International Instructors

I started my Taekwon-Do journey in whilst at university in Aston, Birmingham, with Neil Majhu, having trained in multiple martial arts beforehand (Wing Chun and Aikido). Initially I had discounted TKD as an option, as in spite of my previous training I had issues with co-ordination, and was diagnosed as Dyslexic, with other symptoms of Dyspraxia and ADHD shortly before starting. Seeing all the advanced and flying techniques the negative part of me that thought I would be incapable won- for a while!

In my second year in 2006 a housemate convinced me to give it a go, in my first few lessons I remember practising a high flying side kick, and that incredible feeling of freedom and no longer feeling trapped in my body; before literally coming back down to earth! In those first couple of years I spent far too much time on the floor for an upright Martial art, but that feeling always made it worth persevering. Taekwon-do also offered enough variety to give me other areas to develop in, and I became especially interested in self-defence, which was helpful living in a major city! I also entered every tournament I could, from my first of many university championships a few weeks after starting, to some quite dodgy mixed style ones.

The university club also gave me my first leadership experience, when after returning from a placement/ gap year; where I had continued training in Manchester; I was asked to be the club chair. All of a sudden I was realising I had gone from ‘that guy who falls over when he kicks’ to an example to others. Until this point I had just been following the path in front of me, now I had a target (Blackbelt) and a question – What’s my limit? Oh and Aston won the university champs that year 😊

On Graduation in 2009 I moved to training with the TAGB, but was helped back to GTUK thanks to the kindness of another student giving me a lift until I found a graduate job nearby.

In 2011 I gained my 1st Degree, and around this time started training with Grandmaster (then Master) Oldham, and attending squad training. At GMO’s Jee Goo Club I met another student, Mrs Yvonne Hill, and her daughter Ellie, who had recently started a club in Rubery, south Birmingham, and was asking for help to put on a demonstration. I found I enjoyed teaching, which Mrs Hill was particularly good at, and so kept showing up – after asking if I could of course!

A while later we were joined by Ms Amy Ridgard, with 4 Squad level instructors the club went from strength to strength. Growing to nearly 100 members as the GTUK was bouncing back after a political split, right into competing at the international level. Giving me the chance in 2015 to enter my first international competition, with the club putting up a large portion of the GTUK entrants, and helping to prepare these. It also gave me the opportunity to train with GM Hwang.

For the next international I was asked to enter as part of the England team for the first time. I have been a repeated member for several competitions since, competing in those first 2 in the UK, as well as in Poland, Holland (x2) and Belgium.

When Mrs Hill retired, I took over the Rubery and Longbridge clubs, including through the covid lockdowns, teaching online. Unfortunately however, this, combined with work commitments for myself and the assistant instructor resulted in the club having to close. I still however train, at Sutton Coldfield, GMO’s Jee Goo and am a regular at squad training, officiating as well as competing, gaining my 4th degree in 2023.

I still haven’t found the answer to that question. I’m hoping to be an example that if ‘the guy who falls over’ can carry on to be an international England team member, anyone who puts the work in can achieve their goals!