Here's Mr Powell receiving his KEWAP Level 1 Instructor Award from Steven Timperley.

Here’s Mr Powell receiving his KEWAP Level 1 Instructor Award from Steven Timperley.

Master Olpin and Mr Powell travelled up to Bletchley today for the Knives & Edged Weapons Awareness Programme (KEWAP) instructor course where Mr Powell was awarded his level one KEWAP instructor award.

KEWAP is a specialist program which aims to teach awareness of the dangers of dealing with knives and other weapons in a self protection environment. Master Olpin has been involved with this group since it was founded about five years ago and is a senior instructor in the organisation, he is also a master instructor within the parent organisation Self Defence UK.

A great little article in the Gazette this week about Master Olpin celebrating the Academy’s 20th Anniversary here in Cam.

It’s a little late as the actual anniversary was back in September, but the paper only just picked up on it recently..

In the photo with Master Olpin you’ll see our two leadership team assistants, Robbie Hirst and Shirley Williamson who are undoubtably the two most loyal students we’ve ever had, along with Shona Thornhill who was Master Olpin’s first black belt graduate back in 2000..

Here’s to the next 20 years eh!

Newspaper article in the Gloucestershire Gazette 08/10/2015

A piece in the Gazette this week about the free self defence course we’re running from next week.

 

You’re going to face natural flat spots and challenges along the way, they’re a part of life and a part of the martial arts. Always remember though, nobody ever got good at something by *not* doing it.

Everyone who’s achieved something worthwhile went through hardships along the way, but they pushed through to the next level and onwards to greatness!

https://www.blackbeltacademy.info/perseverance/

Final grading preparations today, another read over the Black Belt submissions etc.

Best of luck to everyone testing tomorrow, especially the Black Belt candidates. This is a very special day for them, representing the final stage of their ‘apprenticeship’ and the beginning of the journey to mastery!

Whatever the results tomorrow, remember in the martial arts you’re automatically a ‘winner’ every time you show up to train. The only way you can ever ‘fail’ at martial arts is to give up. 

Perseverance is the key, remember “A Black Belt is a white belt that never quit”

MASS Training 1

Who do you want looking after your children’s character development, a full-time professional with specialist training in children’s development, or a plumber/salesman/office worker that does a bit of teaching part-time?

Remember we are talking about introducing an adult into your children’s  life that can potentially have a massive influence on their future.

Don‘t leave it to the amateurs – look for those instructors who are professional, and who offer a professional service, after all, we are talking about making an investment in your future.

In the image above you can see the level of training we undertake. Our chief instructor Master Olpin, along with 40 of the UK’s top instructors on a recent seminar. Committed to the highest professional standards in the martial arts.