I studied Aikido for about a year and a half in total, and gained a few belts in that time, under the guidance of Master Williams.
After leaving Aikido, for a reason I can no longer remember I joined a local Karate school that a friend attended. I wanted to be a good kicker, I loved watching Bruce Lee movies, and copying his style. I gained my Brown belt (same as Taekwon-Do red belt) in karate under Geoff Stansfield, grading under the martial arts legend that is Terry O'Neil. I studied Karate for probably around 2 years, and towards the end of my training, attended black belt training, and was training 3 times a week. I did however leave Karate, the reason? A lot of people believe they can turn up, do the exercises and become a black belt, this of course is not true (well not here anyway). I was at an age when my friends were off plying out, and I had to miss out on that in order to train. The commitment was too much for me, paralleled with the fact that repetition (which is an important part of any martial arts) was to me being mistaken for boredom, and I left.
I was 19 years old when I discovered Taekwon-Do, little would I know how it would change my life. A friend of mine decided to try out martial arts, and so a group of 3 of us joined a local Tae Kwon-Do club. The club was yards from my house, and all 3 of us were hooked. I started in the GTF, under the instruction of Mr. Paul Footman III, I took regular grading's under Master Roy Oldham, and even had the honor of being double promoted by Master Oldham. I continued for about 2 years on my path to the ever-elusive black belt, I now so dearly wanted. Training was really tough, and knocks bumps and bruises were run of the mill, I had my lip split on my very first session.I entered the national tournaments and picked up gold medals in both sparring and patterns along my way. Even reaching the semi finals of the BTC British Team sparring championships, before being disqualified.At red belt I started regular training at JeeGoo club, (Coventry's black belt training) under Master Oldham, and Mr. Paul Thompson IV, which was a 2 hour gruelling session.I finally took my black belt, and to my disappointment I failed it. It was a day long grading, and after doing extremely well all the way through I failed to break 2 boards with a punch on the 2 attempts I had. It was GTF rules that you had to break in 2 attempts to pass. I was gutted, and also had to nurse a broken knuckle, and 2 broken ribs.I never gave up this time though, and shortly after this disappointment, another came, my instructor left the federation, due to political circumstances. However a 1st degree black belt, ask me to help him, as he came up with some money and bought the club out. I became an assistant instructor, and later on, fully registered BTC instructor, which in my very naïve and young days thought was the best teaching qualification there was, oh how wrong I was. I taught the junior classes and loved it, and feel this is where I served my teaching apprentiship, with expert guidance and tips from Ian Ridley, who was an instructor at a near by school, and took the time out to watch over me and give me tips and hints at the end of each session. At the second time of asking, I finally passed my black belt with help from Mr Ian Ridley and Mr John Poole. My friend who had bought the club, also left the GTF, and the new instructor was totally different, numbers dropped, and although I stayed loyal to my instructor, eventually when there were just 3 of us left, we gave up the ghost, and the club closed.
I went back to karate, and tried to continue my training there, I was taken back as a red belt, and training regularly again. A phone call from Mr. Kevin Sowerby, changed all that, he had been one of the last three to remain at my last TKD club, along with myself and Miss Zoë Ramskill (later to become Zoë Tizick). Kevin had found another Taekwon-Do club in Coventry and I agreed to go along. We met the instructor of the club Mr. Barry Parsons UKGT, and his assistants Mr. Colin O'Dowd and Mr. Duncan Hogg, and we were impressed. I trained for 7 years with Mr. Parsons, and enjoyed every minute. I graded my 2nd and 3rd degree black belt with him under Master Sahota, and later became his assistant instructor, and later still a full instructor once again, running 4 of the 11 classes he ran 4 nights a week, in what was probably at the time Coventry's biggest TKD club. I have the honour to say that I have graded each of my Dan grades under different examiners. Master Oldham graded me to 1st Dan, Mr Parsons to 2nd Dan, Master Sahota to 3rd Dan, and Master Ferguson to 4th Dan. It means even more to me to have met the requirements and standards of all of these people, and not just one person. The club was massive, and many of my best friends in life were found there. I was happy trudging along at the club, but as always with me I want to better myself, I have ambition, and wanted to run my own club, where I could test myself, in my ability to teach and motivate people.
