CEO and Head Instructor

Shihan Daniel Kean-Cockburn

Sensei Daniel Kean‑Cockburn, BSc (Hons) Degree in Psychology with Art and a Conversion Diploma in Psychology. Former member of the British Psychological Society (2004–2008) with higher certification in counselling.

Coaching & Leadership:

• England Coach for NMAC, leading the winning team in the 2018 European Games Series

• Ambassador for the Martial Arts Disability Association

• Head of Norfolk for the World Martial Arts Council

• BJA Level 1 Coach

Martial Arts Ranks & Qualifications:

• 5th Dan Black Belt, Shotokan Karate

• 1st Dan, Toyama Ryu

• 1st Kyu, Sueshin Ryu

• 1st Kyu, Ju Jitsu Kobudo

• Blue Belt, Judo

• Blue Belt, Tae Kwon Do

• Green Belt, Jikeshin Jiu Jitsu

• 2‑Tag White Belt, Gracie Jiu Jitsu

• 10th Kup, Hamudo (Yellow Belt, 2017)

• Shodan in Sword

• Grade 1 Foil, Grade 1 Sabre, Grade 1 Foil Stage Performance

Competitive Achievements:

• Four‑time Norfolk Karate Champion

• Gold Medalist at Club Level Judo

• Former British Kickboxing Champion

• World Silver Medalist, 2012 Los Angeles, USA

Honours:

• Promoted to Shihan on 19th November 2025

Senior Instructor

Sensei Cody Poole

I am a 3rd degree Blackbelt in karate

2019 British Champion in Kubudo Kata

2023 British silver medalist in Continous sparring

2023 Bronze medalist in full contact kickboxing.

Instructor

Laura Barber

Creator and lead instructor of Aem Hai Fighting Fit, a results‑driven Zoom fitness programme designed to build strength, confidence, and conditioning. Join me live every Tuesday morning from 8:40am — your first session is completely FREE.

Certified Aem Hai Conditioning Coach and Aem Hai Referee.

Competitive Achievements:

• 2018 Gold Medalist in Team Kata at both regional and national level

• Gold Medalist in Solo Kata at the World Games Series qualifiers and multiple regional events

• Silver Medalist in Team Creative Kata at the World Games Series

Qualified with a Diploma in Sports and Exercise Nutrition and Level 1 certification in Safeguarding Young People.

Instructor

Senpai Ruby Coles

My name is Senpai Ruby. I am a Second Dan black belt in Shotokan Karate and an assistant instructor at AEM Hai Martial Arts. Alongside my karate training, I hold a yellow belt in Kombat Kobudo and an orange belt in Jiu Jitsu. This year, I also began training in kickboxing with the aim of grading in the future. I’ve been practising martial arts since the age of six and currently train over nine hours each week.

I am also an active kata competitor and have been competing for several years. I am a British Kata Champion, earning the title at the East of England NMAC Competition Series in 2025. In addition, I am a four‑time British Kata bronze medallist and have achieved multiple AEM Hai National gold and silver medals across previous tournaments.

 Instructor.

Sam Walker

Black Belt 2nd Dan Nidan in Shotokan Karate, Kata coach for the Aem Hai squad and senior instructor under Sensei Daniel Kean-Cockburn. I am a trained referee at Aem Hai, and I am also part of the grading panel for both junior and adult gradings. I joined Aem Hai Martial Arts in 2013. I am also a 1st Dan Shodan in Toyama Ryu Batto Do with Fujiyama School, which I also joined in 2013. I started my martial arts training in my early teens, training in Kickboxing for 4 years. I also hold grades in Choy Li Fut Kung Fu and Lung Ying Kung Fu. And 4th Kyu in Ju Jitsu. I am a national gold medalist in Women's Individual and Mixed Team Tameshigiri. I have national silvers in Kumite and Kickboxing.Competing in AHMA tournaments, I have won golds, silvers and bronzes in Karate Kata, Kobudo, Kumite and Batto-Do, and a silver in Ne-waza, including Gold in Kobudo in Aem Hai National Championship 2017. I won gold in TSKR women's Kumite and silver in the world games series 2018. Gold in creative team kata in the world games seriers qualifers 2018. Bronze in team kata in 2014.

Instructor

Sarah Hanrahan

Team GB member for 2024 Olympics and Official Translator for Great Britian in 2024 Olympics

Team GB member for 2023 commonwealth Games.

I am nstructor and trained referee at Aem Hai, and I am also part of the grading panel for both junior and adult gradings. I started training in Karate in 2008 at Bignold Primary School with Sensei Dan. Since then I have gained my Shodan in December 2013, and have competed and refereed in many competitions, in multiple disciplines, both at Aem Hai and elsewhere. I have also attended various seminars, including Shihan Fumio Demura’s seminar in April 2013.
 
Outside of martial arts I am a Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award holder, for which I my karate instructing was part of the volunteering section. I am also a keen volleyball player, and was part of the East Region U16 Talent development team for my 3 years of eligibility. As well as Karate and Volleyball, I have taken dance classes since 2001, and performed at the Theatre Royal. I am also an enthusiastic netball player and was team captain for the 2016 season.

I am an enthusiastic mathematician, and also enjoy chemistry, physics and French. I qualified from Warrick University in further maths at masters degree level.

I currently work as a research scientist and have worked on the hadron colider in Switzerland.

im graded to Ni-Dan with both Aemhai Martial Arts in Karate as well as the K.U.G.B.

I have won silver in the K.U.G.B. Nationals Women’s kumite and team Kumiteib 2017

I have won silver In K.U.G.B national Kata competition.