​I’m very pleased to announce that we will have a new class at Whitchurch starting Thursday 27th August. This class will be 6.30 - 8.00pm in the sports hall at Whitchurch civic centre and is replacing the Malpas Thursday class.
This class is suitable juniors, adults and families. 

​We are once again into the exam season and many children and parents will be doing everything they can to help with their exams so to achieve the best possible results.
Many children will stop participating in sport and exercise during their exams but a study by The Headmasters’ & Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) has found that taking part in sports will have no effect on results.
The study analysed the GCSE results of 1,482 male and female students from 19 independent schools, and examined the effect that participation in sports had on their results.
In fact, taking part in sport appears to have a lot of positive impact. There is no evidence that people involved in sport get any worse GCSE results. They are however happier, mentally healthier, less anxious and more resilient and robust. Taking part in sport on a regular basis is not doing any harm and it is doing them good, there is an abundance of benefits to sport and wellbeing and it plays a vital role to a balanced and healthy lifestyle and the findings in this research strongly suggest that students revising for their GCSEs or A-levels should not abandon sport.
The profile of “super performers” was also examined in the research. Students, who were the very top academic performers, played a lot of sport as well as achieving the highest grades in their class.  
Aside from providing a well-needed break from the marathon revision, when our bodies engage in exercise, it triggers the release of various hormones and chemical compounds in the body. These hormones and chemical compounds all have very important effects on a variety brain functions.
What endorphins are released during exercise, and how they help
Serotonin – involved in regulating sleep patterns and improving mood.
Dopamine – positively influences learning and attention span.
Norepinephrine – affects motivation and mental stimulation.
Combined with an increased blood flow to the brain, this concoction of hormones and neurotransmitters improves cognitive function and the ability to focus for longer time periods. Which translates into higher quality revision sessions and a higher chance of achieving your target results.
Research also shows that exercise significantly reduces resting levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, allowing you to spend less time worrying and more time getting work done.
Not only that, regular exercise has also been shown to increase the size of the part of the brain involved with memory retention, the hippo-campus.
Taking all of this into account I strongly believe and encourage children to continue participating in sport during the run up to exams as it is good for them to have a balance of activities, also integrating exercise into a revision timetable promotes discipline with time management.

Sunday 5th May 2019
​
Schedule is as follows,
 
01.00pm - 02.30pm black belts 1st & 2nd Dans.
 
02.30pm - 04.00pm black belts 3rd Dans +
 
04.00pm - 05.00pm red belts (red belts only, no catch ups for black belts).
 
 
All of the above at Derby Arena, Royal Way, Derby DE24 8JB.
 
Please remember students need to bring their licence with a current licence slip attached & £7.
 
I have been informed that there will be limited parking for the first session due to Derby playing that day so please get there early to make sure can park!

Heels together, toes apart.
Weight distribution 50/50

One shoulder width wide measured from little toes.
Weight distribution 50/50 

One and a half shoulder widths wide between big toes.
Weight distribution 50/50
 

One and a half shoulder widths long between the rear foot sword and front toes.
Weight distribution 70/30 (Back leg/Front Leg)
 

​The tenets of Tae Kwon Do play a huge role in the success of ones Tae Kwon Do training. Any serious student of the art should observe and implement the tenets to the bet of their ability. 

(Pronounced ye-wee)
The showing of politeness in one's attitude and behaviour towards others.
Students of Tae Kwon Do should endeavour to practice the following fundamentals of courtesy to build up their noble character and to conduct training in an orderly manner.

• To be polite to one another.  

• To behave oneself according to the etiquette. 
• To respect others and their possessions.   
• To encourage the sense of justice and humanity. 
• To handle matters with fairness and sincerity. 

​(Pronounced yom-chee)
The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
In Tae Kwon Do, the word integrity assumes a wider definition than the one usually presented in the Dictionary. One must be able to define right and wrong and have the honesty, if wrong, to feel responsibility.
Listed below are some examples, where integrity is lacking: 

• The instructor who misrepresents their self and their art by presenting improper techniques to his students because of a lack of knowledge or apathy. 
• The instructor who camouflages bad techniques and lack of knowledge with false flattery to their students. 
• The student who requests grade with minimal effort.
• The student who desires rank for ego purposes or the feeling of power.
• The student whose actions do not live up to their words. 

