01
Real self-defence
Reality-based scenarios, restraints, personal protection and weapon and knife defence. The core of the TJK syllabus, used by police and armed forces around the world. More →
New · Beginners-only class from September
Learn to
Learn to
defend
yourself.
Japanese Jujutsu for adults in Tewkesbury. Throws, striking, groundwork and real self-defence, 3 classes a week, part of the TJK association.
First class free
Adults, all abilities
Tewkesbury
45+Years of TJK
3Classes a week
8thDan lineage
£0First class
One art.
Six skillsets.
Jujutsu is the system the modern martial arts grew out of. You get the striking, the throws, the ground and the practical self-defence together, not spread across four different memberships.
02
Throws & takedowns
Jujutsu and Judo throws, trips and takedowns, and how to fall safely, which you'll learn in your very first hour.
03
Striking
Effective, powerful striking taught with control. Pads and partner drills first, rounds only when you want them.
04
Ground skills
Applied submission grappling groundwork. Control, escapes and submissions that work when you're not on a competition mat.
05
Sport jujutsu
Kumite, submission grappling and grapple & strike. Compete if you want to, plenty of our members never do. More →
06
Traditional roots
Japanese lineage, a structured grading syllabus, and the discipline and respect that come with it. More →
New for September
Beginners only.
Beginners only.
Tuesdays, 6pm.
You've spoken, and we've listened. From September there's a class with nobody senior on the mat — just beginners, white belts and yellow belts.
- Slower pace, small numbers, time to get it right
- The full TJK self-defence syllabus from step one
- Beginners, white belts and yellow belts only
- Every Tuesday, 6.00pm – 7.00pm · £8
When we
train.
Wheatpieces Community Centre, Tewkesbury GL20 7SP. Free parking. Arrive ten minutes early in gym kit with a bottle of water — that's the entire kit list.
Day
Class
Price
TuesdaysNew · from Sept
6.00 – 7.00pm · Beginners OnlyBeginners, white belts and yellow belts
£8
Tuesdays
7.00 – 9.00pm · Syllabus & Open TrainingFundamentals 7–8pm, then open mat, sport and rounds 8–9pm
£10 / £8
Thursdays
7.30 – 9.00pm · Mixed ClassSelf-defence and sport jujutsu — throws, striking, ground and submissions
£8
SundaysWomen only
5.00 – 6.00pm · Ladies AreaWith Sensei Gemma, 2nd Dan. All levels and abilities — pay at class
£8
Sundays
5.00 – 6.30pm · Mixed ClassSelf-defence and sport jujutsu, suitable for beginners and advanced
£8
Start
for free.
No minimum term. Pay as You Go. Book in under a minute and turn up.
4-class intro
£4£32
New members only
- Four full classes
- The white-belt basics
- Decide after, no pressure
Pay as you go
£8–£10
Per class
- Turn up when you can
- No commitment
- Save £1 a class monthly
All access
£50£112
Per month
- Every class, every week
- Cancel any time
- Saves over £54 a month
Taught by
Sensei Mark.
Sensei Mark started Jujutsu in 1999 and has trained across every TJK club, five days a week, under the association's three most senior instructors. He leads every class at Tewkesbury, with Sensei Gemma running the Sunday ladies area.
- 2nd Dan Jujutsu under Sensei Ross Iannoccaro, 8th Dan
- Level 3 first aid trained and fully insured
- Level 2 qualified fitness instructor
- Beginners taught on their own mat, at their own pace
The wider association
Part of the
Part of the
TJK Association.
We run our own club in Tewkesbury — our own mat, our own instructors, our own way of doing things. We are also one of ten clubs in Taijutsu Kai, the Jujutsu association Hanshi Ross Iannoccaro founded in 1980.
That means the syllabus you learn here is the same one taught across two counties, your grades are recognised everywhere TJK trains, and a small community centre class opens a door onto something much bigger.
- Tewkesbury
- Worcester
- Malvern
- Gloucester
- Bishops Cleeve
- Cheltenham
- Bromsgrove
- Tamworth
01
Train at any TJK club
Worcester, Malvern, Gloucester, Bishops Cleeve, Cheltenham, Bromsgrove and Tamworth all run the same syllabus. Train an extra night, cover a week you would otherwise miss, or just go and meet people.
02
Classical samurai weapons
Kobudo classes taught by Sensei Ross: Bojutsu (6ft staff), Hanbojutsu (3ft staff), Tanbojutsu (short stick) and Tanto. Open to adults of all grades — and nothing like anything else you will train.
