ABOUT NIKKI

Nikki Sinclair has been training in Wado Ryu for over 25 years, and is currently a 4th Dan Black Belt.

My journey into martial arts started when I was 13. My brother arrived home one day and announced he wanted to start karate classes, so not entirely happy about it I set-off to class with him! I arrived back home excited with the cost of a gi (suit) and licence, and still love training and learning as much now as then.

I’ve trained with many karate practitioners, the majority of my training, and grading, under the tutelage of Steve Wheatley (8th Dan), and Barry Tatlow (9th Dan), founders of the Phoenix Organisation Limited.

I’ve gained many benefits over the years, confidence, resilience, problem solving, people interaction, fitness, mental wellbeing and friendship, to name just a few.

During my tenure as a manager of a team of people, I often found myself reviewing how my training in the dojo influenced my professional life. Being a black belt is less of putting a belt around my waist as a way of life. In the martial arts world we often use the phrase ‘black belt attitude’. This has taught me many skills in how to interact with people and gain the best from them, as well as my own personal development. The phrase ‘yielding is more effective than strength’ can be applied to verbal situations as well as physical ones. On reflection I used it many times with colleagues to facilitate a constructive conversation to enable us to find a solution to a challenge.

Having spent nearly 30 years in the printing industry, I decided to have a change of career and lifestyle, and started Red Eagle Martial Arts.   My aim is to create a club where everyone is welcome, taught and encouraged, on their individual path to becoming a black belt.