Last Sunday marked another milestone for our club as we attended a successful coloured belt grading at North Leamington School in the T-UK Central area. We want to extend our congratulations to all 26 members who participated in this event.
At Warwick & Leamington TKD, we pride ourselves on our progressive and effective improvement program designed to prepare every student for grading. This structured approach ensures that each member receives the guidance and training they need to excel. Our assessment process adheres to strict standards, allowing us to select students who are truly ready for promotion. This rigorous preparation is key to building confidence and skill in our members.
Yesterday, our dedicated team of competitors from Warwick & Leamington TKD set off bright and early for the Open Welsh Championships in Cardiff. With an 8:30 am registration, the day promised to be long and challenging, lasting until 7:30 pm. However, the excitement and anticipation kept our spirits high throughout the day.
The event was excellently well organised by Master Neil Ernest and his team, ensuring a smooth experience for all competitors. The standards at the competition were impressively high, showcasing the exceptional talent within the Taekwon-Do martial arts community.
We were thrilled to be invited to deliver self-defence and combatives classes at this weeks corporate team-building event for Zoetis Pharmaceutical. Set against the serene backdrop of Walton Hall and its beautiful grounds by the lake, the atmosphere was perfect for an energising start to the day.
Our classes took place early in the morning, providing a dynamic boost before the workshops and presentations began. The energy and enthusiasm of the participants were truly inspiring.
We had the pleasure of presenting to the Warwick Women’s Institute at St. Paul’s Church, where approximately 40 enthusiastic participants gathered for an enlightening session on personal safety and self-defense. This engaging presentation lasted for one hour and covered critical topics that are essential for enhancing awareness and security in daily life.
When it comes to personal safety, the difference between vulnerability and security often lies in your ability to recognise threats early and respond effectively. By combining strategic frameworks like the OODA Loop, Cooper’s Colour Code, and Concentric Rings of Disturbance, you can cultivate a dynamic and layered approach to self-defence.
The use of martial arts as a means of physical fitness is popular but more importantly as an effective form of self-defence. Among the myriad styles available, International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) Taekwon Do stands out for its comprehensive approach to self-defence, rooted in its historical significance and practical applications. This blog explores the effectiveness of ITF Taekwon Do, particularly highlighting its use during the Korean War, its adoption by specialist police squads in South Korea, and the personal growth benefits it offers to practitioners.
Elsa Klegg from our Warwick club has recently been selected for a place at the FA Emerging Talent Centre for football, on top of playing for both Coventry City Girls and her school team. She will take a 6 month sabbatical from TKD to concentrate on her football.
This is no surprise as since Elsa joined the club 3 years ago has developed in to a very mature young lady who hasn’t always found Taekwon Do easy but has become a role model for other junior members.
2023 saw a very successful year for our clubs, new promotions to black belt, exceptional A pass results from each of the coloured belt area gradings, multiple world champions from the T-UK British Championships.
This made choosing the adult and junior students of the year very difficult.
In the end the Instructor team landed on the most deserving members. The criteria for the award is predicated on attendance, effort, attitude, overcoming challenges, taking on instruction and applying it, being a role model.
We had the last training sessions of the year tonight and as always the presentation of the students of the year awards, one adult student and one junior student.
The winning students displayed attributes of leadership, excellent attitude, standards and commitment and are role models in the club to their peers.
Saturday we held our first Women’s only self-defence course since the pandemic hit. The course landed on the 6 month anniversary of the murder of Sarah Everard as well as the release of Colin Pitchfork the double rapist and murderer.
We started off with all participants and instructors undertaking a lateral flow test as close proximity in the physical delivery part of the class was necessary and everyones safety was paramount.
Our courses are not just about leaning the physical interventions and skills required in a violent incident we start by delivering a comprehensive and informative presentation educating the participants on the psychology of violent and sexual offenders. We looked at situational and environmental awareness and how to identify challenges and how to react for a positive outcome. Participants were encouraged to share their own experiences which brought to life the presentation content, this also allowed for discussion on strategies and solutions for similar experiences.
