Fitrooms health and fitness club in Fulham, London, will become the base for the Shidokan GB from January 2010.

Shidokan, a form of Karate which mixes bare-knuckle knockdown karate, Muay Thai, and grappling, was founded in 1981.

In the UK, the martial art is headed by master instructor (shihan) Jean-Jacques Burnel, a sixth dan black belt.

Brunel is also famous for being the bass guitarist of punk rock band The Stranglers.

Fitrooms, owned and operated by Mario Pederzolli, opened in 2003.

Facilities at the club include 40 CV stations supplied by Life Fitness and 25 pieces of resistance machines provided by Cybex.

There is also a separate free weights area with Hammer Strength, a Smith machine and wide-base cable cross machine.

The club also boasts a 3,000 sq ft (280sq m) group exercise studio, boxing and martial arts studios, a boxing ring, pilates and yoga studios and a beauty spa with three treatment rooms, sauna and steamroom.