Ken Shin Kai meaning 'The Association of Strong Heart, Mind and Spirit' was established in Portsmouth, Hampshire in 1985 under the direction of David Eayrs. The Ken Shin Kai Aikido Organisation has grown to over 200 members and affiliated members, and has Dojo's located in Portsmouth, Fareham, Salisbury and Wales. Ken Shin Kai in addition to following the Yoshinkan style of Aikido also incorporates the use of weapons to enhance the concentration and accuracy required to complete a successful Aikido technique. Weapons used include; Bokken (Wooden Sword), Jo (4´ Staff), Tanjo (2´ Staff), Tanbo (Short Stick) and Tanto (Wooden Knife).

David Eayrs the founder of Ken Shin Kai was born in Portsmouth, England. David was also a founder member of the British Aikido Board. In addition to studying Aikido for 40 years, David also holds the rank of 2nd Dan in Shotokan Karate.

In 1963, David was serving in the Army and whilst in Butterworth, Malaysia he started practising the art of Aikido with a small group of Malaysians. David was informed by the group leader that if he really wanted to understand Aikido he must meet an Instructor living on the island of Penang, Shihan Francis Ramasamy. Francis took David on as his only student until the establishment, with the help of David, of his first Dojo at the Minden Barracks, a British garrison in Georgetown, Malaysia, in 1965.

Three years later David was posted to Berlin where he began teaching Aikido to Army students and at the Municiple Academy of Police. David left the Army and returned to England in 1967 and began teaching Aikido to a small number of private students.

In addition to the tuition received from Francis Ramasamy, David also trained under Thamby Rajah, Yasuhisa Shioda, Jang En Yu and Soke Gozo Shioda.

In 1968 David was awarded Shodan by Shioda and two years later he opened his first club at Denmead in Hampshire. David worked hard to establish many Dojo's and many of his students are now Instructors in their own Dojo's. David was awarded an honourary 8th Dan in 1996 from the Executive Committee of Ken Shin Kai, in recognition of his efforts and achievements in spreading the knowledge of Yoshinkan Aikido.

Since August of 1993 David has been residing in Moscow, where he has worked as the Assistant Manager for a British Security Company, during his time with this company he was tasked to train Russian guards in all aspects of defence, including un-armed combat and the use of side-handled batons.

David explains, "The task was very challenging and revealing because all of the Russians employed were highly skilled practitioners of the Fighting Arts. All were ex KGB or Special Forces and therefore all techniques taught had to be proved, with the Russians having a no-nonsense approach to what is effective and what is not. Other factors also effected the choice of technique, these included the wearing of heavily padded clothing, the slippery ice-covered roads and pavements and the fact that most criminals are armed with some sort of gas or red-pepper gun. Flowing circular Aikido techniques were not possible in the winter conditions and techniques such as Irimi Nage, Irimi Tsuki and Koshi Nage seemed the most effective. It is a very macho world in Russia and the Russians have no time for the faint-hearted, but they are avid fans of Steven Seagal and rate Aikido very highly".

David is now running the Misogi Yoshinkan Aikido Organisation in Moscow, Russia and also acts as an independent consultant and teaches Aikido to Police, Special Forces and private groups. He uses his experience to help introduce some practical applications of Aikido into the Dojo and visits the Ken Shin Kai Dojo's when possible.

The Ken Shin Kai Aikido Organisation is run by the Principal Coach and Chairman Sensei Garry Masters, 6th Dan. Garry was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire and has been practising Aikido for 25 years.

Garry began practising Yoshinkan Aikido in 1978 under the tuition of David Eayrs. Over the years Garry has accumulated an extensive knowledge of Yoshinkan and various other styles of Aikido, receiving tuition from Shihan Francis Ramasamy, Shihan Morihiro Saito, Yasuhisa Shioda and Terada Shihan.

In addition to this he has also gained experience in Iaido, Shoto, Tanjo and won the first ever Jodo championship held in England (Mudan Section) in 1986.

