Master Martin Noddings

Chief Instructor — Warwick & Leamington TKD

7th Degree Master Black Belt | 45+ Years' Martial Arts Experience

For more than four decades, martial arts have been a significant part of Martin Noddings' life, as a student, competitor, coach and instructor.

Today, as Chief Instructor of Warwick & Leamington TKD, that experience is combined with something relatively unusual in martial arts instruction: professional experience of personal protection, security and real-world threat management.

Martin believes that a martial arts instructor should do more than teach techniques.

A good instructor should understand why techniques work, where their limitations lie, how people respond under pressure and how martial arts skills translate beyond the controlled environment of the dojang.

That philosophy underpins the way he teaches at WLTKD.

More than 45 years in martial arts

Martin is a 7th Degree Master Black Belt in ITF Taekwon-Do with more than 45 years' martial arts experience. His experience has never been limited to one system.

Over the years, Martin has trained in disciplines including Shotokan Karate, full-contact Karate, Ju-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Krav Maga and modern combatives, alongside his extensive Taekwon-Do training.

That breadth of experience has helped shape his approach as an instructor.

Different martial arts solve different problems in different ways. Martin believes there is considerable value in understanding those differences rather than assuming that one system must contain every answer.

Taekwon-Do remains at the heart of what he teaches, but effective instruction also requires an open mind and a willingness to continue learning.

Competition experience at the highest level

Martin has extensive experience as a competitive martial artist.

He is a former England Taekwon-Do Team Captain, represented Great Britain internationally, became European Champion and is an eight-time British Champion.

His competition career has included regional, national and international championships, and his experience has subsequently been used in coaching and developing other competitors.

Even after retiring from regular competition, Martin returned to compete at the 2022 Inter-Services Championships, reaching the sparring semi-finals, where he narrowly lost to the then-current European Champion, and taking silver in black-belt patterns.

Competition remains an important part of WLTKD.

Martin believes it develops timing, distance, technical accuracy, composure and the ability to perform under pressure against a resisting opponent.

But he is equally clear about its limitations:

Competition is an excellent development tool — it isn't the same thing as real-world self-defence.

Military and professional Close Protection experience

Martin's understanding of personal protection doesn't come solely from martial arts training.

He served in the British military and subsequently developed an extensive career in professional security and Close Protection, working internationally in the protection of high-profile and high-net-worth clients.

That professional experience has significantly influenced the way self-defence is approached at WLTKD.

Effective personal protection isn't primarily about fighting. It begins with situational awareness, threat recognition, planning, positioning, avoidance, conflict management and de-escalation.

Physical intervention becomes relevant when those earlier options aren't available or have failed. Martin therefore teaches self-defence within a much wider personal-protection framework:

Recognise the threat. Avoid it where possible. De-escalate where appropriate. Protect yourself effectively when necessary. Disengage and get to safety.

That real-world perspective helps students understand not only how to perform a technique, but when physical intervention may or may not be the appropriate response.

A scientific approach to performance

Martin is also qualified in sport and exercise science.

This background contributes to his understanding of biomechanics, physical conditioning, athletic development, recovery and performance.

Throughout his professional career he has worked with athletes and performers from a range of sporting backgrounds, including international-level sportspeople and Formula 1 drivers.

That combination of martial arts knowledge and sports science helps ensure that training at WLTKD isn't based simply upon “this is how we've always done it.”

Students are encouraged to understand how their bodies produce movement and power, and how intelligent training can improve performance while supporting long-term physical development.

Teaching self-defence with a wider perspective

Martin's experience across martial arts, military training and professional Close Protection gives him a deliberately broad perspective on self-defence.

That includes striking and kicking, grappling and releases, ground defence, movement, distance and practical physical intervention.

But it also means recognising that the objective of self-defence isn't to win a fight. Whenever possible, the better outcome is to avoid the confrontation entirely.

If somebody does find themselves on the ground, for example, ground-defence skills are extremely important. WLTKD therefore trains effective defensive skills from that position.

But the personal-protection objective isn't to remain on the floor competing for a submission. It is to protect yourself, create space, regain your feet and escape as soon as circumstances allow.

This distinction between sporting success and personal safety runs throughout Martin's approach to practical self-defence.

Developing the next generation

As Chief Instructor, he is responsible for developing the club's black belts and assistant instructors and maintaining consistent technical and instructional standards across the club. He has also been involved in regional and national black-belt development and assessment.

WLTKD isn't intended to be a club dependent upon one instructor. A successful martial arts club should develop the people who will eventually become its future instructors, coaches and leaders.

The experienced instructor team at Warwick & Leamington TKD is therefore one of the things Martin is most proud of building.

What can students expect from Martin?

High standards. But also an understanding that people learn differently. Some students want to compete. Some want a black belt. Others want self-defence, fitness, confidence or simply an activity that challenges them.

Martin's role isn't to make every student identical. It's to help each student improve while maintaining the standards that give martial-arts achievement its value.

His philosophy is straightforward:

Train seriously. Question intelligently. Keep learning. Maintain standards. Help others improve.

And above all:

Never stop being a student yourself.

The WLTKD Instructor Team

WLTKD is not built around one instructor.

Our experienced team of black belts and assistant instructors brings together decades of martial arts, competition, teaching, coaching and professional experience. Each contributes different knowledge and strengths, while working together to maintain the standards and teaching philosophy of Warwick & Leamington TKD.

