Essex Soo Bahk Do Family Karate

16/09/2026

Awesome job by Oliver our student of the month for August 2026.

Very well deserved.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This young man is absolutely flying.

Oliver earned this award for excellent progress in Hyung (Forms).

im seeing some unbelievable gains in his all round Soo Bahk Do skills. He use to be a quiet guy but is really coming out of his shell and showing good confidence. He keeps himself to himself and gets the job done week in week out. No messing around, straight in 100% effort week after week.

Oliver has been working so hard inside and outside the Dojang which has not gone unnoticed.

At his last grading a few months back in the summer he performed at a very good standard no mistakes earning his Green belt with two tags. Oliver joined our senior class a while back and the progress he has been making in that class is unbelievable. I have seen a very big upward curve in his all round syllabus material and progress and the results are really shining through.

I am really enjoying watching his weekly development and teaching him and being part of his black belt journey.

Oliver trains very hard every single week, he never misses class and gives 100% concentration and effort.

Oliver is a very clever lad and picks up new techniques very quickly he also now asks plenty of questions regarding the intricate parts of the techniques which is great to see.

Oliver is very humble and is exactly the type of student I love to have training at my club. He understands the path he is on and conducts himself how I would expect a good Soo Bahk Do practitioner to act.

Since his first class he has come a long long way indeed. I have no doubt in my mind that this young man in the future will reach and make an excellent Cho Dan (Black Belt) candidate and will be a very good Soo Bahk Do practitioner.

We are currently working on lots of syllabus work for our winter grading and Oliver is well on course for it.

Every week Oliver is quietly going about his business and chipping away and it's great seeing him enjoying and learning all the new techniques and seeing his continued improvement.

Oliver is really doing very well in all areas. I couldn't be happier with his progress.

I am really looking forward to teaching and seeing Oliver progress on the rest of his black belt journey.

This young man really is one to watch and is destined for great things at our club.

Well done Oliver keep it up. I am very very proud of you young man. 👊

This post is also available on our club website:-
https://www.essexsbd.com/student-of-the-week

Our family class was great, working hard on Hyung (Forms) and Ho Sin Sool (Self Defence) and
IL Soo S*k Dae Ryun (One Step Sparring).

We had a very full class tonight. Everyone back from their holidays.

We started with a good stretch and warm up. Everyone putting in 100% effort.

We worked hard on syllabus material and lots of it.

Closing off strongly with a group effort of lots of sit ups, we had a great class.

We then had our senior class working hard on Hyung (Forms) and Ho Sin Sool (Self Defence) and
IL Soo S*k Dae Ryun (One Step Sparring).

Someone from tonight's class will receive a student of the week award next class.

Keep up the great work everyone.

Soo Bahk !!!
👊

15/09/2026

Martial Arts Instructor

They asked me one day: What do you do outside of work? And I said, ' I teach martial arts. He looked at me with a strange expression, laughed and said gently: What an easy profession!
I, with my head high, said firmly:

I don't work in a company, but in a space where I promote knowledge and discipline in children, young people and adults.
I don't discriminate anyone because everyone is capable.
I'm not a boss, but others see me as a leader or a model to follow.
I'm not a psychologist, but I can make everyone believe in themselves.
I'm not a doctor, but I can diagnose needs and help.
I don't have hours of work, because while you watch tv or sleep, I'm planning for everyone to have better learning.
I'm not an architect, but I help build dreams and values.
I don't scold anyone, I teach them the way to succeed in difficult times of life.
I don't use clay, but molding virtues.
It wasn't easy to get here, it wasn't just years of practice. It was days of the week and weekends without family, learning skills, hard training and injuries. All this to become someone who learns, who also makes mistakes and suffers. I try to make students the best versions of themselves possible while building a community.
I'm an instructor - I don't just teach, I share a little of life and share my knowledge.
👊

24/08/2026

Just a reminder we are closed for 2 weeks back open 9th September as normal. 💪

12/08/2026

Wow O Wow what a year Harvey is having so far. This young man is truly one to watch.

Awesome job by Harvey our student of the week for the week of 12-8-26

Very well deserved.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Harvey earned this award for excellent all round progress.