Garry was Chief Instructor of Ken Shin Kai from 1985 to 1994. In 1994 Garry was elected as Principal Coach and Chairman of Ken Shin Kai by the Executive Committee, after the resignation of David Eayrs. Garry holds the ranks of 6th Dan Instructor Yoshinkan Aikido (Japan) awarded by Terada Shihan, 5th Dan Instructor Mushinkan (Malaysia), 1st Dan Jodo and 1st Dan Iaido.

Garry has travelled to Yoshinkan Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, Japan, Terada Shihans Dojo in Yokohama, Japan and has travelled three times to Malaysia to extend his knowledge of Yoshinkan Aikido in intensive training courses, instructed by Shihan Francis Ramasamy. All of this has been achieved by Sensei Garry, despite the fact that in view of a heart condition, and having suffered a brain haemorrhage, he has been advised not to participate in any type of sport or physical exercise.

In his time as Principal Coach, Garry has obtained International recognition for Ken Shin Kai, and all of its Instructors and students. Firstly by establishing Ken Shin Kai as an Independent Yoshinkan Aikido Organisation recognised by the Hombu Dojo (headquarters) for Yoshinkan Aikido worldwide in Japan, and secondly by being graded by Terada Shihan - 9^th Dan Yoshinkan Aikido Instructor and awarded the Internationally recognised and authenticated rank of 6^th Dan.

Sensei Garry Masters is also the first UK Instructor to host a seminar in the UK taught by Terada Shihan - 9^th Dan Yoshinkan Aikido Instructor in April 2002.

Garry is supported in this role by his Chief Instructor, Sensei Roger Bish - 5^th Dan who has practised Yoshinkan Aikido for over 30 years.

Close connections are held by Ken Shin Kai with Malaysia, through the Penang Yoshinkan Aikido Association. Intensive training courses instructed by Shihan Francis Ramasamy are held at the Portsmouth Dojo and the Penang Dojo when club funds allow. Members of Ken Shin Kai have visited the Penang Dojo on four occasions and Francis Ramasamy and a few of his students visited the Portsmouth Dojo for the second time, in November 1994. These seminars allow for the exchange of Aikido knowledge between Continents.

Shihan Francis Ramasamy was born in Penang, Malaysia in 1939. He has accumulated an impressive martial arts history, including training in Thai Muay Thai (Thai Boxing); Kodokan Judo 2nd Dan; Kendo 2nd Dan; and Shinden Fudo Ryu Kodachi Iai Shimpo 6th Dan.

In addition, Francis holds the rank of 6th Dan in Yoshinkan Aikido and has studied Aikido for over 30 years he has trained under many high ranking instructors including; Soke Shioda Sensei, Yagi Junchiro Sensei, Kushida Sensei, Takufumi Takeno Sensei and many others.

Francis rented various premises and even used his own house as a temporary Dojo until 1985, when he began renting his present Dojo. In addition to this Dojo situated in Penang, Francis also runs a Dojo in Kuala Lumpur. Francis has travelled to Japan on many occasions to study under Soke Gozo Shioda at the Yoshinkan Honbu. Francis has also taken part in Kangeiko (Winter Training) and trained with the Metropolitan Police in Tokyo. Francis feels that the repetitive uchikomi of Aikido reveals the truth of the ancient saying of the sage Lao Tse, "Read a book a hundred times, but do not read a hundred books at one time!".

The Ken Shin Kai Aikido Organisation has close friendships with many other Aikido Organisations in the UK. The closest links being with the Go Ryu Kai Aikido Organisation which is run by Sensei Malcolm Crawford, the Shinwakai Aikido Organisation, which is run by Sensei Jack Poole and Sensei Marill Poole, and the Traditional Ueshiba School of Aikido, which is run by Shihan Richard Portsmouth. The links forged with these Aikido Organisations allow Ken Shin Kai to grow and develop by allowing the students access to a wide range of highly skilled Aikido Instructors. Seminars are held four times a year, to which Aikidoka from across the UK are invited to attend.

