I’ve heard martial arts classes can be full of big sweaty men on an ego trip - it’s putting me off trying classes...
One of Kickfit's focuses is to generate a friendly learning environment where people feel confident to try something new and push themselves to their limits. Egos are put down straight away as they get in the way of learning. Yes of course some of the men here are big but they are not body builders with fat necks who grunt every other word! Yes they might be sweaty but that is because they work hard. It is common sight for people to change tee-shirts in a class and those that smell sweaty are told in no uncertain terms to sort it out! We are a normal group of people who want to learn a skill and make friends - our students include teachers, IT developers, consultants, students, risk analysts, drivers, engineers, team leaders, researchers, co-ordinators reps, police, military personnel, managers, care assistants, electricians and many more.
I’ve never done any martial arts before. Won’t I just get left behind?
Well you won’t have any bad habits then will you? At KickFit we are used to new students learning with us - it happens many times a week. All students work together and help one another. We were all new once. It doesn’t matter if you can't do it perfectly – YOU'RE NEW! What matters to us is that you try. A new student can make a big impact on a class just by their approach and willingness to give it a go.
I am not very fit - isn't it better that I get fit first before I come to a class?
Would you try and lose weight and become your ideal size before you joined a weight watchers' class? Use the classes to get you to where you want to be. Why wait to be fit when we can help you become fit. Much of the drive to becoming fit is training in a happy environment that makes you want to keep coming back. You can have the hardest work out ever but if you only do it once a month it's not going to make you fit. Trying a variety of martial arts classes on a regular basis will sustain your interest, teach you skills and by the way will improve your fitness.
I really want to start but am a bit worried about being new. Any suggestions?
You can always consider an hour's private lesson with Master Richard Hudson. With 1:1 tuition he can take you through the fundamentals and give you individual attention for the complete hour which is not possible in a class environment. When you feel ready you can participate in class lessons. Private lessons can also be done with a friend. Telephone Kickfit on 0115 924 2240 to book a time.
My partner is worried I will become aggressive if I learn martial arts.
One of the skills of martial arts is to switch on aggression as and when it is needed particularly in a life threatening situation. It is linked in with an awareness of danger and an adrenaline rush. Far from making you more aggressive it makes you more in control. Because you are training in a healthy environment where you are making fast and powerful contact with training equipment such as pads, sticks, punch bags, much of your pent-up aggression is released during a class. If you display wild and worrying tendencies of uncontrollable aggression your tuition at KickFit will not continue. Some of the most calmest people you will find will be martial artists.
Won't I become overly confident of my skills and put myself at a far greater risk?
Yes….if you don’t listen to what we tell you! We are teaching you how to defend yourself and help others - not to start fights. This includes not getting yourself in that risky situation in the first place. We teach you how to diffuse a volatile situation with words and body language (taught specifically in the Streetwise classes). We teach you how to have the confidence to give up material possessions because we teach you the ease with which your life can be taken from you for the sake of an MP3 player. You learn awareness and to see a dangerous situation before it is right upon you - people do not just appear from nowhere to attack you - that only happens in Star Trek.
Where I last trained I became a black belt in two years - can I become a black belt in your academy in two years or shorter now I am experienced?
You can become a black belt in two weeks if you can find an instructor who will give you a black belt in two weeks - usually for a lot of money….but not here. All black belt martial artists have a wide range of standards ranging from extremely poor to excellent.
The giving of black belts for a short amount of training is common place in martial arts as it places the priority on business rather than skill. It also means that you only study a small range of techniques as you are constantly working towards the next grading to reach a black belt.
At KickFit we place the priority on teaching you a wide range of martial arts with no limitations. You are not restricted to learning stage by stage - we teach you as much as you can soak up. We do gradings and they are extremely hard. Some may take up to six month to a year to achieve as the repertoire is extremely long.
The last black belt grading took six hours of continuous fighting. Not for the feint-hearted!
We teach you how to defend yourself and how to increase your chances of survival e.g using what you know to defend yourself from an attempted robbery at a cash point.
We teach you not to be overly confident because this is what puts you into a far great danger. We teach you how to react instantly and continuously and to react to an attacker in as short a time as possible.
Comment from one of my instructors...
I went to a national seminar with Master Richard Hudson back in 1999 when I was a green belt eskrima student and half way through by my JKD and Kickboxing gradings. The seminar was run by Grand Master Tom Muncy and Grand Master Rick Moneymaker from the Dragon Society who invited students nationally to train with him. On arriving in the training hall I was somewhat overawed to discover that all the other students were black belt students. Master Richard Hudson told me I could hold my own against any of them and reminded me that I had won a world title in the Philippines in full contact martial arts when I was only half way through his grading syllabus. Shortly into the seminar I realised he was right. These people could not punch properly. They could not interpret a drill demonstrated to them by the Grand Masters and turn to their partner and practise it. They could not figure out what they were doing wrong. They could not think for themselves. They were so used to doing standard set routines where things only happened in a certain way there was no freedom of expression. This was an excellent seminar by Grand Master Tom Muncy and Grand Master Rick Moneymaker who awarded me a Trainee Instructor status despite not being a black belt at the time.
Grand Master Rick Moneymaker came to KickFit a short time later to do a seminar for my students and was amazed at the standard here. He teaches all around the world and said my students demonstrated a very high standard and was very impressed with their attitude and willingness to learn.
So what do I need to do to get started?
PS If you are a beginner please do not attend the Sparring class on Tuesdays at 7.00pm. All other classes are suitable for beginners, intermediate and advanced students.
We look forward to training with you.
If you have any questions or would like to visit the gym, just contact us, we'll be happy to hear from you.