Nikki Payne

I’ve been doing Karate now for nearly 10 years and am delighted I took it up in the first place. I first decided to try Karate with my uncle after I stopped playing for a local football team. I remember the first lesson I had was in an old church hall on hard wooden flooring. Although the venue wasn’t the best in the world (especially bare feet on wooden flooring) the lesson was fantastic and I couldn’t wait to go back for more. I then found out that an old football friend was also having lessons and it made me want to join up even more. I then started up properly with my uncle and slowly but surely started to climb up the belt system.

First competition of my Karate life came round and also came my first 1st place trophy. Over the next few years I not only attended the clubs annual competition but various competitions around the southeast and picked up more and more trophies. I also managed to travel to martial arts outings travelling many miles to see some of the sports biggest names and be taught by various other instructors. I think my first major achievement came when I was 12 I got asked to attend a Great Britain selection day. I had to attend a training session with other selected people (most being a few years older than me), which were run by GB instructor Sensei Anton Murrels. The training session involved a fitness workout, general line work and then ended with free sparring. After my BKA squad-training day, I managed to stay in touch with Sensei Anton and travelled to some more competitions around the southeast, which he recommended to me. Once more picking up a few more trophies and meeting new people, Sensei Justin Kent being one of them. Although my break through into the BKA squad never happened I still feel it’s a huge achievement to be asked to come to a training session in which I learned much to add to my martial arts. A few years on and my next big day came in Karate my Black Belt grading. I don’t think I have ever been so nervous in my entire life. All the years training I had been doing came down to one big important day. With many hours of extra training squeezed in during the weeks before the grading, it was very tiring indeed. But all the extra training paid off when I was finally handed my Black Belt by Sensei Brian Seabright (BKA Chairman). I was over the moon and it was easily the best achievement I have ever had. It just feels superb considering how long it takes to get there, but well worth it in the end.

Now being a Black Belt and a Sempi at the same time, a new chapter in my Karate life emerged. Teaching. Something that I loved doing back then and still love doing now. Although it is extremely hard, I always have seen it as something I wanted to do. Four years after passing my 1st Dan and now 18 years old the time came around to take my 2nd Dan. This time I had to raise the bar even higher if I was to pass. I endured long and gruesome training sessions to prepare for the day. We first had to do a mock grading the week before which has to be the hardest day of my life. With a tiring run around the park, a shed load of line work, bag work and finally an hour of sparring. It was a test of mental and physical strength. Although I got through the day I was disappointed with my performance. However this seemed to have made me more fuelled and ready for the grading. It worked; I walked away with my 2nd Dan and felt pleased about my performance that day.

Throughout my many years doing Karate I don’t regret a single moment. It has definitely taught me respect for others and myself and has kept me strong, healthy and happy.

 Ashley Payne

My name is Ashley Payne; I have been doing Karate since I was 6 years old. I have recently reached my goal to become a Black Belt; my next target is to be a 2nd Dan (Black Belt). Me and 9 others all had to do a mock grading a week before we the real thing. In the mock grading (which lasted about 5 hours) we had to do a 4.5-mile run. When we got back we had to do bag work, which lasted about 30 mins we also had to do line work ten Kata and loads of sparring. The week after we went for the real thing, which only lasted an hour. Me and the other 9 all got their Black Belt, 2 of them got their 2nd Dan.

My reasons for doing Karate are because my older brother joined and I want to be as good as him one day and it also teaches self-discipline. My favourite thing about Karate is sparring as I get to fight my older brother. I never win because he is too agile for me but one day I will beat him.

 Max Payne

My name is Max Payne, I am a Green Belt and I am almost a Blue Belt. I started Karate when I was 4 and a half. I joined because Nick and Ash was there and I thought it would be fun. My favourite bit of Karate is ground fighting because you get to pin people down. I also like Kate because it gets harder. Last year at the competition I came 2nd out of 8 and it was my first time going.

Since writing this, Max has passed his Blue Belt