I am pleased and highly honoured to be involved in a new and exciting programme, delivering martial arts classes to young kids and adults, which was set up by a good friend of mine Jonathon Buffong. In addition to this project, Jonathan has a book published on the early days of MMA in the UK, so expect a review very soon.
According to Jonathan, 'Mixed Martial Arts for Reform and Progression (MMARAP) is a Community Interest Company, whose aim and objective is to motivate, empower and support young people (15-25) through Mixed Martial Arts, self development, careers and educational advice and life skills. The company is geared towards helping give young people a focus away from a life of crime and violence. We also have a strong focus on those with learning disabilities, partially sighted, those who are deaf and amputees. We use mixed martial arts (MMA) as a tool to make a positive contribution to ddeveloping essential life skills such as team building, camaraderie, discipline and confidence, This is taught alongside IT, numeracy, literacy, careers advice, education and communication skills.'
The more you look into yourself, the greater you will become. Just believe and stay positive.'
I answered an advert from Jonathan who was looking for coaches to help him deliver after school sessions at Central Foundation Boys School in Central London and after all the checks were done, I was on a twelve week test run together with a Karate instructor. One week was to be a Karate session, the other week a grappling session with my good self.
The sessions are based around no gi Jiu Jitsu, together with all kinds of general fitness training, strength and conditioning and learning high amplitude throws (as they are described in the FILA grappling rules book) as the gym have some awesome crash mats and I think the crash mats were the deal clincher in these sessions. They really enjoyed being picked up and dumped into the mats, after all being a young teenager, who doesn't like larking about on crash mats? Especially when being shown how to lark about correctly without injuring each other?
So far I have had four sessions with the students and they have picked up the things I've shown them very quickly and all show promise should they wish to carry on training martial arts when these sessions end at the end of term. They are a pleasure to teach and really listen to what Jonathan and myself are telling them, whether it be martial arts based or giving them a few lessons about life in general and how their training can help them in and out of school.
The photo shows a few of the young warriors that were at the session yesterday and when all the students hand their consent forms in, we'll have more photos to show in the future.
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