I started training in the art of Shotokan Karate in 1972 (pre Bruce Lee) at the age of 12. Mr Rick Jackson, an excellent Instructor ran the school, which was popular with a variety of people, all with similar goals.
My brother and his friend (both wet-under-the-collar bobbies) introduced me to the art, and black eyes and bruises were regular occurrences in this hard physical training environment.
Then along came Bruce Lee, and many people were inspired to try out martial arts of all kinds. The belief that these mystical Far Eastern skills would be the answer to all physical conflict problems attracted a whole new group of people with differing goals. The Club numbers swelled.
After my brother quit transport became a problem (Remember, Winners never quit and quitters never win!), I struggled to attend regular training sessions. However, with the growing demand for more martial arts, Clubs were springing up weekly (some very dubious), and I soon discovered a Club within walking distance of my home. I watched the class training a number of times and spoke to the Instructor Mr Roy Oldham (now Master Oldham of Global Taekwon-Do), who was a 1st Degree Blackbelt in Taekwon-Do with the UKTA. (United Kingdom Taekwon-Do Association). I enrolled and started training at Lyng Hall School. The year was now 1973.
Coventry was the birthplace of Taekwon-do in Europe, having been introduced by Master Rhee Ki Ha on the 2 July 1967. Classes took place at TileHillWoodSchool with pioneers such as Murray Walker, Bill McCracken, Clive Neil, Barry Sheene, Roy Oldham and Bob Howe.
Training with these pioneers and Master Rhee was a great education and privilege. However, as time went on, most of those who followed saw less and less of Master Rhee as he focussed on the promotion of Taekwon-do and spread himself thinly as demand for a figure head and personality rose.
As in all walks of life, personalities and politics rose their ugly head and the very first split within the UKTA was lead by Mr Murray Walker and Mr Roy Oldham (my Instructor) when they set up the TUGB. I was a Green Belt at the time, and I loyally followed my Instructor.
For the next two years, training went well. Contact with friends within the UKTA continued and eventually, in 1977, Bob Howes skills as a negotiator brought us back into the UKTA family.
In June 1978 I took my 1st Degree under Master Rhee in Coventry. I was the 178th UKTA member to receive ITF Life Membership. I then attended the first of many Instructors courses in Scotland and became Mr Oldhams Assistant Instructor, together with Ged Hampson, and as is often the case with new instructors, it was my job to teach the children. Two of my first students were Master Rhees children.
Competition often promotes bad technique and bad attitude and the true spirit of Taekwon-do is lost in the quest for medals and glory. However, like most, I took part and enjoyed the experience. In 1977 I achieved champion status within the TUGB in breaking, patterns and sparring and the following year I won the UKTA English Heavyweight Black Belt Sparring competition. However, the pressures of teaching in Coventry, Stratford and Rugby, training hard for my Second Degree and also holding down a full-time job, meant that time for competition training was very limited.
In 1980 I achieved Second Degree Black Belt under Master Rhee. Soon afterwards came the split up of the UKTA and a group of senior black belts of that time formed the TAGB.
Not wanting to leave Master Rhee again, I joined the only remaining UKTA Instructor in Coventry, Mr Clive Neale (Mr Oldham went his own way, later to join Master Park Jung Tae and Global Taekwon-do). However, within three months Mr Neal had also joined the TAGB. I believe it was with great regret, but Master Rhee was unable or unwilling to travel to Coventry to grade such a small number of people.
The Chief Instructor for the TAGB was Master Hee Il Cho, who brought credence to this young association. He was a totally different Master to Ki Ha Rhee, but both men were brilliant in their own way.
I stayed with Mr Neale for 6½ years, training under Master Cho whenever possible. Mr Neales club had a very strong black belt following, and the training was enhanced by the social side and family atmosphere of the Club. I gained my 3rd and 4th Degree under Master Cho.
Soon afterwards my journey seemed to come complete full circle. The TAGB Committee voted to remove Master Cho as its figurehead, believing that they no longer needed his services. The TAGB split once again and those who wanted to stay with Master Cho formed the GTI headed by Mr Sahota.
At about the same time Grand Master General Choi Hong Hi held a 5-day seminar in Hinckley. For myself, and many others, this was the answer true ITF Taekwon-do taught by the founder. To see him perform with such passion at the age of 79 years, to hear his explanations first-hand, seemed to fill in many missing links. Mr Sahota, Mr Moss and myself then started the UKGT, affiliated to the ITF.
After attending further General Choi Seminars in Ireland and England, I had the honor to be graded 5th Degree by General Choi and his son Choi Jung Hwa in Leicester, England in August 1998. This was the best seminar I have ever attended, I was taught all 24 patterns of ITF TaeKwon Do by the founder, Chon Ji to Tong IL and there are not many TaeKwon Do practitioners who can say that.
t has now been 8 years since I wrote this article for the original Web site which Scott Bridges was so kind to publish on the World Wide Web, thank you for your time and hard work, I am very grateful.
It has now been 8 years since I wrote this article for the original Web site which Scott Bridges was so kind to publish on the World Wide Web, thank you for your time and hard work, I am very grateful.
Mr. Bridges (assistance Instructor) was finding it difficult to find the time to update the web pages and this very useful tool to inform the members of events news etc was not being used I made time to attend a 10 week web design course at a local college to gain the skills to update the web pages myself.
The new Essential-tkd Web site was published December 2005 and from the feed back people are enjoying the new site content.
Over the past 8 years our club and I have faced many challenges, training up for promotion to 6th degree was a personal goal I set for myself, I had the honor to Grade under Choi Jung Hwa the founder of TaeKwon Do's son(General Choi Hong Hi). The Grading was in Hungary 23rd May 2004, these exams always take place after a grueling 3 days of seminar training, when your legs feel they no longer belong you. It's takes a lot of spirit to give your best after such an event. I was promoted to 6th Degree on this day.
I remember talking to Mr Oldham on his return from the World championships in America in 1980 how the martial art culture America was so different to our own. The business Instructor was about to be born.
From these championships invitations to other Masters to visit our Country and impart their knowledge began.
I now run a successful Club at ErnesfordGrangeSchool and Community College, assisted by a number of first class Instructors and Black Belts.
To find out more about them :
Go to:
Scott Bridges III Degree
Duncan Hogg III Degree
Peter Harrison II Degree