I am very pleased that Harvey is training at my club with his Mum and Dad. He has made many new friends and Harvey and his family are all really enjoying the black belt journey. I love seeing families training together.

Harvey is a very very talented student indeed. He is currently preparing for his winter grading and he is well on course.

At his last grading last month Harvey graded at a very good standard, no mistakes earning his green belt. He was also taken out of his comfort zone during that grading sparring 2 v 1 for the first time against older boys and he took it all in his stride showing unlimited courage, determination and effort. He really is becoming an amazing practitioner.

He is making incredible progress on his black belt journey. He has just joined our senior class and his learning curve has took an even bigger jump in the right direction. Harvey is a total natural and born to do it.
He absolutely loves class every week. Iv'e been told by his parents that he trains at home non stop and is karate mad.

Harvey has got great technique in his kicks and movement.

He trains very hard every week.

Don't let his small stature fool you. Harvey has been gifted with some great kicking and punching power that we are using while working on correct technique where he is really progressing very well.

He is a very fast learner which is awesome and also very nimble putting his speed to good use during our fast paced warmups and sparring.

Harvey gives 100% effort and concentration every class and loves practicing what he has learnt. He also loves Ho Sin Sool (Self Defence) which he also practices at home a lot.

I can see huge huge potential in this young man. Harvey is like a breath of fresh air at our club.
Harvey has found something he loves doing and is very very good at.

I couldn't be happier or ask for anymore from him. Im so pleased he is getting rewarded for all his hard work.

I have been doing this a long time and know Harvey is going to be an amazing practitioner if he carries on as he is. I am very excited about the progress being made and what I am seeing every week. Remember the name. Harvey really is one to watch. He will 100% be a star at my club.

Keep up the great work Harvey I am very proud of you young man. 👊

This post is also available on our club website:-
https://www.essexsbd.com/student-of-the-week

In our family class we started with a good stretch and warm up taken by Patryk.
We then moved into sparring. The energy in class was amazing tonight.

Our class theme was:- Preparation

The action or process of making something ready for use or service, or getting something ready for some occasion, test or duty.

We discussed our class theme and why preparation is so important in our martial arts training and our everyday lives. As the founder Hwang Kee once said. "Where there is preparation there is no fear.” This is something I live by in my own life.

We then moved into some Hyung (Forms) and Ho Sin Sool (Self Defence) and IL Soo S*k Dae Ryun (One Step Sparring).
We then moved into lots of kicking techniques and movement.

Closing off strongly with a group effort of lots of sit ups, we had a excellent class.

Our senior class was great, working hard on movement and kicking techniques. We also practiced hyung (Forms) and Ho sin Sool (Self Defence).

Keep up the great work everyone.

Soo Bahk !!!
👊

05/08/2026

Awesome job by Maja our student of the month for the month of July 2026.

Very well deserved.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maja was not in class tonight so will get her award next week. Maja earned this fully engraved award with her name on for excellent all round progress.

Maja trains with her older brother who has been at our club a good few years and is a fantastic practitioner. It’s great seeing her follow in his footsteps and be on the same great path he is on. I love seeing families training together on the black belt journey.

This little lady is absolutely awesome. So much potential and so much energy, im still trying to work out where she gets it all from. Maja brings real fire to every class.

Maja graded last month and did a fantastic job and earnt her Green belt. The progress she is making is excellent and she has now joined our senior class so progress is going to a new level. For someone so young to remember everything the way she does is awesome.

Maja gives 100% effort and concentration every class and also loves sparring. I can see improvements every single week and the stances and movements are looking good also.

I couldn't be happier or ask for anymore. Im so pleased she is getting rewarded for all her hard work.

Watch this space because Maja really is one to watch. She will 100% be a star at my club.

Keep up the great work Maja I am very proud of you young lady.

This post is also available on our club website:-
https://www.essexsbd.com/student-of-the-week

We had a visitor tonight Dillon a fantastic practitioner from Surrey. Thank you for all your help tonight Sir. Always welcome anytime.

We had a good stretch and warm up.

We then moved into some sparring with lots of effort and some good techniques being used. The energy in class was amazing tonight.

