Martial Arts Instructor Profile

4th Level Master/Gold Belt 4th Stripe, Blue Belt BJJ

1995

At the age of 10 I started training in Tae Kwon Do for approximately 18 months and achieved my Orange Belt, I remember this period vividly because the instructor at the beginning of the class would always push you into the sidesplits which was agony. Following this experience I took an interest in Judo which I trained in for 2 years, here I learnt my grips, and how to effectively  use leverage to  throw my opponents as they were typically 40-50kg heavier than me . After this period I was introduced to an ex-olympic boxer who decided to take me on as a private student and I trained with them for about 1 year, the training I received helped me improve my footwork and enabled me to throw more powerful punches. In 1995 I began my Wing Chun training with Sigung Rick Spain and continue to this day to develop my skills as a martial artist.

I remember I was in Year 11 when I started training with Sifu Rick Spain and being in an all boys school fights in the school yard were a daily ritual. The skills I learnt as a Wing Chun practitioner gave me an edge over my school boy peers and left me unscathed when the end of lunch bell rang. As the fights drew thin resulting from my adversaries finding less challenging opponents I started to appreciate the philosophy of Wing Chun and continued to focus on my strength and conditioning. Over time I developed my mastery in the practical application of the Wing Chun forms which led me then to master the Wooden Dummy and many of the weapons adopted by our system.

Training to me means working hard with objective to improve oneself physically, mentally or spiritually.

Coaching means providing guidance not answers.

Georges St-Pierre former UFC champion renowned for his extreme training ethic and athletic finesse, he holds the record for the most wins in title bouts and the second longest combined title streak in UFC history 2204 days.

It is only by getting up after you have been knocked down that you will become a better fighter. The colour of your belt reflects your skills but not your will as a fighter. A martial artists journey is never ending.