Instructor Profile Darren

I started judo lessons at the age of 9 and had earned an orange belt by age 11. Before I was 10 years old I had watched all of Bruce Lee's films. From 11-13 years I joined the British Army cadets force.

In 1989 I left school and joined the British Army, 2 Royal Anglian as an infantry soldier. My first year was spent in Folkstone, Kent training and then I moved to Germany where I lived on camp for 4 years. I also trained as a warrior (tank driver and commander) and as a medic. During these 4 years I spent 5 months in the Gulf for the first war, where we were on a keeping order operation. After that I went to Canada twice for live exercises where we used live rounds, live grenades which was a training ground for real life warfare as we were training for Ireland. I spent 6 months in Northern Ireland patrolling and then went back to Germany where I also trained in aikido with a fitness instructor within the army.

I left the army in 1994 and within three months I was very honoured to start training with Master Richard Hudson. I subsequently left to concentrate on American Kickboxing where I gained a black belt one white stripe and boxed in Bingham, Nottingham. I return to train with Master Richard Hudson where I as able to train alongside Grand Master Richard Bustillo, Grand Master Rick Moneymaker and Bob Breem and have sparred with  a couple of ex-professional boxers.

I have run my own club for four and a half years in Grantham, Nottingham, where I offer classes and private lessons teaching under the direction of KickFit International Martial Arts Academy. I was awarded my black belt by Master Richard Hudson after a five hour gruelling grading and along with four others was one of the first students to receive a black belt at the academy.

I am married to Theresa and have two children.