Our instructors
Niko Gjoka
An accomplished 5th Dan in Karate and 2nd Dan in Kickboxing, Niko has competed around the world and has been inspiring people to change their lives through martial arts for more than 15 years.
As a professional British fighter and multiple title-holder, Niko understands that the benefits of training and success require rigorous discipline and commitment from both teacher and student, and high teaching standards are guaranteed in all our Academy classes.
Wayne McKenna
I’m a 2nd Degree Black belt in free-style Karate, I have over 20 years active martial arts experience, with 12 of those as an instructor. Although I have competition experience my forte is kicking, fitness, flexibility, and teaching. I am extremely active, and as well as training and teaching at NMA I also do cross-fit, run 10k’s on a weekly basis and regularly hike in the mountains.
As a child in the 80s I was drawn to martial arts through films like the Karate Kid, and the Kickboxer. Having joined a weekly Karate club I steadily gained experience and rose up the belts. After a 10-year hiatus to see out my teens I re-joined the Karate club in my early 20’s and quickly got back into the martial arts also supplementing with Kick-boxing, Muay-Thai, Eskrima, and later Tricking.
My biggest passion in life is being a good father. For many years I have taught children and adults. Having two of my own children has allowed me to be a Karate dad in every sense. I now enjoy passing on my experience and coaching skills to my own children and others proving for a closed loop positive reinforcement ethos.
Michael Ryan
I began my Martial Arts journey back in 1986 , acquired my black belt 5 years later .
From then till now my love for Martial Arts has not diminished, my knowledge has grown along with my ability.
So come along to NMA academy and take advantage of the years of experience my fellow instructors and I have to offer.
Joel Clayton
My initial interest in martial starts started at a young age, with some of my earliest memories involving me imitating my martial arts hero’s. This interest ultimately led me to be inspired to take up my passion properly.
I have been on my martial arts journey ever since, having had a period of time out in my younger days , and then returning to continue my experiences as an adult, achieving my black belt in Karate. I have trained under various instructors in the last, however have found that the level of coaching and skills to be far superior, since training and teaching with the instructor team at Niko Martial Arts Academy. Whether your a young child beginning your journey or a seasoned veteran, NMA has the skills and passion to push you to that next level.
Bernard Taylor
Bernard has dedicated over 46 years of his life to mastering martial arts, and has achieved many notable accomplishments along the way.
As a 6th Dan black belt in karate and a black belt in kickboxing, Bernard has honed his skills to an exceptional level. Additionally, he is a full instructor in defendo and has trained in Eskrima, making him a well-rounded and versatile martial artist.
For 10 years, Bernard ran his own martial arts club called Linthwaite Bulls and spent a further further 21 years running his own Black Belt Academy, where he had the privilege of helping students of all ages and abilities grow and develop in their practice.
Bernard has had the opportunity to train under various masters from Japan, Italy, Germany, France, and Britain. This allowed him to broaden his skillset and deepen his understanding of martial arts.
Finally, we are proud that Bernard won the Veterans Over 35 Championships at the age of 50, which speaks to his dedication and perseverance.
Rachel Childs
Rachel has been an invaluable member of our academy since joining us in 2018 along with her two children. In addition to being an active participant in our adult classes, Rachel has been a valuable asset, generously volunteering her time to help out in our kids classes.
Rachel has worked in many different types of settings with children and young people from 0- 16 years from special schools, nurseries or 1-2-1 support. Her specialism is working with those that have additional needs, especially Autism/ PDA and behaviour or mental health needs. The experience she has gained helps her to make connections with the children and teens in class to encourage them and gain confidence to develop their skills. This is an added dynamic to help individuals shine!
Over the past four years, Rachel has worked closely with our Chief Instructor Niko, shadowing him and developing her own teaching skills. Rachel’s dedication and experience have given her a great understanding of teaching and we are grateful to have her as part of our team.