Enso Ryu | Ju Jitsu Martial Arts School In Scarborough

History of Enso Ryu

Enso Ryu was formed by Sensei John Hart, the club started at the YMCA in Scarborough North Yorkshire. Later Sensei Hart decided to open another club in Driffield and placed an advert in the local newspaper to that effect. This started on 4th October 1995, a date embedded in my mind as it was my first night of training in the Martial Arts. The club in Driffield continued well for sometime, as with everything the numbers varied regularly, at the start numbers were very large, linked to the fact that it was based in a school and this was where most of the numbers came from, however as exams finished, and students moved away from home numbers dropped from the originals. There was still a sufficient quantity however to warrant extending the session for 2 hours and a good core section of students became established. Some of these have carried on to achieve their Black Belts, 2 of which have carried on and achieved there 3rd Degree black belt.

Sensei John Hart decided he wanted to spend more time with his newly extended family back in April 1999, and so asked myself Sensei Ian Woolston if I would take over the running of Scaborough, a great honour and fortunately I’d just passed my Black Belt so agreed and so my teaching experience began. We carried on like this for a year and then Sensei Hart decided he wanted to hang up his Gi, and I took on Driffied as well in April 2000. A great shame, as we lost an excellent teacher, a great Martial Artist and I my mentor.

Driffield carried on until August 2003 when numbers dropped to such that it was not worth carrying on, plus I was planning on moving away. It was a tough decision to make but at that time a necessary one.

Scarborough has carried on, we’ve gone through some ups and downs over the years, numbers varying, but currently looking at a re-surgence. Juniors and Seniors flourishing with some excellent students attending regularly.

We have a number of students of varying levels, from complete novice right up to 2nd Degree Black Belt, of varying ages, some like to train physically hard and others like to focus on the smaller details, some like pad work, some like ground work, some like throwing some like locks.

One thing we have always had since Sensei Harts first days is an open friendly environment where people can come to train in a relaxed politics free environment where everyone’s opinion is valued.