Instructors
John Salt
John Salt has been training in the martial arts for over 30 years. He holds a 6th Dan black belt in Shito Ryu karate and has had numerous titles at national and International level including: 3 x FSK Grand champion in Traditional Kata, WKA world bronze medal in freestyle points fighting 1999, National Black Belt Leauge Eurapean champion- Kata, SKA European champion- Kata and ISKA European bronze medalist 2007 in Kata.
Alongside Sensei Dave Morris (7th Dan) John is the Co Chief instructor of Elite International Martial Arts (E.I.M.A.) association, of which New Mills Martial arts is a member. John and Dave have produced numerous national Champions and even a few world champions in sport karate, kickboxing and kata over the years and are the long time instructors of Jon Santry.
Jonathon Santry
Jon Santry started training in martial arts in 1987 at the age of 8. Jon has actively competed for 28 of those 30 years! After initially training in Judo and twice representing the Lancashire squad as a 9 year old and gaining several trophies he moved on to traditional Shuto Ryu Karate,in which today he holds the rank of black belt 6th Dan.
Jon was a regular on the points karate circuits from the late eighties as a junior until the mid nineties as a teenager, when he started started training in boxing and competing with great success in light continuous kickboxing. He went on to become a five time British champion in the sport holding numerous different versions of the title ( E.M.A. , FSK, WKA) before moving in to full contact kickboxing and Kick Jitsu ( a fore runner to MMA which consisted of kickboxing with takedowns and limited ground fighting).
At age 18 Jon was in the 1997 Kick Jitsu, ” Four Nations cup”, England squad who took the gold medal that year ( Jon winning his first individual bout and drawing his second). The squad also featured local martial arts luminary Dave Breed, future UK, K-1 Champion and “Cage Rage” MMA star Garry ” Smiler” Turner and Jon himself took the place of an absent Buster Reeves ( Buster was a highly decorated world class martial artist who went on to become one of the top fight/ stunt coordinators in Hollywood. Most recently seen in an on screen role battling with Ben Affleck in ,”The Accountant”).
In 2002 Jon went on to become the WKA amateur full contact kickboxing World bronze medalist at that year’s Championship in Italy. He would go on to Challenge for the WPKA pro world title in 2004 and the WAKO British pro title in 2008 and was ranked as the number 4 cruiserweight pro kickboxer by the WAKO in 2009.
Jon has also competed on several occasions in pro MMA holding a record of 2-3-0 (Sherdog lists 0-2-0 but this is inaccurate!) And has had enormous success on the unlicensed boxing circuits. As well as his competitive success and experience in boxing and Karate. Jon currently holds a blue belt in traditional Hop Kuen Do Kung Fu and a blue belt four stripe in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu .
Jon received his blue belt in BJJ directly from UFC Hall of famer Royce Gracie before continuing his training under Gracie Barra and grading with
Jon is a member of ,” Elite International Martial arts”, under his long time coaches Dave Morris and John Salt. He has also trained with numerous legends in the martial arts aside from those already mentioned he has trained with kickboxing/Thai boxing greats Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, Bill “Superfoot ” Wallace, Ramon “Diamond” Dekkers and Tawatchai Budsadee “Juk”.
He has worked with MMA and grappling legends; Ken Shamrock, Billy Robinson, Ralek Gracie and Chuck ” The Iceman” Lidell.
Most recently Jon has been applying his art to the screen having worked both behind the scenes as a martial arts trainer and fight choreographer on BBC’s critically acclaimed period drama “The Village” ( working with among others Hollywood star Julian Sands, who was the bad guy in Jackie Chan’s ” The Medallion” and Michael Jai White’s “Blood and Bone”) and Samsung’s 2013 “Galaxy 11” advertising campaign, which saw Jon putting England and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney through his paces! Jon has had numerous on screen roles as well appearing in “The Village”, Sky Atlantic’s ” Penny Dreadful” where he had on screen battles with Hollywood “A listers ” Timothy Dalton (James Bond), Josh Harnett (Pearl Harbour) and Wes Studi ( Last of the Mohicans) ,and numerous music videos.
Back in the, ” real world”, Jon has nearly two decades experience of front line security work. Predominantly working as a pub/ night club doorman but also working security for events and concerts looking after the likes of former Manchester United star Roy Keane, Former Manchester city and Ireland international Nile Quinn, British pop group McFly and Canadian rock star Brian Adams. Jon has a wealth of experience in terms of dealing with real world violence and teaches regular seminars in self protection that cover both the physical and psychological aspects of training required to be effective in ” live” situations.
Jon is also a YMCA level 2 qualified gym instructor and Wright foundation ” Exercise on prescription” qualified instructor. With over 10 years experience of working in a traditional gym environment and 3, 1/2 years experience with the NHS working as a physiotherapy assistant.
In short, Jon and his team of highly qualified coaches can provide you with the training you need whether you’re 8 or 80 years old! So what are you waiting for? Contact New Mills MMA today and start your free trial period.
Dave Morris
Dave began his training in his teens around 1976 under Keji Tomiyamma of Tan Ha Shito Ryu, who was a direct student of Chojiro Tani, the founder of the style more commonly known as Shukokai in the west. Dave was also fortunate enough to be able to train on a seminar with the late Sensei Tani.
In 1987 Dave joined the Greater Manchester Police, to find that they had a Police Karate team which he would go on to represent on numerous occasions. He later went on to become national P.A.A champion 3 times.
It wasn’t long before Dave got involved with the self defense training, becoming a national instructor trainer in Manadnock batons, Quick Kuff and C.S. gas, also grading in Taiho Jitsu and qualifying in conflict management, all of which he taught to recruits and serving officers during his time in the police.
Dave really immersed himself in the competition scene in the early 90’s and is still competing in the veterans section today! Dave has won far more titles in his career than could be listed on this page but some highlights include:
3xFSK Grand Champion, WAKO British Champion, WUMA World silver medalist, 2xEMA Grand Champion, WKA European silver medalist and in 2000 WFFO World champion in the veterans section in Kata. Dave also won a silver medal in both the 2010 and 2011 WKC World championships in points Karate as a veteran. His fighting career has also seen him compete extensively in light continuous and full contact kickboxing, Kyokushinkai ( Knock down Karate) and traditional ( WUKO) points fighting.
Dave later went on to form Elite Martial Arts along side John Salt. Elite is of course the association that New Mills Martial Arts belongs to and is growing bigger by the day, with clubs in Glossop, Liverpool, Wakefield and even over seas in Newzealand the association continues to grow and prosper
