Soke James McDade 10th Dan Hanshi
Soke James McDade has dedicated his entire life to teaching Jitsu. He is internationally recognised as one of the leading exponents of this martial art and has trained since the 1960s.
Soke J McDade first introduction to sport started in his school days at an early age by participating in boxing and wrestling club situated in Doncaster Street, Mary Hill, Glasgow, Scotland, his place of birth.
Arriving in London in his early twenties he met sensei Richard Morris who introduced him to Aki Ju-Jitsu, and he gained his black belt in 1968, after many years of training Sensei Morris integrated with Prof James Blundell who originally founded the British Ju-Jitsu Association in 1950’s and chief instructor Robert Clark in their home town Liverpool.
The ju-jitsu being taught by Soke James Blundell and Robert Clark was dynamic and totally revolutionary, the style was JUKO RYU. Prof McDade was sent to train in the BJJA headquarters at that time known as the Lowlands, to seek knowledge from professor Blundell and learn the juko ryu syllabus and bring it back to London, so he started again as a white belt and learnt the syllabus along with many others who’s names are now quite famous in ju-jitsu circles.
Soke J MCDADE MARTIAL ARTS KNOWLEDGE EXPANDED OVER THE COMING YEARS PROGRESSING TO SENIOR INSTRUCTOR AND EXAMINER FOR THE WORLD JU-JITSU FEDERATION & BRITISH JU-JITSU ASSOCIATION.
He was the most senior instructor under Prof Richard Morris who was chairman of the British Ju-Jitsu association, at the London Ju-Jitsu centre. He ran the adult classes for many years during the early seventies until he opened his own clubs Meadway ju-jitsu clubs in Tottenham London and Barnet Hertfordshire in 1979-1980.
Soke JAMES MCDADE, ALONG WITH PROF RICHARD MORRIS, WERE FOUNDER MEMBERS OF THE ORIGINAL (M.A.C.) MARTIAL ARTS COMMISSION, ONE OF THE FIRST GOVERNING BODIES FOR MARTIAL ARTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. HE WAS IN THE COMPANY OF PROF’S J BLUNDELL, R. CLARK, VERNON BELL, JAMES SHORT AND OTHER LEADING PROFESSORS IN FORMING THE CONSTITUTION OF THE M.A.C. THE MANDATE WAS SIGNED BY J MCDADE UNDER AIKI JU-JITSU, THE STYLE WHICH HE TAUGHT AS A BLACK BELT IN 1968.
Soke James McDade was promoted to 5th Dan Master of Ju-Jitsu in 1982 & promoted to 6th dan in 1988 with the BJJA/WJJF. Prof J McDade served as a committee member to the BJJA(GB) until 1991 when along with his son Stephen McDade decided to take the Meadway ju-jitsu clubs private and affiliating with the AMA amateur martial arts association which had senior examiners in Ju-JItsu that were old friends from the past such as his former student and training partner Prof Dell Connelly.
Soke J McDade is the founder and Head of Total Self Defence and heads the examining committee on all promotions and gradings.