Martial Arts Classes in Cippenham: Expert Training at Shuhari Self Defence

Shuhari Self Defence has been running practical, values-based training across Berkshire since 2010. The Cippenham classes are among the most distinctive in the network: two Tuesday evening sessions at the Baptist Church Youth Centre on Elmshott Lane, led by an instructor with over 35 years of personal training across Judo, Wing Chun, Thai Boxing, Kickboxing, and traditional Karate.

For families and adults in Cippenham, Slough, Burnham, and the surrounding area, Tuesday evenings at Cippenham offer serious training delivered with genuine depth.

Why Choose Shuhari Self Defence in Cippenham?

Cippenham sits in the western part of Slough Borough, with residential communities that consistently call for better local activity options. Shuhari's Tuesday sessions at the Baptist Church Youth Centre have become a fixture for families across Cippenham, Slough, Burnham, and Langley who want training that builds genuine character alongside physical skill.

Sixteen Years of Proven Results Across Berkshire

• Founded in 2010 by Olgun Tiltay, delivering martial arts across Berkshire for 16 years
• 8,670 students trained across six locations
• 23 qualified instructors, all DBS checked and first-aid trained
• 4.9-star Trustpilot rating from over 250 verified reviews
• 600 combined five-star reviews across Google

The Cippenham Venue

The Baptist Church Youth Centre on Elmshott Lane provides a dedicated training space with on-site parking. One practical note: follow the path on the right side of the church building; the hall is on the left at the end. It is a well-maintained, safe environment suited to children and adults alike.

Address: Cippenham Baptist Church Youth Centre, 11 Elmshott Lane, Cippenham SL1 5QS

Classes: Tuesday 18:00 to 19:00 and Tuesday 19:15 to 20:15

Suitable for: Children (7+), teenagers, and adults

Parking: On-site

Cippenham Class Schedule

Cippenham runs two back-to-back sessions every Tuesday. Students can attend one or train across both hours. The format also suits families with children and older teenagers or adults: one trip, two slots, everyone accommodated.

Tuesday 18:00 to 19:00: Children and Adults

The earlier session is open to children aged 7 and above alongside adults. Parents and children train in the same class, which many Cippenham families find to be ideal. Sessions cover the full Shuhari curriculum: techniques drawn from multiple disciplines, delivered as a single unified self-defence programme.

Tuesday 19:15 to 20:15: Teenagers and Adults

The later session is for teenagers and adults only. This slot allows older students to train at higher intensity in a format suited to their stage of development, without the mixed-age dynamic of the earlier class. For adults who prefer to train later in the evening, or for teenagers who have outgrown the children's format, this second session is the appropriate environment.

What Makes Cippenham Training Different?

Thirty-Five Years of Cross-Discipline Experience Leading Every Session

Most clubs are defined by the depth of one discipline. The Cippenham classes are defined by something else: the exceptional breadth of their lead instructor.

Sensei Brian Southon began training in Judo in 1986. By 1988 he was studying Wing Chun, reaching senior student level and double sash level 4 by 1999. He trained in Thai Boxing for four years in the early 1990s, competed in Kickboxing in the mid-1990s under the British Kickboxing Union, and reached UK number 4 in the national rankings. From 2009 until 2022 he studied traditional Karate and qualified as a 3rd Dan Black Belt instructor.

That is not a credentials list assembled to impress. It is a genuine multi-decade training biography that gives Sensei Brian a working understanding of how different systems compare, where each discipline is strong, and which techniques hold up under realistic pressure. When he teaches at Cippenham, he brings that entire body of knowledge to every session.

A Multi-Discipline Curriculum in Every Session

Shuhari does not offer separate classes for individual martial arts. Every session draws from multiple disciplines: Karate, Boxing, Wrestling, Krav Maga, Kung Fu, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing, and Muay Thai. The most pragmatic techniques from each are integrated into a single, coherent self-defence system covering striking, grappling, and ground work.

