In January 1994, I began my training in the UK Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan under the guidance of Master Hedges Sa Bom Nim. Under his tutelage, I achieved the following ranks:
- 1st Dan on January 16, 2001, in Horwich with Hedges Sa Bom Nim (5th Dan)
- 2nd Dan on November 24, 2003, in Preston with Hedges Sa Bom Nim (5th Dan)
- Kyo Sa (Instructor) on November 24, 2003, in Preston with Grand Master H.C Hwang (9th Dan), Master Yap (6th Dan), Master Hedges (5th Dan), and Master Kidd (5th Dan)
- 3rd Dan on November 28, 2006, in Preston with Hedges Sa Bom Nim (5th Dan)
- 4th Dan (Master) on October 29, 2015, in Seoul, Korea, after an 8-day grading at Ko Dan Ja Shim Sa (Master Testing) with Grand Master H.C Hwang (9th Dan)
My grades up to 3rd Dan was conducted by Hedges Sa Bom Nim and were based on technical knowledge and skills in Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan.
Since 2008, I have been appointed Technical Advisory Member and Board of Directors for the UK Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan.
I started teaching karate (Soo Bahk Do) in 2001, shortly after achieving my first Dan, under the guidance of Master Hedges Sa Bom Nim. I trained twice weekly at the Fulwood leisure centre class until the Preston Do Jang opened. I then became a full-time instructor in Master Hedge’s Preston, Clayton Green, Horwich, and Manchester schools. In 2007, I moved from northwest England to Northern Ireland and opened my first Soo Bahk Did Moo Duk Kwan class at Kilkeel sports centre on January 15, 2008. Over time, I opened additional locations in Attical Community Centre, Newcastle Centre, and Newry sports centre.
In October 2015, I attended the Ko Dan Ja in Korea, a test requiring physical skill and mental discipline. After completing the test, I realised that being a Black Belt is just the beginning of my journey as a martial artist. With this mindset, I expanded our school into Newry's largest martial arts centre, with a newly renovated school spanning 5000 square feet to accommodate those starting, resuming, or continuing their martial arts journey.