The student who feels ashamed to seek opinions from their juniors.

​(Pronounced een-nay)
Persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
There is an old Oriental saying, "Patience leads to virtue or merit." "One can make a peaceful home by being patient for 100 times." Certainly, happiness and prosperity are most likely brought to the patient person to achieve something, whether it is a higher degree or the perfection of a technique, one must set their goal, then constantly persevere.
Robert the Bruce learned his lesson of perseverance from the persistent efforts of a lowly spider. It was this perseverance of tenacity that finally enabled him to free Scotland in the fourteenth century. One of the most important secrets in becoming a leader of Tae Kwon Do is to overcome every difficulty by perseverance.
   Confucius said; "One who is impatient in trivial matters can seldom achieve success in matters of great importance."

(Pronounced gook-gee)
The ability to control oneself, in particular one's emotions and desires, especially in difficult situations.
This tenet is extremely important both inside and outside of the dojang, whether conducting oneself in free sparring or in one's personal matters. A loss of self control in free sparring can prove disastrous to both student and opponent. An inability to live and work within one's capability or sphere is also a lack of self-control.
    According to Lao-Tzu "The term of stronger is the person who wins over oneself rather than someone else." ​

(Pronounced beckjool boolgool)
To show courage when you and your principles are pitted against overwhelming odds.
A very good example of this tenet is when Leonidas and his 300 Spartans at Thermopylae stood up to Xerxes and his elite vast army.  Indomitable spirit was shown when a courageous person and his principles are pitted against overwhelming odds.
"Here lie 300, who did their duty." A simple epitaph for one of the greatest acts of courage known to mankind.
   A serious student of Tae Kwon Do, will at all times be modest and honest. If confronted with injustice he will deal with the belligerent without any fear or hesitation at all, with indomitable spirit, regardless of whosoever and however many the number may be.
    Confucius declared: "It is an act of cowardice to fail to speak out against injustice." As history has proven, those who have pursued their dreams earnestly and strenuously with indomitable spirit have never failed to achieve their goals. ​

If you’re interested in starting Tae Kwon Do but are afraid that you’re too old, you are not alone. Many adults want to start Tae Kwon Do but they never make it to a class simply because they let their age stop them. But think about this: if you don’t even try, you won’t know what you’re missing out on!
If you have or are considering starting but you’re afraid of being too old, remember that age is merely a number and it doesn’t define you and your ability to thrive in the dojang. Instead of just thinking about it, why not take action and book or go for that first class now?

1. Tae Kwon Do is excellent for stress relief
Life can be hard, stress and anxiety are on the rise. A little Tae Kwon Do training is a great way to take the edge off. Whether you are looking for an adrenaline rush from sparring, the stress release from punching and kicking pads, or the focus of practising patterns, chances are that Tae Kwon Do will provide a way of managing your stress in a healthy and enjoyable way that works for you.
Tae Kwon Dot doesn’t just give you a needed break from the challenges of life outside of the dojang. It also assists you to develop the tools that will help you combat stress in other aspects of your life. Physical activity and mental training are effective ways to manage stress, and Tae Kwon Do training provides both of those in a safe, friendly and fun environment.
2. It’s a fun way to develop and maintain physical fitness
Getting and staying fit takes work and it can be a challenge if you’re not into weight lifting and aerobics classes offered by your traditional gym.
Tae Kwon Do lessons offer adults a way to challenge crucial components of physical fitness including strength, cardio, balance, flexibility, and agility in a fun and non-judgemental environment.
Whether you’re looking for the intense warm-ups, pad routines, and sparring or the low impact endurance training of line work, patterns and theory Tae Kwon Do training offers an extensive variety of options for people of all needs and levels of fitness who are looking for a new way to improve their wellbeing. 
3. Tae Kwon Do can provide you with vital self-defence skills
It’s better to be safe than sorry, you don’t know what’s round the corner and some sound self-defence training is beneficial to people of all ages. Tae Kwon Do lessons can provide you with practical techniques that you can apply to real life situations that will help give you the confidence and skills to help to protect yourself and your loved ones in the real world.
Good Tae Kwon Do training will also help you gain the ability to think on your feet, prevent situations escalating and when to fight and when to run, which is an important but often overlooked component of self-defence.
4. Tae Kwon Do is great for your social life
Some health professionals say we are currently in a "loneliness crisis", medical studies have associated loneliness with costly physical and psychological ills, loneliness has been proven to be worse for health than smoking 15 cigarettes a day, Countries such as Japan, China and South Korea report similar problems, and in January Theresa May appointed the world's first “minister of loneliness” to address the issue here in the UK. 
Tae Kwon Do is a great way to improve your social life for a number of reasons. Most training takes place in an encouraging and fun atmosphere, helping you to relax and be yourself amongst new people. Tae kwon Do can also be relatively non-competitive, because it focuses on individual development and accomplishment. Your fellow Tae Kwon Do practitioners are there to help you and each other be the best that they can be, not compete against you, which makes for a very positive environment to build new friendships in. Tae Kwon Do introduces you to some of the finest, coolest, most thoughtful, respectful, and interesting people you’ll ever meet.
5. It’s never too late to get into shape
Each and every day is a new chance to work on becoming an improved version of yourself, and Tae Kwon Do can help you to get there. From the physical to mental, there’s no doubt that regular Tae Kwon Do training will help you to get into the best shape ever, whether that be martial artist or as a person.
Tae Kwon Do encourages continuous self-improvement. As a result, you would constantly be working towards becoming a better version of yourself and eventually evolve into everything you wish to become in life. 
It may be cheesy but, it helps to remember that you only live once. So don’t let your age stop you from unleashing your greatness!

