MARTIAL ARTS: COMBAT expert Chris Byrne is already one of the region's foremost martial arts instructors and has 20 years of experience under his black belt. So how can he improve? A man who sparred with Muhammad Ali was able to pass on some tips! PETER MORSE spoke to the Crewe instructor about his trip to the USA.

SENSEI Chris Byrne's ambition to provide the best martial arts education to his students at Crewe takes him to London every week and led to a trip across the Atlantic.

Chris, an instructor at the Total Urban Combat Concepts club, based at the Camm Street Gym, is completely dedicated to learning and teaching Ryu Kyu Kempo Karate.

So when he got the chance to travel to a specialist centre on the site of Muhammad Ali's original 1970s training camp at Deer Lake, Pennsylvania, he jumped at it.

Chris explained that while Ali is regarded as the greatest boxer of all time, few people know that the legend was also a student of karate.

The camp is run by Grand Master George Dillman - a world-renowned figure in martial arts and ninth degree black belt in Ryu Kyu Kempo Karate - who sparred with Ali and taught him karate.

Chris, 34, said: 'I first met Master Dillman in 1997, on the UK leg of his seminar circuit in Europe. But it was not until I started training with Master Paul Bowman, who is the only person in the UK associated with Master Dillman, on a weekly basis in London, that I got the opportunity to attend one of the few training camps that Master Dillman runs yearly in the USA.

'Master Dillman bought the site in 1997, and the original Ali training ring is now the training hall. I spent five days there. It was gruelling, but a fantastic experience.

'The whole place is covered in boxing memorabilia, and it has a wonderful atmosphere. There were people from all over the USA, Israel, Slovenia, France, and 10 of us from the UK.

'At the end of the second day there was a large grading ceremony where several people were promoted. I received my third dan black belt in Ryu Kyu Kempo.'

Chris, who lives at Wistaston and is an area manager for Volkswagon, says Master Dillman is teaching the-

ories which link all the disciplines, such as karate, ju-jitsu and aikido, together.

He plans to make the trip to America, which cost him around £1,400, every year. He plans to pass on his knowledge to students in Crewe.

He said: 'To have a self-defence system you need to train in all types of martial arts, and understand what you are doing. We incorporate kicking, punching, throwing, locking and pressure points.

'I am continuing to train regularly with Master Bowman in London, so that I can bring my knowledge back to Crewe.'

Total Urban Combat Concepts club meets every Thursday between 7.30pm and 9.30pm. At present the club has four resident black belt instructors with 75 years of combined experience training in the martial arts.

Currently only people over 16 can take part but plans are in the pipeline to start a junior club in the new year.

For more information call 01270 650437, or visit the website www.urbancombat.org.uk.