About Us

Our focus is on physical fitness, character development and self defense, rather than fighting. Our overarching goal is in building our student’s self-esteem.

Our History

ShihanAbdussamadKuzhikkatil

As Managing Director and Chief instructor Mr.ShihanAbdussamadKuzhikkatil with a mission of promoting world class standard martial arts in the region he established JSKA UAE (AL AZZAM KARATE CENTER in SHARJAH) in 2015.

He holds the rank of 5th Dan Black Belt in Karate in Japan (JSKA). He’s also an authorized Representative of Japan Shotokan Karate Association (JSKA – UAE), Official instructor, Examiner & judge, UAE Chief Instructor & Examiner. UAE Karate Federation & WKF (World Karate Federation) Certified Trainer and Referee.

As dynamic personality he is affiliated to Karate Association of India (KAI) and holds 7th Dan Black Belt. As multi-talented in the field he is also a Kalari Instructor (International Self Defence Kalaripaitu); a Yoga & Therapy instructor (Shotokan Karate and Martial arts Academy Calicut, Kerala); he worked with MEM Government High School Malappuram (Kerala) as chief Karate Instructor, Worked as a Karate Trainer in Kerala Police academy.

He started practicing the art of Shotokan karate on the year 1988 under Dr.K.M.Basha and in the age of 21 he acquired the level of Black Belt. And he acquired 3rd Dan Black belt from Dr.K.M.Basha on the year 2005. He awarded 5th DAN Black belt from Sensei Abe Keigo JSKA – JAPAN on the year 2015. He participated with many of competition including the following:

World Karate championship 2009, Chennai, India
Asian Karate championship 2010, India (Winner in the Master Kata items)
3 times National Karate champion.
4 times State Karate champion.
Indo-Srilankan Invitational Karate Championship 2009,Thrissur,Kerala,India

Trainings:

WKF INTERNATIONAL Referee Course held in Dubai.
Participated in Japan Karate-Do International at Dubai Nov 2011 with the HON.SHIHAN YASUYOHI SAITO President & Grand Master [JKI].
UAE international J K I training camp Dubai on 25th & 26 th of November 2011, ( Chief instructor, SHIHAN YASUYOSHI SAITO, 9th Dan Black belt Japan )
Asian Karate Training Camp 2010, India (Kata and Kumite JSKA Chief Instructor: Sensei Abe Keigo 9thDan black belt Japan.)
All India Shito-Ruy Karate Camp 2009,Chennai, India
All Indian Karate Federation (AIKF) Katakumite Camp, 2010 Chennai, India
Kalari, Yoga, Yogatherapy Camp 2005, Calicut, India.
Self-Defence Training &Kobudo Camp, 2007 Calicut, India.

ABE Keigo 9th Dan JSKA Chief Instructor

ABE KeigoSensei, founded the JAPAN SHOTOKAN KARATE ASSOCIATION the 10th February 1999. Abe Sensei holds 9th Dan in the Japan Shotokan Karate Association and is the JSKA Chief Instructor. It is one of the fastest growing Shotokan associations in the world. Abe Keigo Sensei was born in October 1938 in the town of Iyoshi in Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku Island in East Japan. Abe Sensei started Karate and Judo training when he was 15 years old. In 1956 he entered the Japan Engineering University in Tokyo from which he graduated in 1960. In 1958 Abe Sensei started to train at the Headquarters of the Japan Karate Association (JKA) where he met a young and powerful Sensei, NAKAYAMA Masatoshi Sensei, who was to become his grand master. Abe Sensei trained there every day for nearly 35 years. During this time, Abe Sensei was informed by Nakayama Sensei that Nakayama Sensei himself was taught by FUNAKOSHI Gichin Sensei as well as by his son FUNAKOSHI Yoshitaka. This is further reflected in the teaching of Abe Sensei and the JSKA. In 1965 Abe Sensei graduated as JKA instructor, progressing to become an important member of the JKA Headquarters’ instructors staff and in 1985 was appointed Director of Qualifications; in 1990, Abe Sensei was appointed Technical Director of the JKA (Matsuno section), a position held until retiring from the JKA (Matsuno section) on 31st January 1999, and on the behest of his students worldwide, forming the JSKA. Abe Sensei, through his unique position as senior student of Nakayama Sensei, is and will remain an integral part of the evolution of the Shotokan style.

Abe Sensei has also taught and influenced some of the top Japanese instructors in the world to day, and headed numerous delegations in around 50 countries for the JSKA and the Japanese government. Abe Sensei is also one of the few Karate-ka to have refereed in the presence of the Emperor of Japan during a Japan national tournament. This is indeed a great honor in Japan and only highly respected Karate-ka might ever attain such a level of recognition.

Abe Sensei has been also an official instructor with the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Technology, a national referee for the JKF, and an international referee for the WKF/WUKO. When approached by Hollywood, Nakayama Sensei delegated Abe Sensei as fight consultant on the filming of the James Bond movie “You Only Live Twice”, an experience which remains one of Abe Sensei’s many fond memories.

