Instructor Biography
Matt Turnbull
As a child I started martial arts training taking part in Hapkido, Lau Gar Kung-Fu and Fencing; but none of these stuck with me.
In 2002 at university I got my first taste of Bujinkan under Karle Thomas at the University of Birmingham Ninjutsu Club. I was attracted to it by its techniques which taught principles which applied to weapons and seemed to offer both structure and freedom. It helped watching a small instructor be able to lock, throw, hit and manipulate larger opponents.
Over the following years I moved around the UK and started attending sessions at a variety of clubs and seminars taking instruction from Norm Smithers, Jim Hough, Brian Duckers and Jake Sharpstone.
In 2016 I made my first trip to Japan to train with Hatsumi-Soke and the senior instructors in Japan for the first time. It was an eye-opening experience which I wish I had started sooner. In 2017 I repeated the trip and passed my Godan.
Since that time, I’ve tried to make the most of the opportunities to train at seminars in the UK and Europe whilst also continuing my trips to Japan. From these I try to share what I’ve learned with the patience that others have shown me.