Our class theme tonight was:- Timing

Choosing the exact right moment to do or say something, or the specific time when an event happens. It also refers to how you control the speed, pace, or coordination of an action to get the best result.

We discussed our class theme and why timing is so important in our martial arts training and our everyday lives.

We then moved into some hyung (Forms) and Ho Sin Sool (Self Defence) and IL Soo S*k Dae Ryun (One Step Sparring).

Closing off strongly with a group effort of lots of sit ups, we had a excellent class.

Our senior class was great, working hard on technique and syllabus material.

Keep up the great work everyone.

Soo Bahk !!!
👊

05/08/2026

Hi Everyone,

A few people have been asking and we are open tonight, next week and the week after.

So a few dates for your diaries. Please find the link below which is for the dates section on our club website.

https://www.essexsbd.com/dates-for-your-diary

If any of you wasn't aware we had our own club website you can find some useful info on there too on the other tabs.

Regards
Simon

Soo Bahk Do, Martial Arts, Braintree, Essex, Karate, Korean Martial Arts

29/07/2026

Awesome job by Brandon our student of the week for the week of 29/7/26.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Very well deserved.

Brandon was not in class tonight so I have used an older photo he will pick up his award next week.

Brandon earned this award for excellent all round progress.

I am very pleased that Brandon is training at my club he has made many new friends and is really enjoying the black belt journey.

Brandon’s first trial class was amazing, he really lit up the Dojang with his enthusiasm and agility and is truly like a breath of fresh air at our club.

Brandon has been with us a few years now but has been training very hard every single week . A few weeks back he took his third grading and demonstrated what he had learnt at a very good standard in order to earn his Orange belt with tag.

Since Brandon joined us he has really started to show great progress in all areas. His confidence has already massively improved.

Brandon has got unlimited amounts of energy and loves sparring. He is a naturally gifted practitioner with excellent fitness and cardio levels, he can jump really high and has great speed and athleticism in his movements which is great for jumping kicks. It is still early days but every week I am seeing great progress and he is really starting to move like a Soo Bahk Do practitioner.

His Hyung (Forms) and Ho Sin Sool (Self Defence) techniques are really coming on well too and it makes me very proud seeing that he is picking everything up so well and really turning into a great practitioner. His all round syllabus work is looking very good.

I am so pleased he is getting the rewards for all his hard work.

Brandon always gives 100% concentration and effort every single week and I truly believe he has found his passion.

Brandon is kicking very well with good power, balance and technique.
I am really looking forward to teaching and seeing Brandon progress on the rest of his black belt journey.

This young man really is one to watch and is destined for great things at our club.

Well done Brandon keep it up. I am very proud of you young man.

This post is also available on our club website:-
https://www.essexsbd.com/student-of-the-week

We started with workstations tonight everyone giving 100% effort. We then moved into sparring then movement and kicking techniques.

Our class theme tonight was:- Wisdom

The quality of having experience, knowledge and good judgement. The quality of being wise. We discussed our class theme and why wisdom is so important in our training and also our every day lives.

Closing off strongly with a group effort of lots of sit ups, we had a great class.

After the family class was our senior class where we worked on lots of Hyung (Forms) and our kicking techniques.

Someone from tonight's class will receive a student of the month award next class.

Keep up the great work everyone.

Soo Bahk !!!
👊

29/07/2026

Seems our 2 new black belts made it to the local newspaper 🔥💪🔥

Two Braintree students have earned black belts in the Korean martial art of Soo Bahk Do.

22/07/2026

Just a reminder karate is closed tonight as I'm on holiday back open next week
💪

15/07/2026

Tonight history has been made in Essex.
🔥💪🔥

Massive congratulations to Joshua and Olivia.

They have become cho dan (black belt) with Olivia being the first female practitioner in the whole of Essex to become black belt in Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan.
🔥💪🔥

To say I'm a proud instructor is an understatement.
They join Patryk our first black belt at our club.

Part of my speech below:-

You have earned this honor through your effort, your respect for our art, and your commitment to bettering yourself. Wear this belt with pride, but carry its responsibility even more carefully. Continue to train with heart, to honor our traditions, and to set an example for all who follow. 🙏