03
Association seminars
A full day of training every year with TJK's most senior coaches and invited guests, plus sport participation days and Grapple & Strike events for anyone who wants to test themselves.
04
Workshops through the year
Focused, single-subject sessions — street-ready self-defence, weapon defence, escapes and control — run across the association and open to Tewkesbury members.
05
Consistent gradings
Every belt is examined against one association standard, so a TJK grade means exactly the same thing in Tewkesbury as it does in Worcester. No shortcuts, and nobody graded before they are ready.
06
A syllabus 45+ years deep
Throws, takedowns, striking, joint locks, pins, groundwork and reality-based self-defence — developed, tested and refined continuously since 1980. You will not run out of it.
Head of the association
Hanshi Ross
Hanshi Ross
Iannoccaro.
Ross started training in 1972 and opened the first Taijutsu Kai school in 1980. He holds an 8th dan in Jujutsu, and was the first non-Japanese martial artist awarded the title Tasshi by Fumon Tanaka Soke, head of one of Japan's most respected classical samurai schools.
He is a founder of Jujutsu Kumite, one of the first in the UK to be taught Gracie Jiu-Jitsu directly by Master Carley Gracie, and the man Combat magazine called the UK pioneer of MMA. In 2025 the association honoured him with the title Hanshi.
He also still teaches — including the Kobudo classes where TJK students pick up the bo, hanbo and tanto for the first time.
More about Taijutsu Kai★★★★★I wish I had taken this up sooner! Have been at the club since the start of this year. Really professionally run, making sure you go through the basics before you start taking on anything more. Lessons are well structured and informative. Everyone at the club is really welcoming and friendly, there are no egos and they all just want to help you improve. I managed to train twice a week but wish I could train more. Would highly recommend.
Josh LewisFacebook
★★★★★While looking for a martial arts club I found TJK classes, since there was a free trial I decided to give it a go to see what is all about. In summary, it was a great find — training sessions which are very high quality are led by approachable and passionate instructors, who are keen on sharing their expertise while making sure their students thrive. As a complete beginner, I never feel out of place or that I don't know enough. Welcoming and friendly members will make you feel part of the club from day one.
Luka WoFacebook
★★★★★Very high quality instruction.
Welcoming, safe environment for beginners.
Good, engaging mix of self defence and sport.
Great physical conditioning, but with a focus on technique over strength.Darren RehoFacebook
★★★★★I train with TJK Tewkesbury whenever I can on top of my usual main class (TJK Chosen Hill). It's a great addition as the style of training is slightly different. It allows me to push myself and really test the skills under a little extra pressure with friendly grappling and sparring sessions. Everyone there shows huge respect for each other and help each other out whenever possible, no matter what level they might be. If you're nervous about stepping in for your first lesson, don't worry, within minutes you'll be welcomed by everyone and will feel a lot more at ease. Then you'll wonder why you didn't start years ago.
Dave HumphriesFacebook
★★★★★Jen and Mark are both hugely talented jujutsu practitioners who live and breathe Japanese jujutsu. Their understanding of the art is exceptional and their attention to the smallest details make them tremendously effective teachers. I learn something new every time I have the opportunity to train with them.
Ian Connor
★★★★★I cannot recommend Mark and Jen enough as teachers. I have been training with them now for 5 months and they have provided me with so much support and insight in to my practice. You won't regret it if you give it a go. I promise!
Ellie Kim
Your first
class.
Everything people quietly wonder before they walk in. There's more on the beginners page.
Do I need any experience?
None at all. From September there's a beginners-only class on Tuesdays, and in every other class new students are taught separately from the main group.
What do I wear?
Gym kit and a bottle of water. You only need a gi once you've decided to stay, and we'll sort that out then.
Do I need to compete?
Plenty of members train purely for self-defence and fitness. Resistance training is encouraged and will include sparring and rolling in-class. But you do not need to compete to grade at TJK.
How fit do I need to be?
Fit enough to walk in. Beginners work within their own capabilities and at their own pace, the fitness comes with the training.
Is it just for young men?
No. The club is mixed and adult, all ages 16+ and abilities, and there's a dedicated ladies area every Sunday.
How do I book?
Pick a class, book online, turn up ten minutes early. Claiming your free trial takes about sixty seconds.
Find us
Wheatpieces
Community Centre
Free parking on site, five minutes from the A38 and a short walk from Walton Cardiff.
- Address
- Wheatpieces Community Centre, Tewkesbury, GL20 7SP
- Train
- Ashchurch for Tewkesbury — ten minutes by car
- Message
- Facebook Messenger or Instagram
- hello@tjktewkesbury.co.uk