Abe Sensei was also an accomplished competitor and took 3rd place in the first JKA National Championship; was the Japanese team’s captain at the second WUKO World Championship in Paris, France; won 1st place in the team competition at the 1973 JKA International Friendship Tournament; and took 1st place in both the second and third JKF National Championships as a representative of Tokyo. A highly rated and dangerously competent fighter, Abe Sensei also devised the original rules for IpponShobu competition in a manner preserving the Budo spirit through the concept of “killing with one perfect, decisive blow”.

Although not well known, Abe Sensei is also a fighter that kept Enoeda Sensei, the “Shotokan Tiger”, at bay, in 1961 at a major Japanese tournament. Enoeda Sensei was already well renowned for his skills, ferocity and strength, and the fight went on to six enchosen (extensions), Enoeda Sensei finally winning only on hantei (decision), a memorable fight which reflects Abe Sensei’s skills, technical abilities, spirit and tenacity in the Dojo and his humility outside.

Abe Sensei has a great understanding of Karate history and philosophy through the formation and development of Shotokan style into what he perceives the future has to offer: “I feel that today’s Karate is centered only on winning competitions and everyone trains towards this end. But this is very far from the true purpose of Karate. I believe that the true purpose of Karate lies in daily training with a goal to develop in parallel a strong body and mind and furthermore to contribute to society in general; the Karate-do we practice has for essential purpose to attain a correct control of body and mind”. Abe Sensei established the JSKA to realize what he himself sees as the true purpose of Karate.

The JSKA Karate philosophy is to

Improve technique as a sport
• Enjoy Karate practice as a means for developing a healthy body and mind.
• Learn self-defense as a martial art

Karate-ka who understand these principles are most welcome to join us.

Japan Shotokan Karate Association
Tokyo, May 2009

NAKAYAMA Masatoshi Sensei (1913–1987)

NAKAYAMA Masatoshi was born in Yamaguchi prefecture in Japan and began practicing Karate in 1932 after enrolling in Takushoku University in Tokyo, where he trained under FUNAKOSHI Gichin Sensei and later under his son FUNAKOSHI Yoshitaka Sensei. In 1949 Nakayama Sensei founded the Japan Karate Association with Funakoshi Sensei as chief instructor and together they created the JKA instructors course. Later, Nakayama Sensei established Karate competitions and also worked to spread Shotokan Karate throughout the world. Nakayama Sensei wrote several books on Karate, among them the “Best Karate” series.

FUNAKOSHI Gichin Sensei (1868-1957)

Born in Okinawa in 1868, FUNAKOSHI Gichin started to practice Karate around 1879 with two Okinawa’s top masters of Shorei-ryu and Shorin-ryu. In 1922, invited to demonstrate Karate to the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese public, his demonstration was such a success that he decided to remain in Japan to teach and promote his art. Gichin Funakoshi passed away in 1957 at the age of 88. Aside from creating Shotokan Karate and introducing it to Japan and the world, this unassuming and gentle man also wrote books, among them “Karate-do: My Way of Life” and “The Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate”. FUNAKOSHI Sensei is widely considered as the founder of modern Karate.

Overview

JSKA aims to provide the best training to suit everybody’s needs. This will be achieved by development of students, teaching them all the aspects of karate. This in turn will increase their fitness levels, stamina, confidence and body strength as well as learning control through regular disciplined lessons, training camps and courses with world recognized Japanese instructors.

Karate classes are designed for all ages, from beginners to advanced. In every class we learn the basic punches, blocks, kicks as well as the advanced techniques for those more experienced.

We aim to guide the students through regular gradings and disciplined classes with lots of karate games, which helps your children to practice techniques in a fun way.

So far we have had great success in teaching children the basics (kihon), which even black belts practice in their lessons. Basic punches, blocks and kicks help the students to get more comfortable with the art of karate and non-contact sparring helps them to build up their confidence. Fun endurance exercises helps to improve their strength and stretching helps to improve their flexibility, balance and coordination. Learning basic sequences (kata) not only conditions their brains but gets them prepared for fighting in the future (kumite). Learning small Japanese words, counting and memorising the rules of karate makes the students more aware of a different language and the true fighters mind.

Vision & Mission

We will provide a safe and friendly environment for children, young people and adults to learn Karate and other martial arts.We will raise standards of achievement in Karate and education for all its students across the ability range. It will be a regional focus for excellence in the sport of Karate and other martial arts, extending links between its family of clubs, sports bodies and the local community.

The art of Martial arts places emphasis on the development of the character of its students and a code of behavior is used together with the physical training so that technical skill, physical fitness and good behavior become synonymous with Karate-do.The code is based on a mutual respect of the instructor and students and acknowledges that respect must be shown for seniority.

Our Branch