The UK Academy of Martial Arts

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Q&A's

Juniors

Are there any age limits?
We welcome students from age eight.
Peewee classes age 7 to 12
Junior classes age 12 to 16

How long are the classes?
Peewee classes last approximately 45 minutes and juniors about an hour.

Will I have to join the academy?
We welcome people to train as none members for a short period of time (4-5 lessons) the student is then encouraged to become a member (see membership page). As a member the student will be able to work towards a black belt/red sash.

Are the instructors qualified?
Our instructors are highly qualified with many years or experience and receive ongoing training as we believe you can never know everything about a subject and as such we are always learning. Check the instructor’s page.

How long are the courses?
Courses are ongoing, depending on the discipline and the amount of time you have available for example, on average a student can expect to reach black belt standard in around two years but remember we never stop learning which is why some of our instructors who hold 5th Dan and above still attend advanced training courses.

What is the instructor/student ratio?
We try to keep a ratio of one instructor per five students.

Can I watch the class?
Space permitting, parents/guardians are welcome to watch but must not interfere with the lesson. If a parent/guardian continually calls out or interferes with the class, they will be asked to leave.

What equipment will I need?
This depends on the style you choose, for example, kick boxing and Muay Thai boxing require sparring gloves, a gum shield, groin protector, head guard and shin pads. Your instructor will advise you what you will need but you will be able to use the academy equipment until you have a full set of equipment which you can buy as you progress.

 

Q&A's

People train in martial arts for many different reasons, to some they are a way of learning the ancient skills of unarmed combat, others use martial arts training to keep fit.

Which martial art is the right one for me?
There is no, right or wrong here. We encourage beginners to ‘try out’ different systems before choosing a specific style. Some systems are more aggressive than others, for example; Muay Thai boxing is an intensive high impact system where as Aikido is a softer system. That said, a trained Aikidoka can be just as effective in a combat situation as a Muay Thai boxer.
There are many different styles and systems to choose from, some students ‘cross-train’, studying two or more styles at the same time. A word of warning here; training in more than one style can be confusing for a novice. The student would progress through a system quicker and with better long term skills if he/she concentrated on that system before starting to cross-train.  

Will I have to fight?
The short answer is no. This depends on whether you want to progress through a syllabus which will mean sparring with fellow students as you progress through the ranking system. Not everyone wants to fight, this sounds like a contradiction in terms; however, martial arts training are an excellent way to keep fit and we actively encourage people who don’t want to fight to take part in the training session.

Are there any age limits?
Peewee classes; 8 to11
Junior classes; 12 to 15
Senior classes; 16 and over, there is no upper age limit.
Note: Peewee’s do not spar until they progress to junior level.

Are the instructors qualified?
You will have heard the term ‘black belt expert’. This is a misnomer. Gaining a black belt does not make you an expert; no more than gaining a driving license makes you an expert driver. Becoming an expert takes many years of hard work and dedication; our instructors are highly qualified with many years or experience and receive ongoing training as we believe you can never now everything about a subject and as such are always learning.

How long are the courses?
Courses are ongoing, depending on the discipline and the amount of time you have available. On average a student can expect to reach black belt standard within two years.

What equipment will I need?
This depends on the style you choose, for example, kick boxing and Thai boxing require sparring gloves and shin pads. Your instructor will advise you what you will need but you will be able to use the academy equipment for your first few lessons.

Is the UK Academy of Martial Arts affiliated?
UKAMA is affiliated to several associations including: The British Combat Association, Phraya Pichai Muay camp international, Al Peaslands csp and The British Boxing Board of Control.