ABOUT SHIHAN LEIGHTON BARKER

Shihan Leighton Barker, one of the founders of Kenshikai Karate, is a 6th Degree Black Belt with more than a quarter century’s accomplishment in the study and practice of traditional Japanese-style karate.

At the early age of 13 in his home of Kingston, Jamaica, Leighton Barker began training in Kyokushinkai Karate under the immediate supervision of Sensei Errol Lyn. By the time he was 17, in 1976, he had become the youngest student in Jamaica ever to earn the rank of Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt) in Seido Karate. He earned his Nidan (2nd Degree Black Belt) just two years later. In 1979 he immigrated to New York City so that he might continue his training directly with Seido Karate’s founder, Kaicho (Grandmaster) Tadashi Nakamura.

Over the next two decades, he further sharpened his skills as a practitioner and later a teacher of Karate. In September 1994, at the request of Kaicho Nakamura, then-Sensei Leighton took over the leadership of the Vanderbilt YMCA Seido Karate program, which at that time was small and had no senior Black Belt students. Under his guidance, Karate at the Vanderbilt flourished, rapidly expanding the number of involved students and deepening their commitment.

Shihan Leighton received his 6th Degree Black Belt in Seido Karate in April 2001. Later that year, he withdrew from Seido and co-founded Kenshikai Karate.

Throughout his career in Karate, Shihan Leighton has repeatedly been a tournament champion in both kumite (free fighting) and breaking divisions. (A powerful shin kick through two baseball bats became one of his signature breaks--see video link below). In addition, he is a frequent participant in demonstrations of difficult breaking and weapons techniques. However, teaching remains one of the most important and rewarding parts of Karate for Shihan Leighton. He is dedicated to helping students nurture the strengths of mind, body and spirit that Kenshikai Karate can build.