About the BKJJ Club

Belleville Karate and Jiu-Jitsu has remained a preeminent institution for self-defense and martial art instruction, teaching Karate, Jiu Jitsu and Self defense for well over 30 years in the Belleville area. 

BKJJ welcomes all ages and abilities. You can learn 2 martial arts at the same time, including practical & effective self defense. With over over 1400 square feet of training space and classes that run 3 times a week, you will find our club offers convenience comprehensive martial arts training. We have hosted annual open tournaments and offer self defense courses and seminars.

Our Japanese Karate and Jiu-Jitsu programs allow students to progress through the traditional Japanese grading system. Students begin as white belts and as they gain competency at various belt levels (yellow, orange, green, blue and brown), will after four to five years, earn their Black Belts! Classes emphasize fitness, fun, confidence building and discipline. We offer training for beginner, intermediate and advanced children. Accommodations are often made to better serve the individual needs of students and parents.

Club Logo

The red and gold colours in our new logo remain the same as they have since our inception. Gold symbolizes the pursuit of wisdom and red symbolizes power and passion for what we do. The white background symbolizes purity of spirit. The main changes are the combination of the maple leaf and the hinomaru (Japanese sun), which represents the joining of our Canadian and Japanese Koubukan dojo together as one family; and the ensō (circle) outline. In Zen, Ensō symbolizes many things including enlightenment, strength and the all-encompassing universe, but what speaks to me is the idea of creating ensō. Zen practitioners may draw ensō as a spiritual practise using one fluid, uninterrupted stroke. Once drawn, it is not changed, but contemplated and appreciated in its natural state for its simplicity, its imperfections. As Kancho often says when asked about the intricacies of a technique – it should be natural. Tomorrow’s circle may be different and, with practice, more elegant and more perfect but, as in our training, while we strive for improvement we must also allow ourselves to appreciate every moment as it is.

The club is owned and operated by Head Instructor Shihan Martin Salisbury.

History

The club founder Shihan Jack Donovan began his training under Shihan's Dennis Thompkins and Tom Sharkey. Upon receiving his teaching certifications in both disciplines—Karate and Jiu-Jitsu respectively—Shihan Donovan decided to open his own dojo under the Belleville Karate and Jiu-Jitsu banner. Recognizing the value of Koubukan Gojuryu Karatedo, Shihan Donovan began following the instruction of Hanshi Hayashi and formally affiliated his dojo with the Koubukan Federation.

Our self defense instructors in Jiu Jitsu have trained many years under the legendary Shihan Tom Sharkey, a former Special Forces U.S. Ranger. 
The Karate program is under the direct tutelage of Japan's Head of Koubukan Goju-RyuShihan Yutaka Hayashi.

Instructors

Shihan Martin photo

Shihan Martin Salisbury

Chief Instructor

Godan, 5th Degree Black Belt Karate

Yondan, 4th Degree Black Belt Jiu-Jitsu

Shihan Carter photo

Shihan Carter Mitchell

Rokudan, 6th Degree Black Belt Karate

Nidan, 2nd Degree Black Belt Jiu-Jitsu

Sensei Norm photo

Sensei Norman Clifton

Yondan, 4th Degree Black Belt Karate

Nidan, 2nd Degree Black Belt Jiu-Jitsu

Sempai Chris photo

Sempai Chris Chorlovski

Shodan, 1st Degree Black Belt Karate

Mentors

Shian Donovan photo

Shihan Jack Donovan 

Founder RIP

KARATE Nanadan (7th Dan) Yudansha Kobujitsu Karate-Doh Federation

JIU JITSU Godan (5th Dan) Yudansha Ju Jitsu Federation

INSTRUCTOR LICENCE Level 1 World Ju Jitsu Kobudo Organization

Officer Y.K.K.F. Trained in Canada, U.S.A., England, France, Germany, Channel Islands, Switzerland, Italy

Our instructors have had the great privilege of being one of Shihan Donovan’s students and they have benefitted significantly from his wisdom. They carry a deep respect for Donovan aspiring to maintain his vision in every class at Belleville Karate and Jiu-Jitsu.


Kancho Hayashi photo

Hanshi Yutaka Hayashi

Japan head of Koubukan Goju-Ryu - 9th Dan

34 years training including 27 years Koubukan

He has taught 100's of students and been mentoring Belleville Koubukan for 15 years

Shihan Sharkey photo

Shihan Tom Sharkey

th Dan Black Belt, Jiu-Jitsu

2005 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

2005 TORONTO POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR

We are very proud to have had direct training under this man for many years at our Belleville Dojo. Currently Shihan Tom Sharkey is the head teacher and the president of Ranger Jiu-Jitsu Club located in Ontario. Ranger Jiu-Jitsu Club offers international seminars of Jiu-Jitsu, Grappling, Self Defense and Self-Protection. For 33 years, Tom Sharkey has been a member of the Toronto Police Service. He has been in charge of Tactics and Firearms Training, Supervising the Bomb Squad as well as a Special Weapons Team with ETF. Then, he was promoted as Staff Sergeant and was in charge of the Specialized Training Branch at the Toronto Police Training Academy. Tom Sharkey has a background in the military, including two tours in Vietnam with the 75th Airborne Rangers.