International WBKF Seminar

Mixed Martial Arts - April 2025

In 2025, members of Seishin Ju-Jitsu were once again delighted to attend the annual International WBKF Seminar, hosted in Enfield by WBKF England. The event was organised by Shihan Gary Maas, 8th Dan Ju-Jitsu and WBKF England Ambassador, and featured special guest instructor Soke Joachim Peters, 10th Dan, Founder of the World Budo Kai Federation (WBKF).

With the seminar taking place close to home, it provided an excellent opportunity for our students and instructors to train alongside martial artists from clubs across the United Kingdom and Europe. The atmosphere throughout the day reflected everything that martial arts should represent?respect, friendship, humility and a genuine willingness to learn from one another.

Learning Across Martial Arts

The seminar brought together practitioners from a wide variety of martial arts disciplines, creating an ideal environment for learning and personal development. Throughout the day, participants explored practical applications, technical refinements and effective self-defence principles drawn from several systems including Japanese Ju-Jitsu, Karate, Judo, Krav Maga and modern mixed martial arts concepts.

Rather than focusing solely on individual styles, the instructors highlighted the common principles that unite all effective martial arts?balance, timing, distance, leverage, awareness and control. Students were encouraged to ask questions, experiment with techniques and gain a broader understanding of how different systems complement one another.

Training with Senior Instructors

A major highlight of the event was the opportunity to train under the guidance of Soke Joachim Peters, whose decades of experience continue to inspire martial artists around the world. His instruction emphasised efficiency of movement, practical application and the importance of continual improvement regardless of rank.

The seminar was expertly organised by Shihan Gary Maas, whose commitment to developing martial arts within the UK has helped make the annual WBKF seminar one of the country's most respected open-style training events. Every session reflected the values of discipline, courtesy and mutual respect that form the foundation of traditional martial arts.

Building the Martial Arts Community

One of the greatest benefits of attending WBKF seminars is the opportunity to meet practitioners from different clubs and associations. Students exchanged ideas, trained with new partners and developed friendships that extend well beyond the training mat. Regardless of style, grade or association, everyone trained together with a shared commitment to improving their skills and supporting one another.

For Seishin Ju-Jitsu, the seminar was another memorable experience and an excellent opportunity to represent our club while continuing our own martial arts journey.

Our sincere thanks go to Shihan Gary Maas for organising another outstanding seminar, to Soke Joachim Peters for sharing his vast knowledge and experience, and to every instructor, volunteer and participant whose enthusiasm made the 2025 International WBKF Seminar such a rewarding and enjoyable event.