At Cippenham, that curriculum is delivered by an instructor who has personally trained in several of these systems. Brian's experience with Wing Chun's close-range striking, Thai Boxing's conditioning and clinch work, and Judo's throwing and grappling means the multi-discipline approach is not theoretical. It is drawn from first-hand knowledge.

Character Development as a Core Outcome

The club's philosophy, Strong Body, Sharp Mind, Immovable Spirit, runs through how Brian structures every Cippenham session. Technical skill is one pillar. Mental development, covering discipline, focus, respect, confidence, patience, and perseverance, is built with equal deliberateness.

Those who train with Sensei Brian describe him as physically strong, mature, and disciplined, with a reliable sense of humour. His personal example provides a model that students, particularly teenagers and adults who respond to authenticity over authority, find motivating. He draws on decades of experience across traditions to give students a wider understanding of martial arts, not just a set of techniques to memorise.

Age-Appropriate Training at Cippenham

Children (Ages 7 and Above)

Children can join Shuhari from age 7. This minimum is deliberate: it reflects the level of cognitive development needed to engage safely and productively with structured contact training. Starting at 7 ensures children are genuinely ready to benefit, rather than being placed in an environment before they are developmentally prepared for it.

For children, the Tuesday 18:00 session builds:

• Physical development across a broad range of movement skills: coordination, balance, agility, strength, and flexibility
• Confidence and assertiveness: practical tools for navigating social difficulties, including bullying
• Respect: for peers, for instructors, and for the genuine challenge of learning something difficult
• Focus: the sustained attention required in class transfers directly into school performance and behaviour

Teenagers

The 19:15 session provides a structured environment where older students can train at higher intensity. Teenagers often reach a point where a mixed children's class no longer challenges them, but they are not ready for an exclusively adult setting. The later Tuesday slot places them in exactly the right context, with the added benefit of training alongside adults whose experience they can learn from.

Adults (16+)

Adults at Cippenham train for a range of reasons: physical fitness through skill-based training, practical self-defence capability with genuine depth behind it, or a demanding Tuesday evening that provides a mental reset after the working week has started to accumulate. The sessions are built around real ability development, not just physical conditioning.

• Fitness through technique: cardiovascular and strength demands without the monotony of gym-style repetition
• Practical self-defence: techniques tested against realistic pressure, not just controlled drill conditions
• Mental clarity: physical engagement that demands presence and focus, providing a genuine break from work and screen-based mental fatigue
• Depth: the benefit of training under an instructor whose personal experience spans multiple systems across four decades

Family Training

The 18:00 session runs as a genuinely mixed class. Parents and children train on the same class rather than in separate rooms, which transforms the experience from a drop-off activity into a shared one. Families who train together often report a different quality of connection, built on mutual effort and visible progress.

Meet Your Cippenham Instructor

Brian Southon, 3rd Dan Black Belt, Instructor

Sensei Brian Southon's martial arts training began in 1986 with Judo, making him one of the most experienced practitioners in the Shuhari instructor team. His training history is a deliberate, decades-long effort to understand how different martial systems approach the same fundamental problems.

Starting with Judo's throws and grappling, he moved into Wing Chun in 1988, a system built around economy of movement, close-range striking, and the sensitivity of sticky hands. He reached senior student level and double sash level 4 by 1999. In the early 1990s he trained in Thai Boxing for four years, developing the conditioning, footwork, and clinch work that Muay Thai demands. In the mid-1990s he competed in Kickboxing under the British Kickboxing Union and ranked UK number 4 nationally. From 2009, he spent thirteen years studying traditional Karate, qualifying as a 3rd Dan Black Belt.

The result is an instructor who has spent meaningful time inside each system, understanding its underlying logic and its practical applications. His pad work, sparring, sticky hands, and self-defence drill work reflect this directly, and his teaching translates it into sessions that are technically rich without being overwhelming.

