3rd Annual A.M.A Charity Multi-style Seminar

On Sunday the 10th of December the Amateur Martial Association held its 3rd Annual Charity Multi-style Seminar which was once again organized by Sensei Sean McHale of Tai Jutsu Leeds.

This year’s event was being held in aid of the Blue Bell Wood Children Hospice South Yorkshire, the event was kindly hosted by the Leeds Metropolitan University at their sports Centre (Carnegie) in Headingley Leeds.

As ever the Seminar was extremely well supported by the martial arts community with many different styles and associations coming from all over the region, including a large number of martial artists coming from the local Army Barracks in Harrogate.

Every year this hand on multi-style seminar gets bigger and better with eight styles been on show this year being taught by some highly talented martial artists.

One of the most noticeable things about this year’s seminar was the enthusiasm from the instructors and just by watching you could tell how much passion they had for their chosen styles.

 Which in turn became highly infectious and made it a very enjoyable day.

The styles on show were,

  • Wado Kai Karate – Sensei Toby Thewlis
  • Ju-Jitsu – Professor Tom Fetcher
  • Kick Boxing – Sensei Reg Jones
  • Praying Mantis – Sifu Andy Norman
  • Judo – Sensei Phil Cook
  • Escrima – Sensei Dave Whitely
  • Shokakan Karate – Sensei Mick Padgett
  • Tai Jutsu – Sensei Sean McHale

The day was a considerable success on many levels, firstly was the money raised for a very worth while cause and the other was the opportunity of all the students to gain a greater insight in to the wide variety of styles and techniques on show.

The seminar was run on a carousel system with students moving around every 45 minutes to a new mat area.

There were much too many styles on show to give you a break down on each  individual one, so here are just a few;

First we had Reg Jones (Kick Boxing) . Reg as always was a true master of fast hand and foot works and as always seemed to get the up most out of his students. Teaching some extremely deadly kicks and punching combinations which kept his students enthralled.

Next we had Sifu Andy Norman (Praying Mantis). Stylist as always teaching to the highest of standards with highly effective techniques, such as breaking an arm of a would be attacker and then finishing them off with a strike to the head and throat. He then finished of his lesson with some exceptional pressure points work.

Then we had Sensei Dave Whitely (Escrima). Truly a master of stick fighting, an extremely talented man who had all his students captivated, with his many defences and attacks techniques which only can be described as sharp and deadly . Definitely a man to look out for in the future to train with.

Finally we had Sensei’s Sean McHale and his long suffering Ukie, (training partner) Peter Beaumont both from Tai Jutsu Leeds showing some extremely scary wall techniques which incorporates Sean avoiding a punch and then striking his attacker in the stomach and then running him in to the wall, which was bad enough but then he used a variation of this same technique, but this time ripping his poor friend’s throat out, which definitely kept the attention of his students.  They then went on to finished off with some highly effective knife and Kobotan techniques. Nice Guys in real life, (but definitely not two guys’ to upset on a night out).

Overall an excellent day and many thanks to all those involved including  Mr Dave Henderson and all his staff at the Carnegie sports centre for all there help and for donating the hall for a good cause.