​The next black belt grading is approaching quickly and the deadline to enter is Tuesday 12th February. Forms can be downloaded from the Dropbox folder. The schedule for the black belt grading is as follows:
Sunday 10th March – Black Belt Pre Grading - Belper Leisure Centre, John O'Gaunts Way, Belper DE56 0DA.
Sunday 31st March – Black Belt Pre- Training - Belper Leisure Centre, John O'Gaunts Way, Belper DE56 0DA.
Sunday 7th April – Black belt Pre -Training - - Derby Arena, Royal Way, Derby DE24 8JB.
12th, 13th & 14th April – Black Belt Grading Weekend - Bristol Academy.

Red belts and black stripes, please remember, you must attend the compulsory red belt training sessions every six months to be eligible to take further gradings. You will need to be registered to attend these sessions so please let me know which session(s) you will be attending.
The next sessions are:
Sunday 7th April, 14.30 to 16.00 - Derby Arena, Royal Way, Derby DE24 8JB. THIS SESSION ALLOWS ANY STUDENT FROM 2ND KUP TO 4TH DAN TO ATTEND AS A CATCH UP.
Sunday 5th May, 16.00 to 17.00 - Derby Arena, Royal Way, Derby DE24 8JB. THIS SESSION IS FOR RED BELTS ONLY, BOTH 2ND & 1ST KUPS.

Don’t forget to take your licence to be signed.

Why Set Goals?
Setting precise, well-defined goals can help you measure and take pride in the achieving of those goals and you will see forward growth in what may have earlier appeared a lengthy hard slog. You will grow as a person raising your self-assurance, recognizing your own ability and capability in achieving the goals you set for yourself.
Some of the most successful people, elite athletes, businesspeople and high achievers in a variety of fields set goals.
When you set yourself goals or targets it gives you a long term vision and short term inspiration. It concentrates your attainment of knowledge and helps you organize your precious time so that you can make the most of your life. 
 
Deciding on the right goals for you
When deciding on which goals are best for you it’s often worth discussing this with a mentor, instructor, coach or manager. They can provide advice suggesting reasonable effective goals that will challenge you but are realistic and motivate you.
 
How to Set Goals

• First think of your main goal, the overall goal to wish to achieve.
• Timeframe, when do you wish to achieve your main goal. This needs to be realistic.
• Then, you break your main goal down into smaller and smaller targets that you must hit to reach your main goal.
• Finally, once you have your plan, you start working on it to accomplish your goals.

Here is a GOAL SETTING WORK SHEET to get you started. If you want an editable copy fill in the contact form below to request a copy.  