After 7 years in the UKGT it was time for me to move on again.
This time taking a brave step and leaving my safety zone in order to set up on my own. This was with out doubt the most difficult decision to make in my TKD life, leaving what was my life, going into the unknown, not knowing if a new club would take off or if we'd fall flat on our faces. Again I left with the two members who had been with me from the first year of my 10 in TKD. Mr. Kevin Sowerby, now also 4th dan, and Mrs. Tizick now 3rd dan.After many inquiries, and phone calls from myself. I managed to find what I think was the best federation for us to join.We opted to joined Master Ian Ferguson and the A.P.T.I, under the UK ITF banner. The UKITF of which the APTI are a member, is the UK's largest ITF TKD affiliate, giving access to all major events, through Master Fergusons reputation and hard work, he has many world class martial artists contacts, so we get regular tournaments and seminars offered to us.We are more than happy at how our plans have mapped out so far, and very surprised after our advertisement paid offand we had around 30 members on our first training session.Having had several phone conversations with the ex Heavy weight world champion, and later meeting him and his wife Mrs. Deborah Ferguson. I now know the decision I made was right. They have both become great friends.Since they have now both moved down south, we see and train together more regularly, and I can honestly say thatIan and Deborah are two wonderful, genuine, open minded, people, a breath of fresh air in the Martial arts world. The A.P.T.I is ran very professionally, and we are always asked our opinion, we are an open minded organisation. We have no rules and regulations dictated to any of our schools, and we run on a two way respectful relationship. The association is relatively small, but Master Ferguson wants an association that is personal, i.e. we regularly all meet up and discuss things, taking into consideration everybody's point of view and ideas. We do not want to be part of a massive organisation, where you become just a number, or another membership waiting to be paid.
We have very high standards, and are not prepared to let the growth of our club blind the fact that we want excellent standards from our members. We will not just grade students for having the correct amount of lessons in, and do not want to create black belts who's standards are way below par. We send all our students to grade for black belt to Carlisle and the A.P.T.I's full time centre, as we believe grading in your own club can bread false hope and very bad standards. Having had many of our black belts question their own grades and standards from grading under their own instructor, we want to ensure members that what they have they have earnt, and not just paid for. Master Fergusons gradings are gruelling and hard, which is what they should be like. Our first trip there, saw our students do 15 rounds free sparring, all their patterns, and set sparring, and breaking with several tough breaks including 2 black boards. We are very pleased and even surprised that our new membership numbers at over 100 in just 2 years of starting up.
Our adult classes are now regularly full with over 30 members training in any one class. These students are of a very good standard, which pushes me as a student and an instructor. We have 4,5 and 6 year olds, who can all speak the relevant Korean for their grade, and all perform the practical side, to a standard, I have not seen many beginners of older ages and abilities perform to before.
This opportunity to teach is a dream come true, long may it continue.
In 2006 I took full charge of TST Martial Arts Academy and membership continued to grow. I hope in the not to distant future to create a full time A.P.T.I centre in the Midlands, and continue to grow, and learn in the art that has become my life. I never thought my TKD career would reach such heights when I started all those years ago.
I now run the best club I have ever trained at, with the best students, and kindest people I no. and I love it.
In November 2006 Master Ian Ferguson appointed me grading examiner for Coventry, Warwickshire and surrounding area. He also made me patterns adviser to A.P.T.I Ltd® for the whole of the UK. It was an honour to accept these positions, from such a well thought of man the the Martial arts world, a true legend.
