Terrier Defence Academy

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Terrier Defence Academy

Terrier Defence Academy provides kid’s self-protection and self-defence classes

02/05/2026

Today was all about breakfalls and learning how to fall safely, one of the most important skills in self‑defence.

Juniors

Our juniors started right at the foundations. From sitting and rolling backwards with their chins tucked to protect their heads (the golden rule!), we added small layers of movement and height until they were confidently performing breakfalls from a squat.

They listened well, stayed focused, and showed great determination.
A special mention for Evie, Jonah, and Rosie, all three worked incredibly hard and made real progress today.

Seniors

The seniors took things to a much more advanced level. Already confident with standard breakfalls, they explored how to fall safely when the movement becomes dynamic or unexpected.

They worked on:

• Falling backwards while sitting on a partner’s back, simulating the feet going higher than the hips
• Falling from a press‑up position while a partner lifted their arms to trigger a roll
• Linking breakfall → combat base → technical stand‑up, focusing on head protection and creating space

All four seniors absolutely smashed it.
A special shoutout to Mia, who threw herself into every drill with commitment and confidence.

A brilliant session from both groups, safe falling, smart movement, and loads of effort throughout.

25/04/2026

🐾 Terrier Defence Academy – Weekly Update

Juniors

Another great day of boxing for our juniors. We built on last week’s work by refining the jab–cross combo, focusing on throwing fast, snappy punches so we can recover to our guard quickly and avoid being hit. The combos are really starting to look sharp.

Everyone worked hard today and learned a few valuable lessons in listening and staying focused. A special shoutout goes to Edan; he absolutely nailed it. He stayed focused throughout the whole session, showed real determination, and stepped up as a leader. Well done, Edan.

Seniors

The seniors got straight into it with a refresher of their jab–cross–hook combo before adding a strong cross to the end. After drilling that, we levelled up again by adding a powerful round kick to the ribs.

There was plenty of hard work, lots of sharp technique, and of course a healthy dose of competition to see who would earn the honour of rolling the Dice of Doom.

Awesome work from the seniors, everyone looked sharp, focused, and hungry to improve.

Both groups were impressive today, putting in real effort from start to finish. A fantastic session all round.

18/04/2026

🐾 Terrier Defence Academy – Weekly Update

Juniors

Today the juniors jumped straight into a boxing session after an animal‑movement warm‑up. We worked on sharpening their jab–cross combo, focusing on fast, snappy jabs and adding movement to help them understand distance and timing.

They finished the session with their favourite challenge; teaming up to target the white areas on James’ pad. Lots of laughter, lots of energy, and some seriously sharp punches. Awesome work from the whole group.

Seniors

The seniors kicked off with sprints to get their speed and stamina firing, then moved into refining their jab–cross with an emphasis on distance, footwork, and clean technique.

We added a hook to the combination and finished with four full boxing combos:

• Jab–cross
• Jab–jab–cross
• Jab–cross–hook
• Jab–cross–hook–cross

They worked incredibly hard and showed brilliant focus throughout. The improvement in their movement and coordination is really starting to shine.

Both groups were impressive today; committed, enthusiastic, and pushing themselves from start to finish. A fantastic session all round.

11/04/2026

🐾 Terrier Defence Academy – Weekly Update

Juniors

Today our juniors learned what to do if a bully is sat on top of them holding their wrists above their head, a situation that can feel overwhelming unless you know the mechanics.

We focused on creating energy and space by:

• Driving the hips up explosively
• Bringing the arms down to the sides in a “snow angel” motion

Done well, this breaks the bully’s balance and sends them forward onto their hands or face, giving the defender the chance to escape. The juniors picked this up brilliantly.

Seniors

The seniors took on an Easter beasting today, and absolutely smashed it.

We ran:

• 8 fitness stations
• 4 lower‑body exercises
• 3 upper‑body exercises
• 1 med‑ball walk
• 3 rounds at 1 minute, 30 seconds, and 10 seconds

It was tough, sweaty, and full of determination. Fantastic effort from everyone, the work rate and attitude were spot on.

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A brilliant session all round. Great work, Terriers.

28/03/2026

🐾 Terrier Defence Academy – Weekly Update

After a short break, the Terriers were straight back into it today, and what a great return it was.

Juniors

Our juniors refreshed their jab–cross combination before learning a new technique: the teep, or Thai front kick. We focused on the importance of lifting the knee first to create balance, power, and control before kicking forward.

They picked it up brilliantly; sharp, focused, and full of enthusiasm.

Seniors

The seniors were in fine form today. We started with shoulder rolls, and our oldest members even managed running shoulder rolls, which is no small achievement. Fantastic work.

We then moved on to defending a standing headlock. The group practised blocking the bully’s leg and sitting forward to land safely on top. There were plenty of laughs as everyone tried it with varying degrees of grace, but the effort and attitude were spot‑on.