Firstly, what does the term “Martial Arts” mean? Martial Arts are various sports that historically originate from Asia as forms of self-defence. There are fundamental differences between styles, identifying and choosing the style that suits you is the first step. There are so many benefits when training regularly in martial arts regardless of style.

What are the Benefits?

CONFIDENCE
One of the hardest things about beginning anything new including a martial art is the initial staring point. In martial arts that is normally getting up and taking part in your first lesson, nerves kick in and you can feel a lack of confidence and you’re asking yourself, will I be able to do it, will I be any good? Well, you won’t know until you try. If everyone was perfect at everything and never made a mistake, then there would be no need for an endless number of things but that’s not the case.
All martial arts improve confidence endlessly. They have recognised progression which provides a sense of achievement and development whilst improving self-defence skills which also helps confidence.

IMPROVED MEMORY
It isn’t just physical exercise but also a mental work out. Most martial arts have a sequence of techniques and moves that need to be remembered advancing in difficulty the more you progress. Regular practise will bring focus and help improve your memory.  

FLEXIBILITY
No matter what age you are when you start, you will gain flexibility, and your body will improve balance, muscle tone and stability.  Whichever martial art you choose, the exercises will feel alien at first, but with control and repetition comes increased benefit.

CREATIVITY
It’s great having a structured way to do something especially when learning but using your own imagination and creativity helps too. Martial arts have both elements, you have a structured system with set moves and sequences, and areas where you encouraged to create your own combinations and sequences.
 
WEIGHT LOSS & FITNESS
Any physical activity is going to aid weight loss and martial arts is no expectation. The beauty of martial arts is you can control the intenseness of the work out, lessons are structured and have a variety of activities that develop diverse areas of your body.  It isn’t necessarily about weight loss but that is very often the outcome. If you are considering martial arts mainly for weight loss, choosing a one that has lots of kicking, sparring, pad work & cardio might be your best option.
 
IMPROVED LIFESTYLE
Martial arts are a lifestyle choice, you will find that it isn’t just a physical activity it’s so much more.  The majority martial arts have an aspect relating to respect, morals and values which transfer over to every area of your life.
 
What do I need to start?
It’s never too late to take up martial arts, you can do it at any age, at any level of fitness and with commitment and regular training you will improve very quickly.  
You require very little when starting, can it is best to go to your local martial arts school/club and speak to the instructor. They will be able to advise you on what is required at that particular school/club.  Below are some items that are required for beginners.
 A Licence / Membership with insurance.
All reputable martial arts schools will have some kind licence with insurance that covers you in case of injury, the instructor at your chosen school will be able to advise you more.
A Uniform.
This will be specific for both the discipline, and the school that you have joined, so talk to your instructor and see what is needed.
 
Items to consider in the future.
 
Focus Pads or Kick shields
These are used for practising techniques to improve your accuracy, power and speed. Sometimes the school will provide them but it is useful to have your own.
 
Sparring Equipment
If your chosen martial art requires sparring then you’ll need to purchase equipment at some point. This usually consist of Head guard, gum shield, gloves, shin pads, boots, groin guard.  

Jack from the Oswestry Advertiser came to visit us at the end of last year to write an article on Tae Kwon Do. 
His article can be found here.

2019 is here and we are straight into action with the first competition of the year on the 3rd February. The information pack has been sent out on our WhatsApp group chat and is also on our Dropbox folder.
The deadline to enter is Friday 18th January.

We have made it into the local news papers with our success this year. You can read the articles below. ​

​Finding the perfect gift for someone who is into martial arts can be difficult, there is an array of products but sometimes they are overpriced, not suitable or both. I have selected some of my favourite items that are tried and tested and some that are on my wish list. If you do purchase any of these items please use the links below, it helps this site if you do.
One of the first items I selected and have talked about before is a book called A Killing Art by Alex Gillis. This book talks about the history of Tae Kwon Do, General Choi and how Tae Kwon Do came about. If you want to further your knowledge of Tae Kwon Do I would recommend this book highly and there is a new revised edition out now.

