Total Body Defence Self Defence
Mobile: 07900 194842
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I have been involved in Martial Arts for over 20 years.
As a youngster I trained in judo and achieved blue belt and really enjoyed the competitions, my favorite throw being tomoe nage (monkey throw) but sadly I gave it up as I felt judo was missing something, feeling the need to find an art with more Defence involved as I’m not exactly tall bullying was a big issue for me as I was growing up.
At 18 I found a Kung Fu club studying Huen kuen, this gave me real confidence and quickly realised knowing a Martial Art gave me the ability to handle situations differently and be able to avoid and talk my way round things without reacting like an easy target and preventing violence (just what I needed). Although the club didn’t do grading’s we just trained. I spent two years there, my situation changed and moved away.
I dabbled in martial arts but nothing really gripped me, looking for another style to take up, briefly tried at Tae kwon Do, but my physical ability was no longer what it was. I found a kempo club and trained in this for a while but family life got in the way, so I stopped. My eldest step son Paul Hughes was looking to train in Martial Arts and was searching for local clubs and found one, he ask me to go with him, I agreed thinking I’ll go for a few weeks to support him, get him settled in and make my excuses to drop out as being 38 thought I’m too old for this stuff………WRONG
I walked through the door and met Sensei Alun Williams….. This club was electric, full of passion; I’d never seen anything like this before! Within weeks I was going forward and prepared for my first belt.
I never stopped, never gave up. I looked at some students including Sensei Mark Broom and thought if I can be half as good as him I’ll be happy (he was a blue belt at the time)
My fitness and ability was growing quickly and loving it – The instructors were amazing and quality shone through.
Alun’s enthusiasm is unstoppable, he finds a way to make you dig deeper than you ever have to achieve things, Total body Defence has rewarded me with so much and changed my life. TBD is infectious, no ego and full of great people – It’s easy to learn and adapt to suit your own abilities but its also remarkably effective.
Think of the principle like this: You have been given a toolbox and you use the tools within to fit the level of threat or situation you have encountered…..from softly controlling to protect yourself and family at all costs.
At one point in my life alcohol was a big part of my life ,and quite debilitating and a very hard habit to control I’m not ashamed of this fact – Getting back into the martial arts changed my life and gave me fulfillment, courage and a sense of well being.
Thank you to all my peers from the club for putting faith in me and helping me achieve my 1st Dan on November 23rd 2013 and 2nd Dan on 26th November 2016. I currently love co-running the Cardiff TBD school with my step son Paul Hughes