Photos
(Read about the coaches below)
Zoltán Dienes
Zoltán was captain to the Cambridge and Oxford karate blues teams in the 1980s. His original martial arts training was with Peter Zimmatore, who lived in Japan for many years, and who took Zoltan to black belt in Shotokan Karate. In 1994, after meeting Terry Wingrove , Zoltán became interested in martial arts as self defence rather than sport - "jutsu" rather than "do". In 1995 Zoltán also started training with Rick Clark on each of his biannual visits to the UK. Rick helped Zoltán disregard the boundaries of styles and to train in all areas of self defence. Some training with Steve Morris in 2003 and 2004 profoundly influenced all aspects of Zoltán's training, to make it more functional, and based on the evolving methodologies of Mixed Martial Arts.
Peter Kolarz
Pete started training Integrated Martial Arts in 2007 and trained to black belt in just over three years, the fastest time possible. He has since expanded his knowledge of martial arts by cross-training in several disciplines: he holds a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a green belt in Judo and also trained for over a year in Jeet Kune Do. He trains in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Elements Martial Arts in Hove. Pete has competed successfuly in Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Gi and No-gi divisions), and is always open to new perspectives in martial arts, modern and traditional, striking, grappling and ground.
Pete has taught IMA since 2010 and was awarded his second level Black Belt in 2013, based on his continuing development and crosstraining. In addition to his technical knowledge, Pete's experience as a sociologist gives him an added understanding of how and why people from different walks of life have different needs, attitudes and feelings about martial arts, self defence and the prospect of violence. As such, he brings a sociologically informed diversity to his coaching, sensitive to the many different reasons why people want to train and the difrerent approaches they take to martial arts.
Leevi Laine
Coming from a background of highly physical sports, namely ice hockey and basketball, Leevi began his IMA training when he started university in 2011. He was awarded his black belt in 2016 and has since then taken up much of the coaching responsibilities. He has some cross training experience in BJJ and Muay Thai, as well as being the club’s resident enthusiast in strength and conditioning.
Other IMA blackbelts:
Joe Wareham (not active)
Joe joined the club in 2008, and progressed rapidly as a virtue of training hard and often, as well as constantly thinking about martial arts critically both inside and outside of the dojo. Joe stepped into the cage to compete in his first MMA tournament in February 2011 (at Fightskool), where he was runner-up in the Welterweight division, and he obtained his black belt in IMA later in the year. He has been traveling around the world ever since, mainly practicing technqiues on beaches to the rising sun.
Neil McLatchie (not active)
Neil started training at the club when at sixth form in Kent - travelling all the way to University of Sussex because he could find no other club nearby that was so progressive in its training methods and philosophy. In fact, he chose Sussex for his BSc precisely so he could continue training at the club! While in his first year at Sussex he won gold at the first British Universities Vale Tudo competition. Neil achieved his blackbelt in Integrated Martial Arts in his final undergraduate year at Sussex. He was awarded USSU (University of Sussex Students Union) Martial Artist of the Year 2009. He then left Sussex and is now part of Kaizen martial arts in Lancaster.