Kickboxing in Gloucester, Cheltenham, Worcester and Newport

As with many martial art styles, the history starting date is usually murky, the same is true with kickboxing. It is thought to have started in the 1950's, by a man named Osamu Noguchi. It was called Karate Boxing back then. He was interested in Muay Thai, but was a Karate Student, therefore Kickboxing was born.

Kickboxing as the name suggests, trains a student to use their arms the same as boxers, and there legs like a karate student does. The class is high energy, with a lot of focus put on hitting pads, and also full contact sparring. There are many techniques that have developed since the early days, such as knee and elbow strikes being added. If you like to 'mix it up a bit' then kickboxing is a great sport, as it is more relaxed than some of the more traditional styles.

I was brought up in a family that loved boxing. My father was a professional boxer, and he taught me pad work and ring mechanics. My love for martial arts started at an early age, although my father did not want me boxing as a boy, therefore at the age of 10 he enrolled me in a martial arts school. Boxing has always been a big part of my family, which has helped me form the style Maarlisk. I credit my family for many things, but having my father as a coach helped me to become a European Kickboxing Champion, competing in Madrid in 1990.

Maarlisk which is taught in Karate World schools takes the best bits from boxing and kickboxing, the intensity, the great pad work, the speed and reflexes but it also keeps the technical side of Karate, which is great for close combat. Overall Maarlisk is a mixture of many martial arts, taking the best bits and leaving out the things that are just not needed.