A brilliant session all round. Great work, everyone, it’s good to be back.

07/03/2026

🐾 Terrier Defence Academy – Weekly Update

Juniors

This week our juniors learned how to defend themselves against a headlock — a situation that can feel scary, but becomes far less so once they understand the mechanics.

We focused on two key ideas:

• Creating a strong frame with the arms to push the bully away
• Protecting the neck, and understanding why that matters

It’s easy to teach the how, but today we also explored the why.
We headed to the whiteboard and looked at the different types of blood vessels in the neck, and why protecting this area is so important for safety. The kids were brilliant — curious, engaged, and thoughtful.

This small Juniors group continues to impress. Every week they show up, even if they feel a little nervous at first, and they put in the work. Their confidence is growing session by session.

Seniors

Today was Senior Circuits, and Tilly, Mia, and Charlotte absolutely smashed it.

We ran:

• 8 exercise stations
• 3 full rounds
• Plenty of grit, effort, and determination

It’s awesome to see these young ladies pushing themselves each week and getting stronger every time. Their consistency and attitude are something to be proud of.

28/02/2026

🐾 Terrier Defence Academy – Weekly Update

Juniors

Today our juniors learned how to defend themselves if a bully tries to hold them against a wall. We focused on the importance of having a strong base — the foundation of every self‑defence skill. From there, the group practised how to safely remove:

• A one‑handed grab to the neck
• A two‑handed grab to the shoulders

This small Juniors class continues to impress. Every week they show up, put in the work, and push through those early nerves. Their confidence is growing session by session, and it’s brilliant to see.

Seniors

Our seniors continued building on the sequence we’ve been developing over the last few weeks. We revisited how to:

• Capture the bully in Guard
• Control their posture
• Sweep to get on top in Mount

From there, we added a new layer: applying an armbar from Mount when the bully reaches up. The attention to detail today was excellent — calm, controlled, and thoughtful throughout.

Both groups showed real progress, not just in technique but in confidence and decision‑making. A fantastic effort all round.

14/02/2026

Terrier Defence Academy – Weekly Update

This week, our juniors focused on the ABCDG principles — learning how to maintain their personal boundary (or “bubble”) and how to create space when someone gets too close. These are the building blocks of confident, respectful self-defence — and the kids did brilliantly.

Our senior students brought together everything we’ve been working on over the past few weeks.
We explored what to do if a bully lands in our Guard — how to remove space to stay safe, control the head, and then bridge to get on top in Mount. From there, we practised transitioning to Knee on Belly, standing up, and going to get help.

It’s a full sequence that ends not in confrontation, but in control and clarity — and the students handled it with focus and maturity.

We’re taking a short break next week for half term, but we’ll be back the following week, ready to keep building skills, confidence, and character — and yes, to keep beating the bully, one smart decision at a time.

Thank you for your continued support — and for the conversations you have at home that help these lessons stick.

07/02/2026

🥊 Cold outside, sharp inside — Terrier Defence Academy in action.

Junior Squad stepped into the ring this morning for a focused boxing session.
We worked on:
• Strong, stable stance
• Fast, crisp jab–cross combinations
• Every punch returning to the chin — sharp, safe, and controlled

Senior Squad built on recent lessons, this time using the Closed Vale Tudo Guard to protect against punches.
We explored how to:
• Control distance and posture
• Sweep the bully from the bottom
• End up on top — in control, not in danger

💬 A standout moment came from Charlotte, who asked:

“What happens if we get on top of the bully, but the teacher only sees us and thinks we’re the bully?”

We sat down and talked.
🛡️ In the UK, we all have the right to self-defence — to use reasonable force to protect ourselves or others from imminent harm (Criminal Law Act 1967).
We spoke about:
• Being truthful when explaining what happened
• Telling a trusted grown-up or parent the full story
• Knowing that defending yourself is never wrong — and you should never feel afraid to do so

💪 Great work from everyone this morning

31/01/2026

Fantastic work in class this morning from both our Juniors and Seniors 👏

Today we looked at what to do if someone is sat on top of you holding your wrists to the floor — a situation children understandably find frightening, but one we approach calmly and safely.

We practised:
• Bringing feet close to the body to create a strong, explosive hip bridge
• Using a controlled “snow angel” arm movement to break the hold
• Recognising the moment when the other person must post their hands
• Finishing with a simple trap-and-roll to move into a position of control

The focus wasn’t strength or aggression — it was technique, timing, and confidence.

Both classes worked brilliantly, listened well, and supported each other throughout.
Really proud of the effort and maturity shown today. Well done everyone 💪

Address

Dorchester

Opening Hours

9:30am - 11:30am

Telephone

+447885268662

Website

http://www.terrierbjj.co.uk/

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