Associate Instructor, JKD/Kali International under Bob Breen
Instructor, Integrated Arts under Terry Barnett
Associate Instructor, Jun Fan gung-fu and Filipino Kali under Dan Inosanto
Associate Instructor, Jun Fan/JKD Grappling Association under Larry Hartsell
Instructor, Minnesota Kali Group International, under Rick Faye
White Glove, Savate-Boxe Francais (GB Savate Federation)
RKC-certified Russian kettlebell instructor
I’ve always been interested in fitness and physical culture, and have been a martial arts practitioner since the age of around 11. As a martial artist, I’ve always been interested in effective, time-efficient methods of physical conditioning.
My first experience with kettlebells was in March 2007, when I was attending an Instructor’s Conference at the Inosanto Academy in Los Angeles. Guro Dan had been talking about kettlebells for a good couple of years by then, and I’d never really been interested. Having seen a couple of articles featuring them in Men’s Health or similar publications, I couldn’t really see what the difference between them and dumbbells was. Anyway, at the conference, Guro Dan announced that his acupuncturist was putting on a taster session after the class, and conference attendees were welcome to attend for free. I decided that I had the time and energy to do it, and stuck around.
The instructor turned out to be Dr Mark Cheng (RKC Team Leader), and while it was more of a hands-on taster session than an actual workout, that session made me a believer, and, not for the first time, it left me wishing I’d listened better to what Guro Dan had been saying for so long.
When I returned, I hadn’t even gotten over my jetlag before I’d located London Kettlebells, picked up a 16kg and a 24kg from Stephen Aish, and registered for a workshop that they had organised (along with a couple of my private students – I’m not sure if they’ve forgiven me for it yet, but they’re still working out all the same).
Then a couple of months later Dragondoor announced their 2008 Danish RKC, together with a substantial early-bird discount. I signed up straight away and started training. Ten months and a lot of support and help from London Kettlebells and Rannoch Donald (thanks, guys!) later, here I am, a freshly-minted RKC.
I teach Jun Fan Gung Fu, Kali and Savate, as well as kettlebells, at
Bob Breen Academy
16 Hoxton Square
London N1 6NT
0207 729 5789
and am available to teach on a one-to-one, small group, or seminar basis.