Anthony Nash

Senior Assistant Instructor | 4th Degree Expert Black Belt

Anthony is WLTKD's Senior Assistant Instructor and brings more than 30 years of Taekwon-Do experience to the club. Anthony is currently preparing for his 5th Degree grading in November 2026, representing the next stage in more than three decades of continuous martial arts development.

He began training at the age of 13 in Henley-in-Arden and throughout his martial arts career has trained with some of the UK's most respected instructors, as well as attending technical seminars taught by some of Taekwon-Do's early pioneers.

Anthony has competed successfully at national level, specialising in patterns, and has represented Wales internationally. His wider martial arts interests include the traditional Japanese weapons arts of Iaido and Jodo, alongside a regular Ashtanga yoga practice.

Professionally, Anthony is a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Oxford, and he brings the same analytical, considered and detail-focused approach to his Taekwon-Do instruction.

His depth of experience and technical knowledge make him an important part of WLTKD's senior instructional team and particularly valuable in the development of our more experienced students and black belts.

John Hoult

Assistant Instructor | 3rd Degree Black Belt

John is a 3rd Degree Black Belt who has trained and competed in Taekwon-Do since 2015.

He has competed successfully at English regional and national championships across sparring, patterns and destruction, giving him experience across all three major competitive disciplines.

Away from martial arts, John brings more than 20 years of corporate leadership and mentoring experience to his role as an Assistant Instructor.

That combination of martial arts experience, leadership and mentoring makes John a calm and supportive member of the instructional team, with an understanding that developing students involves more than simply teaching physical technique.

He plays an important role in helping students progress in both their technical ability and confidence.

Rachel Hoult

Assistant Instructor | 3rd Degree Black Belt | Club Secretary

Rachel is a 3rd Degree Black Belt and leads WLTKD's adult beginner development team, as well as serving as Club Secretary.

She has trained and competed in Taekwon-Do since 2015 and has competed successfully at English national competitions in both patterns and sparring.

Rachel has a particularly important role within WLTKD in helping newer adult students make the transition from complete beginner into confident martial artist.

Starting a martial art as an adult can feel daunting, and her supportive, structured approach helps students develop their skills progressively while becoming comfortable within the wider class.

Professionally, Rachel works as an IT Manager and brings the organisation, analytical thinking and attention to detail of her professional career into both her instruction and the considerable behind-the-scenes work involved in helping WLTKD operate successfully.

Julia Singleton-Tasker

Assistant Instructor | 2nd Degree Black Belt | Junior Development Lead

Julia is a 2nd Degree Black Belt and leads WLTKD's junior development team, a dedicated group of instructors focused on helping our younger members progress through their martial arts journey.

She began training at the age of 13 and has competed at national and international level, winning medals in sparring, patterns and destruction at English, Welsh and British Championships.

After university, Julia taught martial arts classes for both children and adults in Exeter and Cornwall. Combined with her previous professional experience as a Primary School Teacher, this gives her a particularly strong understanding of how children learn, develop confidence and respond to different teaching approaches.

Today, Julia works as a Community Rail Officer on projects connecting railways and stations with their local communities. She brings that same creativity and communication experience to WLTKD, continually looking for engaging and effective ways to help younger students learn.

Her combination of martial arts, competition and professional teaching experience makes her ideally suited to leading the development of WLTKD's junior members.

Sebastien Perrier

Assistant Instructor | 2nd Degree Black Belt | Competition Lead

Sebastien brings more than 30 years of martial arts experience across a range of disciplines.

He holds a black belt in Shotokan Karate and a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Taekwon-Do, with wider training experience that includes Judo, Jujutsu, Kobudo — including nunchaku — and Kickboxing.

Sebastien has competed successfully in both Karate and Taekwon-Do, winning medals across numerous competitions. He now serves as Competition Lead within the WLTKD assistant instructor team, helping students develop the technical skills, strategy and confidence required for competitive martial arts.

Away from the dojang, Sebastien is a Professor at the University of Warwick. His extensive experience in both martial arts and education brings another valuable perspective to WLTKD's instructor team.

Sebastien combines technical knowledge with a genuine enthusiasm for helping students challenge themselves, improve their performance and continue developing as martial artists.

Peter Gearing

Assistant Instructor | 2nd Degree Black Belt | ITF Tournament Official

Peter began training in ITF Taekwon-Do in his teens before moving to the WT style while at university, where he achieved his black belt before graduation.

After taking a break from martial arts, he returned to his ITF roots and has since progressed to 2nd Degree Black Belt, joining the WLTKD assistant instructor team and teaching at both Warwick and Leamington Spa.

Peter has competed at numerous national events in both patterns and sparring and is an ITF-certified tournament official, giving him an additional understanding of competition rules, standards and judging that he can bring to both competitors and the wider club.

His experience outside Taekwon-Do is equally useful. Peter is a former schoolteacher, corporate trainer and strength coach, giving him considerable experience in teaching, coaching and individual development.

He also trains seriously in powerlifting and is a long-standing member of the 1,000 lb club, reflecting his own commitment to progressive physical training and strength development.

Peter's combination of martial arts, competition, strength training and professional teaching experience brings another distinct skill set to WLTKD's instructor team.