His favourite technique is Jodan Mawashi Geri. Approachable, technically strong, with a genuine sense of humour, Sensei Brian is the kind of instructor whose experience you can feel in every correction and every drill.

Getting Started

Book a Free Trial Class: No commitment is required. Contact Shuhari via shuhari.com/contact, call 07739 464 005, or email info@shuhari.com to reserve a place at either the 18:00 or 19:15 Tuesday session at Cippenham.

Arrive in Comfortable Sports Clothing: No uniform is needed for a first session. Gym or sports clothing is fine. Sensei Brian will introduce himself, ensure you are paired with an appropriate training partner, and make the session make sense from the beginning. Follow the path to the right of the church building; the hall is at the end on the left. See our guide at shuhari.com/blog/what-to-expect-at-your-first-martial-arts-class for a full walkthrough of what to expect.

Decide How You Want to Train: After your trial, you can choose to attend one or both Tuesday sessions. Students who want additional one-to-one development alongside group classes can explore private tuition options at shuhari.com/privatetuition.

Access All Six Shuhari Locations: Shuhari membership is not tied to a single location. If a particular week makes Tuesday difficult, you can train at any of the other five locations: Slough (Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays), Maidenhead (Wednesdays and Fridays), Bracknell (Mondays and Wednesdays), Langley (Mondays and Fridays), or Burnham (Tuesdays). The curriculum is consistent across all locations, so switching venues does not disrupt your development.

Frequently Asked Questions

What martial art do you teach at Cippenham?

Shuhari does not teach a single martial art. Every session draws from nine disciplines: Karate, Boxing, Wrestling, Krav Maga, Kung Fu, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing, and Muay Thai. These are not offered as separate class types. Sensei Brian integrates the most effective techniques from each into a single, practical self-defence system, drawing on his own personal training history across Judo, Wing Chun, Thai Boxing, Kickboxing, and traditional Karate.

Is Cippenham suitable for complete beginners?

Both Tuesday sessions welcome beginners alongside more experienced students. No prior experience is required. Sensei Brian adjusts instruction to suit each individual's starting point and pairs beginners with appropriate training partners. The guide at shuhari.com/blog/what-to-expect-at-your-first-martial-arts-class explains exactly what to expect from a first class.

Can I attend both Tuesday sessions in one evening?

Yes. The two sessions run back-to-back: 18:00 to 19:00 and 19:15 to 20:15. Students who want to train for two hours in a single evening can attend both. The format works particularly well for families with children in the earlier session and teenagers or adults in the later one.

What should I wear to my first class?

Comfortable gym or sports clothing is sufficient. There is no need to purchase a uniform before your first session. If you continue training, a uniform can be arranged at the class when you are ready.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. Contact Shuhari via shuhari.com/contact, call 07739 464 005, or email info@shuhari.com to book a free trial at Cippenham.

Can I train at other Shuhari locations on my Cippenham membership?

Yes. Membership gives you access to all six Shuhari locations across Berkshire. If a particular week makes Tuesday difficult, you can attend Slough, Maidenhead, Bracknell, Langley, or Burnham instead. The curriculum is consistent across all locations, so your development is not affected by switching venues.

Why Cippenham Families Choose Shuhari

The Cippenham classes offer something that is genuinely rare at a local level: a single instructor whose personal martial arts training spans more than three decades and different systems, delivering a multi-discipline curriculum within a structure that has produced measurable results for over 8,670 students across 16 years.

The two Tuesday sessions give families real flexibility: children and adults together in the earlier slot, teenagers and adults at higher intensity in the later one. The venue is practical, the parking is on-site, and the community that has built around Brian's classes reflects the quality of what he brings to the dojo each week.

The free trial is the most direct way to assess whether Cippenham is the right fit. No obligation, no pressure. Come in, train for an hour, and let the session speak for itself.

Book Your Free Trial at Cippenham

Call: 07739 464 005 Email: info@shuhari.com Web: shuhari.com