CHARLEY HERWIG: SENIOR INSTRUCTOR / ADVISOR

At just 12 years of age, Charley Herwig founded the first weight training centre in his town at the local community centre! It was there that Charley got his first real taste of being on the receiving end of the martial arts.  He attempted to train at the Shotokan Karate club and the Judo club and it didn't really work out.  These people were tough, well trained, hard to defeat and Charley describes the whole experience as "unpleasant".

"Big Charley" always had an interest in breaking techniques (Tameshiwari). Even as a child, he would break anything he could lay his hands on, from thin boards to roof tiles.  In the 90's Charley reached his breaking-peak when he set fire to sixteen "beavertail roof tiles" and smashed through all sixteen in a single blow.  

He was born in 1956 and really got started with serious martial arts training in the mid-70's. He began with Shotokan karate and within just three years he became the trainer for beginners. Later, Charley served four years of national service in the military and his training broadened.  He began Full Contact Karate, trained in military Close Quarter Combat (CQC) and founded a weight training gym in his company. It wasn't long before Charley was the one giving the Karate lessons and even the Staff Sergeant came to Charley seeking instruction.

After the military, Charley continued with a modest amount of freestyle full contact karate. At that time, his real focus was on weight training.  At sixteen, Charley was 6' 4" (194cm), weighed just 10-stone (65kg) and in his own words, "had an upper arm that was barely visible". A ten year dedicated programme of the right foods and lots of weight training changed all that. At twenty-six, Charley had reached almost 19stone (120kg) and boasted 19" (48cm) upper arms. "Big Charley" had arrived.

In 1984, he founded a sports and fitness centre in Steiger, Germany.  The weight training and kickboxing section were (and still are) a complete success. In 1991, Kyokushin Karate was introduced at the "Fitness Farm" and Charley trained under Sydney Boteju and Hadley Watson.

Over the years, Charley has formed ties with - and become the student of - many reputable trainers throughout Germany and Europe, including:

Joachim-Dieter Eisheuer: 7. Dan Kyokushin Karate, 7. Dan Kyokushin Budokai, 4. Dan Shotokan Karate, 3. Dan Taekwondo, 3. Dan Kickboxing.

Leonardo Voinescu: 7. Dan Hon-Do-Ryu (Uchideshi), 7. Dan Kyokushin Budokai, 4. Dan Kyokushin Karate, 4. Dan Judo, Branch Chief of the International Budo Kai (IBK) for Germany and Rumania.

and finally, Charley's Sensei, the incomparable;

Kaicho Jon Bluming: 10. Dan Karate (awarded from Japan), 9. Dan Kodokan Judo, 4. Dan Bo Jitsu, 4. Dan Iai Jitsu, 2. Dan Kendo, Founder and President of the International Budo Kai (IBK).

Charley now holds 3. Dan Kyokushin Karate, 3. Dan Kyokushin Budo Kai (freefight) and continues to teach full contact all round fighting. At every available opportunity, he can be found in the Spessart Forests of Bayern seeking peace, quiet and seclusion.  He is an artist first and a martial artist second. He's a painter, a sculptor, a tatooist and the founder member and singer of Snakebite (his rock band). In 1987 he married Sissi and remains happily married. Charley lives his life to his own philosophy; "It's only rock 'n roll".