Instructors

Instructor Allan Spence 6th dan took up the lesser known art of karate in 1967 under instructor Hamish Adams 8th dan. He trained 6 nights a week and achieved a black belt in 3 years.

As one of the founding members of the Scottish Karate Federation (SKF), Allan started instructing karate in 1971 gaining his 3rd dan in 1975 from Tatsuo Suzuki 8th dan Hanshi the highest graded ryu master in the world.

With Alan Purdie 4rd dan, he teaches 5 sessions per week for both children and adults at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre, Edinburgh. It is hard work but very rewarding!

"The children do us proud in every competition they enter building self confidence and ability. The adults train hard and if they get half the enjoyment I have had in my career, they will be winners in and out of the dojo" said Allan Spence 6th dan.

Instructor Alan Purdie 4th dan started karate in 1985 under the instruction of Hamish Adam. With Hamish he passed his green belt but had to stop due to injury. A year and a half later he started again with Allan Spence and at the tender age of 40 he sat and passed his 1st dan "with a lot of hard work and a good instructor", in 1993 on his first attempt. He sat and passed his 2nd dan in June 1996 and finally in June 1999 he passed his 3rd dan on his 1st attempt. Alan was awarded his 4th dan in June 2003.

"I have been training and teaching at Ainslie Park with Allan Spence for approximately 10 years and I enjoy the hard work and friendship karate has to offer." said Alan Purdie 4th dan.