Master Richard Olpin

Founder./ Master Instructor

Richard Olpin has been actively training in the Martial Arts since August 1983, and has been teaching for over 30 years now.

During this time he has taught thousands of individuals at events, and many hundreds at his own school. To date more than 50 individuals have graduated to Black Belt ranks under his direct tuition, with many of those going on to much higher grades up to fourth and fifth degree.

He currently holds a seventh degree black-belt in Taekwondo (the Korean version of Karate), with extensive experience in a number of other martial arts too.

Richard first opened his own school in 1995, as part of a large national Taekwondo association, and was active in that group for many years, until following a near-fatal bout of pneumonia at the turn of the millennium Richard had one of those life-changing epiphanies, which resulted in him leaving his former career as a Software engineer to focus full time on teaching, and his vision to help others achieve their maximum potential in all areas of their lives.

With his experience in other styles, he wanted to broaden the scope of what he taught beyonds the constraints of the traditional Taekwondo association syllabus, and so it was time to expand the school. To reflect upon the vision to have a truly holistic approach to training the Ilyokwan Black Belt Academy was born. (see here for an explanation of what ‘Ilvo Kwan’ means).

With a focus on continual improvement, Richard continues to train extensively with expert instructors from all over the world, in both the traditional martial arts, and from the world of specialised personal security, executive protection and military combat instructors. He is now also a volunteer Police Officer with Gloucestershire Constabulary with a goal to use his experience to help others in the community.

In addition to his teaching at the Academy, Master Olpin is available for individual coaching, courses, seminars, speaking engagements and consultancy, both throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. He also has an accredited qualification as an ‘Elite Performance Coach’ and is available for life/success/strategic coaching, both to individuals and groups, personally or in the private/corporate sectors.

He is currently writing a series of books on personal development centred around his concept of developing a ‘Black Belt Mindset’

Please use the contact form for more information.

He has a great way of teaching to help everything memorable and has brought a whole new outlook on the way I see life.

He is an incredibly knowledgeable man, completely committed to his students, and is always trying to get the best out of us…

Rich Is true example of an instructor who is taking Martial arts into the 21st century.

Master Olpin manages to bring out the best in anyone who trains with him.

I would never have achieved my black belt without the peerless instruction and encouragement given by Master Olpin