I often get asked by students, how do I improve my stretch, whats the best stretch to do, whats the quickest way improve my flexibility? Firstly there is no quick way to improve your flexibility, it takes time and lots of practise. I love assisted stretching, for me it works the best and I can really push to the limit and relax (Which is important), but if you’re practising at home and don’t have any one to assist you or training alone a stretching aid might be worth looking at. I don’t have a leg stretcher but have often thought about getting one, so it’s on my wish list. They come in all shapes, sizes and prices with entry level ones costing around £15 and higher priced items costing £250. If you happen to get a stretching machine let me know your thoughts.

After a nice warm up and stretch you might want a work out practising your Tae Kwon Do on a punch bag. There are loads of punch bags to choose from and it can be overwhelming. I have used loads of punch bags, pads etc over the years and my favourite by far is the BOB XL. It’s a high end punch bag and some of you might be put off by the price but I can’t praise it enough, I’ve had mine many years now with no problems and the children at Tae Kwon Do love it.

After a hard day of training I like to use a foam roller or massage roller. They can take a little bit of getting used to especially the massage roller if it isn’t smooth (sometimes advertised as Trigger point Therapy) but they are very useful and inexpensive.

I hope you have found this information useful and if you have any questions or would like help choosing the correct product for you or present please feel free to contact me.
If you are thinking of purchasing any of the products featured on here please follow the link provided, it helps this site if you do.

day 11th November 2018 is the last compulsory black belt training of the year. The session is being held at Belper Leisure Centre 1.00 – 3.00 pm.
After the black belt session there is an extra red belt training session 3.00pm - 4.00pm.
Both sessions to be run by Grand Master Sergiew.
Any student attending the red belt session can register on the day approx' 1/2 hour before the start time.
All students attending either session should have their licence with them to be stamped and it should be in date.

North midlands Area Championships Success
 
On Sunday 2nd we had students competing in the North Midlands Area Championships in Derby Arena. The competition saw over 400 people from across the country competing in a mixture of events.
We had students competing in patterns, sparring, team sparring and strike pad power tests.
Results:
Rory Tinsley won gold in Boys strike pad power test, hand technique, middle weight.
Sam Fielding received gold in Boys strike pad power test, hand technique, heavy weight and Bronze in boy red belt patterns.
Chris Southan competed in men’s heavy weight strike pad power test.
Dexter McArdle – the group's youngest competitor – competed in boy’s blue belt patterns and boys blue belt sparring.
Matt Hanks competed in men’s green belt sparring and men’s middle weight power test.
Dan Valentine received bronze in men’s blue belt patterns and men’s heavy weight blue belt sparring.
Lily Ryder won gold in girl’s green belt tag team sparring and bronze in girl’s green belt sparring.
Rebecca Manford competed in lady’s black belt patterns and also helped in umpiring at the event.
We even made the local news, to check out the article follow the link below.
http://www.bordercountiesadvertizer.co.uk/sport/16695835.tae-kwon-do-group-celebrate-success-at-championships/

​On Saturday 21st July Whitchurch, Malpas and Oswestry Tae Kwon Do travelled to the Birmingham Arena for the 12th Tae Kwon Do International World Championships where over 2000 hopefuls, from every continent of the world battled to be crowned the best in the world.
Hosted by the Tae Kwon Do Association of Great Britain (TAGB), 22 countries sent their best competitors to compete in an exciting selection of events in the Tae Kwon Do World Championship.  The two-day tournament saw some of the world’s best fighters, patterns technicians and destruction champions come together to battle it out for the title of World Champion. 
We had six students, Dexter, Rory, Daniel, Emma, Matt and Carl competing across a variety of events in this great competition. All of them put in lots of hard work, effort and training in the lead up to this event and it paid off.  Well done to all of them for their tremendous effort and a huge congratulations to our medal winners,  
Dexter, 3rd, Boys blue belt, sparring
Rory, 3rd, Boys blue belt, strike pad (power test), hand technique
Emma, 2nd, Ladies, Blue belt, Strike pad (power test)
Carl, 1st (World Champion) – Men’s, blue belt, strike pad (Power test) – 3rd Men’s, Blue belt, sparring – 3rd, Men’s colour bet tag team sparring.
 
Competitions are not just about winning medals or trophies, they are also about learning, gaining experience and having fun. We had a fantastic day and cannot wait for the Scottish championships in September.