Howard Collins

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Howard Collins (born 1949) is a Welsh master of Kyokushin karate based in Sweden.Shihan Howard Collins: Kyokushin Karate
Retrieved on 4 March 2010. He holds the rank of 8th ''dan'' (2015) and the title of '' Shihan''. Collins learned directly from Masutatsu Oyama, founder of Kyokushin karate, and was a prominent competitor in world karate tournaments through the 1970s. He has been teaching his martial art since the 1960s, and has written several books on karate.

Early life

Collins was born in 1949Göteborgs Karate Kai: Shihan Collins
Retrieved on 10 March 2010. in Mountain Ash, Wales, around 20 miles from Cardiff. His father died when he was eight years old. As a schoolboy, Collins played rugby and trained in athletics. He began training in Kyokushin karate at the age of 15, at the Cardiff School of Budo. It was around this time that he first read about Masutatsu Oyama and decided that he would eventually travel to Japan to train.

In 1967, Collins decided to join the London Metropolitan Police—but only three weeks after he had set off on this endeavour, his mother died. He worked in London for two years before joining the merchant navy, with the aim of working his way to Japan. Collins was 21 when he eventually left for Japan.

Karate career

In 1971, Collins arrived in Japan and, at the rank of 3rd '' kyu'', began training at the Kyokushin ''honbu dojo'' (headquarters training hall) under Oyama. On 22 October 1972, he competed in the 4th Open Karate Tournament in Tokyo, and came second after Miyuki Miura.Keaveney, L. (2009)
Sosai Masutatsu Oyama 1923–1994
Retrieved on 19 March 2010. According to Collins, he completed the 100-man kumite two years after beginning training in Japan, but a Scottish source reports 1 December 1972 as the date.Kyokushin Karate Scotland: History – 100 Man Kumite
(2010). Retrieved on 12 March 2010. In any case, he became the first person to complete the test compulsorily in one day.Yussof, S. (2005)
100 Man Kumite
Retrieved on 12 March 2010. Collins later recalled: "At the start it was easy my condition was excellent as I had been training every day for two years. Slowly though I was becoming tired the referee would ask me if I wanted to give up (I can not print my reply). I thought what can they do, kill me. Three and a half hours later it was all over."

In 1973, Collins returned to the United Kingdom and began teaching in British and other European ''dojo''. He was listed at 6' 5" (196 cm) in height and 198 lb. (90 kg) in weight in that year.Anonymous (1973): "Top ten Japanese Karatemen." ''Black Belt'', 11(11):36–39. In September 1973, Collins was ranked 3rd ''dan''.Bufton, G. (''c.'' 2008)

Retrieved on 18 March 2010. In November 1975, he competed in Kyokushin's 1st World Tournament, but was defeated by Toshikazu Satō on a judge's decision, following several extensions and a rematch.Adams, A. (1976): "Only the strong survived." ''Black Belt'', 14(6):51–54, 75. Following an invitation from Attila Meszaros, Collins emigrated to Sweden in 1977. He competed in Kyokushin's 2nd World Tournament, in November 1979, and came fifth.European Karate Organisation Kyokushinkai-kan: Sosai Masutatsu Oyama World Tournaments
Retrieved on 19 March 2010.

In 1980, Collins was ranked 4th ''dan''.Kyokushin Bulgaria: History of Kyokushin in Bulgaria
(2009). Retrieved on 19 March 2010. Oyama promoted him to the rank of 7th ''dan'' in 1993. During the World Tournament in Japan October/November 2015 or rather during the seminar afterwards, he got 8th ''dan''. Collins has written several books, including: ''The Kyokushinkai Knockdown karate book'' (1980), ''The Absolute Karate: Applications of Kyokushin'' (1995),Collins, H. (1995): ''The Absolute Karate: Applications of Kyokushin''. Härryda: Howard Collins. () ''The Shodan'' (2003), and ''The Gateway'' (2004). Currently, he is the head of the Gothenburg Kyokushin ''dojo'' in Sweden.

References

External links

Swedish Karate Kyokushinkai

{{DEFAULTSORT:Collins, Howard
Living people
1949 births
British male karateka
Karate coaches
Martial arts school founders
Martial arts writers
People from Mountain Ash, Wales
Welsh emigrants to Sweden
Kyokushin kaikan practitioners
Welsh male karateka