The Ken Shin Kai Organisation practises the Yoshinkan style of Aikido as taught by Soke Gozo Shioda, with an open mind to other styles of Aikido. The great attraction of Yoshinkan Aikido, is that it is a hard, practical style that can be used to counter any attack, without causing serious injury to the attacker, the techniques practised, require very little strength to make them effective, and therefore can be practised by both men and women of all ages. Yoshinkan Aikido deals with pressure points, throws and locks. Ken Shin Kai Aikido is not sport orientated or competitive.

Beginners are taught Kihon Dosa (basic movements), Ukemi (breakfalls) and a few basic techniques for the first six months of their training. These are designed to condition the body whilst practising Aikido. At an intermediate stage students will be shown dynamic techniques to control a partners attack by blending with their power and redirecting it against them. Advanced students are encouraged to practice combinations of techniques, jiyu waza (free style), weapons and techniques from multiple attacks.

Ken Shin Kai is very reserved with its award of Kyu and Dan grades, students must wait a minimum of six months between Kyu gradings and are expected to have trained regularly for a period of 3 to 5 years before they will be considered for a Shodan grading. All gradings are performed in front of a panel of Instructors from the various Ken Shin Kai Dojo's to ensure that a fair judgement is made on the students performance and ability. Instructors are required to attend intensive internal Instructors course as well as meeting the requirements laid down by the British Aikido Board.

Ken Shin Kai encourages children to take part in Aikido. Each of the main Dojo's provides a training session for children between the ages of seven to sixteen. As well as learning Aikido the children learn the principles of discipline and respect, both of which should come hand in hand with the knowledge of a martial art. Joint locks and nerve techniques are avoided, but the juniors are taught basic breakfalls and various techniques that enable them to understand the principles of Aikido. The children are encouraged to have fun and enjoy themselves whilst still maintaining a respect for their Instructors and Dojo etiquette. Juniors are graded up to Junior Shodan and a mon (stripe) system is incorporated, allowing for up to three mon to be obtained between Kyu grades. On transferring to the adult class the juniors are re-graded.

Ken Shin Kai gives many Aikido demonstrations for charity events in order to spread the knowledge of Aikido further across Europe. Demonstrations are given throughout the year at schools, public events, charity events, private functions and Aikido seminars. Some of the demonstrations given in the past include displays for: Southern News, Terada Shihan, Prince Andrew, Japanese Naval Squadron, Malaysian Sports Minister, Japanese Consul, BAB, local television, Lord Mayor charity galas and many more. Members take part in 'Have A Go' days arranged by local groups in order to encourage people to find out more about Aikido. Ken Shin Kai has also spent time in making Aikido video's which demonstrate techniques in stages and are used to enable students to better understand the techniques practised. Money made from the sale of these videos is used to pay for the hire of Dojo's and the purchase of Tatami (training mats). The Organisation also arranges for articles to be published in local papers and magazines to further promote the art of Aikido.

The Organisation was founded to promote the art of Aikido and manages to avoid most of the political arguments now prevalent in larger organisations by maintaining a social, friendly and dedicated environment. Members regularly meet socially and enjoy training with Aikidoka from other organisations and styles. Members are keen to help the Organisation in anyway to enable it to grow and flourish, this is reflected in the steady growth and stability of the Organisation.

Unfortunately the Ken Shin Kai Organisation does not have sufficient funds in order to rent or purchase premises from which to run a permanent Dojo. The Ken Shin Kai Organisation hopes to have a permanent Dojo in the future. But for now we are proud to be able to say that with the guidance, patience and dedication of Sensei Garry Masters, Sensei Roger Bish and all of the Instructors and students of the Ken Shin Kai Yoshinkan Aikido Organisation, we are a growing, friendly, skilled, dedicated and highly respected Aikido Organisation.