I was 13 when i went to see this new film called "Enter The Dragon" i was hooked, Bruce Lee was god, and me and my mates Kung Fu`d all the way home, not easy in six inch platform shoes and flares, well it was 1973.

My martial arts journey had begun and i joined Haringey Boys Karate Club, it was a huge class and i was so far from the front that i couldn`t even see the instructors yet alone be taught by them, we all just followed the guy infront of us, this wasn`t for me. In my late teens i tried a couple of styles of Kung Fu, but this still wasn`t it.

In 1983 i was introduced to Jujitsu, this was very different to anything else i`d done, it was practical, it worked, it seemed to have the answers, "at last !" i had found the right art, but not the right club.

A life, a wife, and two kids later (11 yrs infact) i did find the right club when Jon Maxey (my little bruv), Matt Stacey, and me all joined what was then Meadway Jujitsu Club, that was october1995 and we took our white belt grading in the december, that was taken by Sensei Dave Todd who told us "you`ll always remember two gradings, your white and your black, i took my black belt exactly three years later and Sensei Dave was right.

The professor was teaching the tuesday class back then, and we now consider ourselves very fortunate to be amongst the last students to have had the privilege of being taught directly by him on a weekly basis.

Sensei Steve McDade is one of the youngest genuine 6th dans in the country, which is great for us as he will be on the mat for many years to come, his style of teaching has been the biggest influence on my own.

I`ve met many good people through the club, some sadly like Sensei Bob Carmicheal are no longer with us, a true gentleman we will never forget Sensei Bob r.i.p.

Pete Maxey training with Royce Gracie in 2006

There are some very good students coming through the ranks, i hope they go all the way to black belt and look forward to training with them.

See you on the mat, Sensei Pete Maxey 3rd dan

And remember patience is not passive, on the contrary it is concentrated stength