On Friday 14th and Saturday 15th October Myself Carl Rudolf (27) and Oliver Clark (16) travelled to Bristol to be graded, myself for my 5th Degree Black Belt and Ollie for 1st Degree black belt.

I have been training in Tae Kwon Do since 1995 when I started at Ellesmere Port and Neston Tae Kwon Do. I now have my own Tae Kwon Do clubs in Whitchurch, Malpas and Oswestry, taking beginners through to Black belt and competition winners at regional, national and international level and have achieved my 5th Degree black belt at the age of just 27.

To grade for black belt after a minimum of three and a half years training is needed. The journey to the black belt grading in Bristol started a month earlier when they went to Belper in Derby for a mock black belt grading to ensure they are at the required standard to be graded followed by a month of extra intense Tae Kwon Do training in preparation for the big day.

Over the weekend Ollie and I were assessed by the TAGB committee consisting of Grand Master Dave Oliver 9th Degree Black Belt Chairman of the TAGB, BTC Chairman, President of Tae Kwon Do International and the rest of the TAGB committee who are 8th degree black belt masters.

We were assessed in a verity of their abilities including drill work (martial arts movements), patterns (a sequence of moves against multiple opponents), pad work (for accuracy and power) set sparring, free sparring against other opponents and theory of Tae Kwon Do.
Ollie and I were both successful, therefore being promoted to 1st Degree black Belt and 5th Degree Black belt.
Competition Success

On Sunday 30th October students from Whitchurch, Malpas and Oswestry Tae Kwon Do went to Derby Arena for this year’s North Midlands Area Championships. There where over 600 competitors on the day and we had lots of success winning a total of 9 medals. For some this was there very first competition so huge well done to you guys.

Congratulation to our medal winners

Jamie Keeling – 1st in Men’s red belt patterns, 1st Men’s red belt tag team sparring and 2nd in Men’s Red belt heavy weight sparring.

Rory Tinsley – 2nd boys strike pad speed test and 3rd Boys tiny tots yellow belt sparring

Carl Rudolf – 1st in Black belt men’s strike pad power test and 2nd in men’s black belt middle weight sparring.

Chris Southan – 1st in Men’s red belt tag team sparring

Faye Beck – 2nd Girls tag team sparring

Well done to Chris Southan, Jamie Keeling, Faye Beck, Rory Tinsley,

Nathan Brereton, Sam Fielding and Carl Rudolf who all competed.

Anyone who is interested in taking up Tae Kwon Do we are now recruiting new members to start their journey to become a black belt. Just call Instructors Mr Peter Rudolf 07884436446 or Mr Carl Rudolf 07824 364018, visit the website www.tagb-taekwondo.co.uk or just pop in and see what were about first lesson is FREE. The first step is to come and have ago but sometimes the hardest. We will help you get YOUR black belt.