JAmes Davis
I started the Banstead TaeKwon-Do School in September 2009 as a small affair and it has grown in to a buzzing successful Martial Arts school.
My own TaeKwon-Do training began after my first year of University in Dundee, Scotland. I needed to find a physical activity that kept my interest, I didn't like the gym and I was looking for something that had a purpose. A close friend suggested Martial Arts, there were a lot on offer at the University but I met someone who had recently opened a TaeKwon-Do class. He was Stuart Mulligan, 2nd Degree, and I enjoyed the training and it gave me a thirst for more.
I was very fortunate because my two best friends, Chris and Alpha, trained in different arts and we training together almost all the time. Setting challenges, sparring on the stairs, attacking each other at strange moments, lots of 2 v 1 with frying pans as improvised weapons. Fortunate, I say, because this exposed me to training outside of classes, training because it was fun and we all loved it. Chris is now highly trained in various self defence systems, Silat being one of those.
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Scotland
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So when the Dundee club closed I was directed to an established TaeKwon-Do School that shaped the way I train, teach, think about myself - it had a profound effect on me.
This was the Montrose School of TaeKwon-Do and the instructor there was Mr McNairn 4th Degree, who is now a Master of TaeKwon-Do at 7th Degree. I learnt many important lessons from Master McNairn one of them being that TaeKwon-Do is more than what at first it appears - it's a family. Master McNairn founded and runs the successful David McNairn Blackbelt Academy in Montrose, Scotland
At Montose School of TaeKwon-Do I met and was taught heavily by Mark Davies (2nd Degree at the time) who gave me a real interest in the practical application of TaeKwon-Do and whom I still keep in contact with today. Mark created and founded a system called Tactical Edge and runs The Best Defence in Arbroath, Scotland
I met and trained closely with Mr Boydell, now a 5th Degree, and Mrs Boydell, now a 4th Degree - who became good friends and who I follow closely still. Mr and Mrs Boydell run the successful Boydell Blackbelt Academies in the North East of Scotland.
These were great times and I am very proud to say that my 1st Degree Blackbelt was earned under Master McNairn and the UKTF Scotland.
Scotland
...
So when the Dundee club closed I was directed to an established TaeKwon-Do School that shaped the way I train, teach, think about myself - it had a profound effect on me.
This was the Montrose School of TaeKwon-Do and the instructor there was Mr McNairn 4th Degree, who is now a Master of TaeKwon-Do at 7th Degree. I learnt many important lessons from Master McNairn one of them being that TaeKwon-Do is more than what at first it appears - it's a family. Master McNairn founded and runs the successful David McNairn Blackbelt Academy in Montrose, Scotland
At Montose School of TaeKwon-Do I met and was taught heavily by Mark Davies (2nd Degree at the time) who gave me a real interest in the practical application of TaeKwon-Do and whom I still keep in contact with today. Mark created and founded a system called Tactical Edge and runs The Best Defence in Arbroath, Scotland
I met and trained closely with Mr Boydell, now a 5th Degree, and Mrs Boydell, now a 4th Degree - who became good friends and who I follow closely still. Mr and Mrs Boydell run the successful Boydell Blackbelt Academies in the North East of Scotland.
These were great times and I am very proud to say that my 1st Degree Blackbelt was earned under Master McNairn and the UKTF Scotland.
During my time in Scotland I was taught by all the highest instructors:
Grand Master McCallum, Grand Master Sutherland, Master Thompson, Master Wallace, Master Hutton, Master McNairn, Master McKissock.
I also travelled back home to Surrey and got taught by Grand Master Nardizzi when ever the opportunity arose.
Then I moved back to England...
England
I moved back to Sutton, near Banstead, in 2005 and started attending classes with Master Dennis 7th Degree in Sutton, Epsom, Cheam and Dorking, this makes up Extreme TaeKwon-Do
I loved those classes, there was a great group of adults who all wanted to train hard - good times.
I got in to good habits of training and diet and progressed through my 2nd and 3rd Degree gradings and was then very keen on starting my own class.
Finding a suitable training location is not easy, but by chance I found the Priory School in Banstead and started renting their sports hall for one evening a week.
We progressed to 2 evenings a week after a year and things have grown since then to a school I am very proud of. Proud in both the quality and standard of TaeKwon-Do and proud of the friendships the club has produced between the students and the parents.
I progressed to 4th Degree in April 2012 and had never thought I'd progress so far, but TaeKwon-Do and martial arts in general rewards hard work.
After 7 years at 4th Degree I progressed to 5th Degree in June 2019.
I have other martial arts interests too...
Silat and more
Having had a real interest in the practical use of martial arts movements and the health and fitness benefits of martial arts training for everyone of all abilities I have, over the years, trained in a few different arts:
I spent a few years learning some Aikido in Comrie, Scotland, some JuJitsu too; some old World War II control and restraint from a secret source (sshhh); the basics of Tactical Edge in it's early form from Mark Davies in Montrose;
A couple of friends from Scotland, my old training partners, Chris and Alpha, suggested I investigate Silat, of which there are numerous forms, and I was directed to Silat Buka Lingkaren founded by the talented Alvin Guinanao. After attending a seminar I was accepted onto his training system and I progressed and passed my Phase 1 - Ground Fighting Instructor exam. I hope to be training with Alvin again soon. I find the system very practical, very helpful to TaeKwon-Do and great fun too.
For those interested I am also a qualified:
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Kettlebell Fitness Instructor by Steve Cotter and the IKFF
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KEWAP instructor (knives and edges weapons awareness) by Steven Timperley
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Self Myofascial Release massage by Trigger Point
