Kevin Pell
England
International Grand Master Instructor
Founder and Chief Instructor Ishin Ryu Ju Jitsu
International Director & Advisor to E.B.C.
Born in 1958 in Edmonton, North London, Pell Hanshi began his martial arts career in October 1966. During his 40 years of training to date he has studied the arts of Judo, Karate, Ju Jitsu, Kung Fu, Shorinji-Kempo, Kickboxing and most recently Iaido and Kendo.
In 1982 his fascination of the striking and locking arts took him to Japan to study the art of Shorinji-Kempo at the Honbu Dojo.
In January 1990 he opened the very first Ishin Ryu school of Ju-Jitsu based in his home town of Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, in the United Kingdom.
Since early 1990, Pell Hanshi has received invitations to teach worldwide his no-nonsense style of Ju-Jitsu, attracting international attention from many of the world's leading close protection agencies and military Special Forces.
Pell Hanshi has served with the Royal Marine Reserve and the Royal Military Police. He also served as a dog handler in The Parks Police completing his service at the rank of Sergeant. From 1996, Pell Hanshi worked for six years as a professional close protection officer, having been personally invited to join an elite team drawn from Britain's Special Forces, being primarily responsible for the personal security of leading members of the United Arab Emirates.
His Ishin Ryu Ju-Jitsu clubs have had numerous television appearances both nationally and internationally. They have appeared on The James Whale Show, London Weekend Television's prime time challenge program "You Bet", The Link - Hertfordshire Television, Carlton News, Sky, Terrestrial and Cable Television and the "Combat '95 - Martial Arts Extravaganza" at the NEC Birmingham. Pell Hanshi has also appeared as an instructor in Andy McNab's highly acclaimed survival video "The S.A.S Survival Guide" where he assisted in the instruction of combat survival, and arranged the escape and evasion sequences.
Another milestone in the club's development was our contribution to the making of "Masters Of Combat", a series of 6 video tapes featuring Kevin Pell Hanshi and senior members of the Ishin Ryu Ju-Jitsu Combat Training Wing. This series highlighted the club's involvement in the specialist field of Special Forces training techniques, a specialty of Ishin Ryu Ju-Jitsu.
Ishin Ryu Ju-Jitsu has also appeared in influential martial art publications including Cinturon Negro (Spain), Sports Kampf (Sweden), El Budoka (Spain), Combat, Martial Arts Plus, Combat & Survival and Fighters of the United Kingdom.
In 1996, Kevin Pell Hanshi (Then a Renshi) appeared on the front cover of Martial Arts Plus magazine, with a three page interview on Renshi Kevin Pell's history in the martial arts and close protection.
Kevin Pell Hanshi has featured in many of the world's premier martial art publications including in October 1998 the internationally acclaimed best selling "The Ultimate Book of Martial Arts," in which a 32 page section is dedicated to Hanshi's Ishin Ryu school of Ju Jitsu.
On Saturday the 6th of October 2001, Pell Hanshi was inaugurated into Combat Magazines "Black Belt Hall of Fame". Pell Hanshi was presented the award by Combat Magazine's editor, Mr. Paul Clifton, in recognition of his "outstanding contribution to the Development of Martial Arts in the United Kingdom and around the world".
Pell Hanshi appeared on the front cover of the April 2002 edition of Combat Magazine, (Europe's largest martial arts publication) featuring a six page article about Pell Hanshi and his school of Ishin Ryu Ju-Jitsu covering the training philosophy, the clubs founding and the building of the Honbu Dojo in the rural village of Caston, Norfolk.
On the 25th of October 2003, Pell Hanshi was invited to Combat Magazine's "Hall Of Fame" for a second time. During the evening's events, Mr Paul Clifton, the editor of Combat Magazine, presented Hanshi with a special award inscribed with the words "Guardian of the Martial Arts".
On the 2nd of October 2004, Pell Hanshi received a life membership to "Jutsu Akademie Harms" also known as the "Brotherhood Of Martial Arts Instructors" acknowledging his recognition as the Founder and Chief Instructor of Ishin Ryu Ju-Jitsu.
In 2005, Pell Hanshi officially became an author when he was signed up by publishers "Barnes and Nobel" to write a book and a series of self defence cards on the subject of Ju-Jitsu. This publication, entitled Martial Arts Basics - Ju-Jitsu went on to become an extremely successful training reference internationally and is now enjoying its second re-print, with a follow up edition planned shortly.
On the 23rd of February 2005, Pell Kyoshi received his Hachidan (8th Dan) from the European Ju-Jitsu Union "in recognition of his excellent character, spirit, ability, understanding, knowledge and international development of the martial arts," followed shortly by recognition as the holder of a Hanshi Menkyo, signed by Daniel Blanchet Hanshi, president of the Hanshi No Iinkai.
On the 1st of January 2007, the Sekai Ishin Ryu Ju-Jitsu Renmei became full members of MASA, the Martial Arts Standards Agency, and have been duly designated with our membership number (1022).
On the 12th of January 2007, Kevin Pell Hanshi was appointed the 'General Advisor for the United Kingdom' by the European Ju-Jitsu Union under the stamp and seal of Dr. Javier Galan Hanshi, to work alongside Peter Hogg Sensei, the EJJU delegate officer for the United Kingdom.
On Saturday the 26th of May 2007, Kevin Pell Hanshi was presented with acknowledgement of his grade and title from the International Teachers Association of the Martial Arts and also from the American Teachers Association of the Martial Arts by Dr. Crimi O.M.D. Hanshi - Hikari Ryuza Ryu Jujutsu, Shihan - Danzan Ryu Jujitsu at Ishin Ryu's Honbu Dojo in Caston Norfolk in the presence of his Yudansha and students.
Pell Hanshi currently teaches at the following Dojos:
· Honbu Dojo,
· The Norfolk Golf and Country Club.