sensei. However things had by then changed as Sensei Stanhope was by now hardly teaching and John spent more of his time training under Dave. It made sense to agree which is what happened, although John did not wish to leave immediatley as he had two young students due their first Dan grading later that year and John did not want to let them down. In November John attended the Dan grading and explained to his Sensei why he was leaving UKASKO. To his relief Roy Stanhope wished him well and they parted on good terms. John will forever be grateful to Sensei Stanhope as he had a profound effect on Johns’ martial arts career.

Things really took off for John within the ranks of Shorai. Gaining his Sandan in March 1994 under Sensei Tierney in a gruelling four and a half hour grading and being elevated to Yondan in December 1998 at the last of that years FSK tournaments. John continued to add to his knowledge training and grading in Taiho Jutsu and training in Kung Fu. John was given the privileged position of grading officer which not many had. Within the High Peak and Cheshire area John became responsible for not only his club but also for those of his brother Stevens’ and his long time friend and student Tim Marshall who John had met whilst still a 3rd Kyu and who remains a great friend. In November of 1993 Dave Morris and several other black belts opened a full time dojo on High Street in Stockport and John was asked to become a partner in this enterprise the following March. He did and the beginnings of Elite were stirring within the greater scheme of things. John also began to have some impact on the competition arena.

Despite entering many tournenents as a coloured belt, mainly kumite, nothing was happening. Johns’ first success came whilst still at UKASKO winning at a Chikara interclub competition gaining first place in kumite and second place in kata. However major success still eluded him until he joined Shorai. He fought first under the Shorai banner in 1992 at an AMA competition going out in the second round to club mate Horace Harvey. He was now fighting also in the veterans section at freestyle events and he gained a modicum of success taking the EMA Sheffield title in 1993 amongst several other events. Disaster struck in 1995 when John suffered his third slipped disc, again during training, and was told by a specialist not to compete anymore on the mats, an instruction he was later to ignore. However, in the next few years he listened and only competed in kata at which he gained some measure of achievement. Amongst his titles John gained two European Championships, several National Championships (including WKA, MAI, AMA/WAKO, EMA, CIMAC,SKA) FSK Supreme Grand Championship, 3 FSK Grand Championships, AMA International medals, a plethora of top silver and bronze national medals as well as winning and placing at countless smaller events. John has also represented his country at 4 World Championships competing at all 4 in kata and also fighting in two. In fact his highest award came in the veterans points fighting section at the WKA World Championships in Hanover in 1999 where he took a bronze medal. John has also been lucky enough the have articles on him in the Martial Arts Illustrated, Fighters and Combat magazines. He has also appeared at a Clash of The Titans event and at Neville Wrays Martial Arts Spectacular performing kata at both. John has now retired from the competition scene and will now concentrate on his own training and development and that of his students as well as on Elite International Martial arts. John has continued to attend seminars to further his knowledge with the likes of Bill Wallace, George Dillman, Keiji Tomiyama, Rick Moneymaker, Tom Muncy, Russell Stutely, Terry Pottage and Iain Abernethy to name a few. One of the outstanding seminars he attended was the first Martial Arts Illustrated Super Seminar on which Neil Adams, Rick Young, Geoff Thompson, Peter Consterdine and Tom Muncy all taught.

John was awarded his 5th Dan in July 2001.Whilst running a course for the students of Elite and suspecting nothing John was also arranging for Tim Marshall to get his 4th Dan and Rick Dobson to get his 5th Dan. The course was well attended and all Elite's senior instructors were all there. Dave Morris duly awarded Tim and Rick their grades before turning the tables on John and awarding him his grade also.

In July 2007 Dave Morris presented John with his 6th Dan which came as a complete suprise. Early in 2007 John was approached by his good friend Andy Brownbridge. Andy had gone on board with ISKA (International Sport Kickboxing Association). Andy asked if John would like to be national coach for the hard style forms? John agreed and in fact became National coach for forms in respect of I.S.K.A. In a period spanning just over two years John coached the forms squad at two major events. These were the 2008 World Championships in Olomouc, Chzech Republic and the 2009 European Championships in Rome. The squad were fantastic and won a huge haul of medals for Team England. Indeed John even came out of retirement and won the I.S.K.A. British and the the I.S.K.A English titles and then a bronze at the I.S.K.A European Championships at veterans kata. John has now relinquished this post to go back to concentrate on Elite International Martial Arts. In addition John has remained with Andy Hennessey as National Kata Coach of the new International Combat Association. This is a new and exciting adventure born out of the coaching squad which led ISKA to great success on the amatuer scene. It is led by Andy Hennessey and includes some fantastic people on the coaching staff.