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My Martial Arts Journey.
I was probably about 9 years old when I first asked my parents if I could do Martial Arts, as a kid in the 80s and early 90s I was inspired watching Karate Kid, 3 Ninja Kids, Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers! As well as getting small glimpses of Bruce Lee and Vann Damme (I was too young apparently). Me and my brothers would copy everything we could, unofficial training, emulating kicks and spins and using sticks for swords!
However, I was always told, “No” as my Mum didn’t want me getting punched! Then when I went to secondary school, I found a Saturday morning Judo Club there. I asked again “can I go?” The usual response, “No, you’ll get hurt. “You don’t punch or kick in Judo” I replied. That was it I was in! (I didn’t tell her about being, thrown around like a rag doll, arm bars and chokes!) And that Saturday I walked into my first session in the school hall, where a small group were stretching out a canvas over matts, I can still remember the feeling of nerves and excitement! I was met by the instructors, shortly followed by an introduction to etiquette of the Dojo, Warm up, and breakfalls!
Over the next 6-7 years I was there, we occasionally visited other Judo, Aikido clubs and my instructor was open minded to other arts so would let us spar during free training at the end of a session, (I didn’t tell my Mum!) When I was 18, I had achieved my Green belt and due to take my Blue when the club had to close, we were disappointed obviously, but I didn’t stop. I visited other clubs of varying arts, the UFC was starting to become more mainstream, and I borrowed VHS tapes of the early tournaments, to see who the best was, I also picked up regular copies of Martial Arts magazine’s for inspiration.
After about a year of trying different clubs and styles I came across Sakiado and I started training regularly again, sometimes 4 or 5 times a week. I started competing in semi -contact and full contact kickboxing and loved it, it was during this time I met Master Gary Taylor and Sensei Richard Russell. I gained my Black belt when I was 22 and started teaching my own classes. This inspired me to change my career into the health and fitness industry that is still my occupation.
In 2004 I moved from Coventry to Walsall, I was still teaching Sakiado, but times were changing and I drifted away from it to some extent. I was working at a gym where I met someone who I knew from the Sakiado tournaments, had a chat and found he was training in Chongshin-do. Not long after this I reached out to Master Gary and went along to give it a try.
I found Chongshin-do ticked all the boxes, it is truly a mixed martial art. Before long I was back in competition, competing in Combat Jujitsu, Kickboxing and my last Full contact fight was in 2009.
A few more years passed but due to work and young family commitments I had to take a break from the club, (I missed it every week) but I never stopped training to some level, my work helps, I continued to stay fit, flexible and used the punch bag regularly to keep my eye in but it’s not quite the same.
Fast forward to 2024 and I’m back in competition and was awarded my 2nd Dan Black Belt in December 2025. I love helping at the club and continue to develop myself, I’m going to compete as long as I can and am working on my BJJ game also.
From my early Judo days to now I’ve been on a journey, a journey that I realised has lots of destinations to stop at but never actually has an end!
The learning never stops!
I was probably about 9 years old when I first asked my parents if I could do Martial Arts, as a kid in the 80s and early 90s I was inspired watching Karate Kid, 3 Ninja Kids, Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers! As well as getting small glimpses of Bruce Lee and Vann Damme (I was too young apparently). Me and my brothers would copy everything we could, unofficial training, emulating kicks and spins and using sticks for swords!
However, I was always told, “No” as my Mum didn’t want me getting punched! Then when I went to secondary school, I found a Saturday morning Judo Club there. I asked again “can I go?” The usual response, “No, you’ll get hurt. “You don’t punch or kick in Judo” I replied. That was it I was in! (I didn’t tell her about being, thrown around like a rag doll, arm bars and chokes!) And that Saturday I walked into my first session in the school hall, where a small group were stretching out a canvas over matts, I can still remember the feeling of nerves and excitement! I was met by the instructors, shortly followed by an introduction to etiquette of the Dojo, Warm up, and breakfalls!
Over the next 6-7 years I was there, we occasionally visited other Judo, Aikido clubs and my instructor was open minded to other arts so would let us spar during free training at the end of a session, (I didn’t tell my Mum!) When I was 18, I had achieved my Green belt and due to take my Blue when the club had to close, we were disappointed obviously, but I didn’t stop. I visited other clubs of varying arts, the UFC was starting to become more mainstream, and I borrowed VHS tapes of the early tournaments, to see who the best was, I also picked up regular copies of Martial Arts magazine’s for inspiration.
After about a year of trying different clubs and styles I came across Sakiado and I started training regularly again, sometimes 4 or 5 times a week. I started competing in semi -contact and full contact kickboxing and loved it, it was during this time I met Master Gary Taylor and Sensei Richard Russell. I gained my Black belt when I was 22 and started teaching my own classes. This inspired me to change my career into the health and fitness industry that is still my occupation.
In 2004 I moved from Coventry to Walsall, I was still teaching Sakiado, but times were changing and I drifted away from it to some extent. I was working at a gym where I met someone who I knew from the Sakiado tournaments, had a chat and found he was training in Chongshin-do. Not long after this I reached out to Master Gary and went along to give it a try.
I found Chongshin-do ticked all the boxes, it is truly a mixed martial art. Before long I was back in competition, competing in Combat Jujitsu, Kickboxing and my last Full contact fight was in 2009.
A few more years passed but due to work and young family commitments I had to take a break from the club, (I missed it every week) but I never stopped training to some level, my work helps, I continued to stay fit, flexible and used the punch bag regularly to keep my eye in but it’s not quite the same.
Fast forward to 2024 and I’m back in competition and was awarded my 2nd Dan Black Belt in December 2025. I love helping at the club and continue to develop myself, I’m going to compete as long as I can and am working on my BJJ game also.
From my early Judo days to now I’ve been on a journey, a journey that I realised has lots of destinations to stop at but never actually has an end!
The learning never stops!