On gaining the title of A.P.T.I Patterns adviser, I set about my study of the ITF Patterns. Stuart Anslow who wrote: "Ch'ang Hon TaeKwon-Do Hae Sul" Real Applications to ITF Patterns really opened my eyes into the back ground of the patterns, and their uses in real life situations. His theory and research is in great depth, searching out General Choi's students and teachers to find the answers to questions such as "Why do we do twin fore arm block?". Looking into the art as it was used on the battle field and by armed forces the world over, even by the famous US Marines, making TaeKwon-Do military users the most feared in the world. Most instructors teach that patterns are for balance, coordination, and technique. Why then would the general have spent over 40 years creating them, and put in techniques that are pointless. The patterns themselves contain Locks, throws, sweeps, chokes etc, all used and proven in the battle field, the 20 original patterns were designed so they could be practised alone and at full power. Instructors have water them down over the years whilst turning a military martial art, designed to kill, into a civilian art/sport. Also through the instructors not having such knowledge as never being taught it by their instructors. Through research into the patterns and study of such peoples in-depth analysis, such as Stuart's and Ian Abernethy, we can once again learn of the true technical movements hidden within the patterns of ITF TaeKwon-DO. Knowing what the techniques are really designed to do, opens up door ways within TKD, it also enables us to do the patterns visualising our attacks. General Choi Later added 4 more patterns and replaced some of the originals, so that we had a complete library of techniques and combinations.
In June 2007 Master Ferguson asked me to take charge of grading the A.P.T.I Black belt candidates on their patterns. Again it was a pleasure to accept this position within the association, especially at a time when the A.P.T.I was insuch a transition of growth, with many senior grades joining. I was pleased that Master Ferguson still showed a loyaltyto me and TST when their were plenty of other senior grades he could have approached, many who have been friends to him longerthan we have been members of the A.P.T.I.
In 2008 I took charge of the A.P.T.I dobok retail and have become the UK's suplier of Doboks.
Through Master Fergusons links I have had private lessons with Master Ray Gayle, head of PUMA TKD who has many students on the UK Team, his expertise in patterns is second to none, and he regularly holds patterns seminars by Choi Jung Hwa, and even hosted the last UK based General Choi seminar. It was a honour to train alone with Ray and gain such in sight to patterns. He totally changed the way I perform all the patterns.
Favorite technique: Hook kick
Achievements Aikido Green belt
KUGB Shotokan Karate Brown belt
GTF British champion 1996 sparring Gold
GTF British champion 1996 patterns Gold
GTF British championships 1997 sparring Bronze
GTF British Open 1998 Bronze Patterns
BTC Team 1998 Runner up
GTF Coventry tournament 1996 team captain and winners (blue belt, against Black belts)
BTC Registered instructor 1998
GTF instructor
Trained under Grand master Park Jung Tae
GTF 1st degree black belt Under Master Roy Oldham
GTF Instructor of Junior Classes
UKGT 2nd degree black belt Under Mr Barry Parsons
Coventry v's Northampton team sparring winners 2003
UKGT Assistant instructor
UKGT 3rd degree black belt Under Master B. Sahota
UKGT/BTC registered Instructor
Coventry v Northampton Team Captain 2004
Gold Tag Sparring Middle weight
Gold tag sparring heavy weight
Silver team sparring
A.P.T.I Instructor
Chief instructor and club owner at TST Martial Arts Academy
2005 PUMA TKD British 2nd place Patterns
A.P.T.I 4th Dan
Bytomic National open Black Belt Patterns Gold medalist 2006
A.P.T.I Best in black belt grading, scoring 88%
A.P.T.I Grading Examiner
A.P.T.I Patterns adviser for UK
Also trained with martial arts legends:
Master Ian Ferguson
Master Ray Gayle
Mr Stuart Anslow
Grand Master Park Jung Tae
Master Willie Lim
Neil Adams OBE
Mr Terry O'Neil
Mr Tizick has also taught and trained many students to national success, and students who have competed in the ITF World Champioships.
Featured in September 2007 edition of Tae Kwon-Do and Korean Martial arts magazine.
Featured in Combat magazines Feb 2008 edition with write up and results from APTI National.
Organiser of APTI national 2008
ITF Midland Open Bronze medal patterns
31st May 2008 and 1st June 2008 conducted patterns seminar on Isle of Wight, in Sandown and Freashwater.
London Open bronze patterns 14/7/2008
Trained at the world renownd Rayners Lane TKD academy London with Tae Kwon-DO Pioneer, and The Generals close friend Master Willie Lim
APTI Black Belt patterns examiner
Patterns seminar Carlisle.
Coventry APTI in national press, by Mr Tizick: