Martin Ace - Qualifications: 5^th degree black belt in TaeKwonDo (Master Instructor) 13^th December 2005 1^st degree black belt in SulKiDo 24^th September 1988 5^th degree black belt in Brithai 11^th February 2006 Professional Trainer Certified – Chartered Institute of Environmental Health 25^th May 2008 Edged Weapons certified – Black Belt International Self Defence Instructor – Martial Arts Commission 2^nd February 1990 Women’s Personal Safety Officer – Realistic Self Defence Association 8^th May 2005

I began training in 1982 and initially started with Seibukan karate with my friend Mil. I was interested in learning how to defend myself and throw a few flashy kicks. The idea of ever actually sticking it out to gain a black belt never entered my mind. After all, black belts are only for the few gifted people out there, or so I thought. Mil and I trained hard together and both took our first martial arts grading on 1^st July 1983 under Vernon Bell, the man credited with bringing karate into England. Mil and I were both really pleased as that grading was marked in points, and we both came out with the highest mark in the club that day.

I drifted around with various styles until in January 1985 I began a relatively new style named Sul Ki Do. I really enjoyed the SKD training and this further fuelled my interest in martial arts. So, whilst training three times a week in SKD, I took up Wing Chun kung fu twice a week too. I trained at a couple of clubs, one of which was recommended to me by a friend Demetrios that I met previously in SKD. After about four or five months, I stopped Wing Chun altogether, tried a couple of months of kickboxing, again with Mil, and then got involved with SKD whole heartedly, attending six to seven classes a week from December 1985 until the end of 1987. I achieved my 1st degree black belt in Sul Ki Do on 24th September 1988.

My Tae Kwon Do training began a year earlier in October 1987 when I had already graded to "deputy black belt" in SKD. I was introduced to Master K. Lye, a 6^th degree black belt, who I started training with. He not only became my instructor, but a great influence on my martial arts training. Master Lye was not only a real expert in TKD, but a very good teacher too. Five times Malaysian national champion and a runner up in The South East Asian Games, this man was not only a full-contact competitor of international standard, but also a terrific instructor, a great motivator, and the inspirational force that lead me to opening my own TKD club back in June 1993. Unfortunately Master Lye retired from teaching in 2007, but still takes an active role at the founder of the EWEST Taekwondo Association. Under his tutorage, I achieved my 1st degree black belt under Master Lye on 23^rd February 1993, 2nd degree on 18^th September 1994, 3^rd degree on 6^th July 1997, my 4^th degree black belt Master Instructor on 17^th December 2000, and most recently my 5^th degree black belt on 13^th December 2005.

I love teaching all aspects of martial arts. Being a constant encouragement to my students, helping them to attain new skills and seeing them climb up through the grades is a real pleasure for me. Seeing them graduate up to the black belt is as exciting for me to see, as it is for them to achieve.

On 2^nd October 2000, I made the big transition, and turned professional. I initially designed a training programme to take people from zero to black belt in 36 months. That was successful, however I changed the methodology of teaching and running classes in May 2005 and we can now take students from zero to black belt standard in only 24 months. There's actually no reason for anybody not to achieve this. Training twice a week at The Academy, with 15 minutes of home training a day is enough.

This page was last updated 6:25pm 3/6/08 *