01/06/2026
🌟 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT MONDAYS 🌟
Over the coming weeks, we'll be launching a brand-new series highlighting the people who make GTSD what it is.
Every Monday, we'll be sharing the stories, challenges, achievements and experiences of our students. Different backgrounds. Different journeys. One martial arts family.
To begin the series, we're incredibly proud to introduce Mrs Helena Hopkins.
Helena will be sitting her 1st Degree Black Belt grading this October and has become a hugely respected member of our club. Not only through her achievements on the competition floor, but through the support, encouragement and positivity she brings to everyone around her.
From overcoming significant physical challenges, to becoming a coach, a competitor, a multiple-time European Champion and Grand Champion, Helena's journey is a fantastic example of what can be achieved through consistency, courage and determination.
We are incredibly proud to have Helena as part of the GTSD family and even prouder of everything she has achieved along the way.
Here is Helena's story, in her own words...
My Tang Soo Do Journey
I never set out to become a martial artist.
In fact, if you had asked me years ago, I would have said it was something I’d never be capable of doing.
But looking back now, it’s been a crazy journey, and one I am incredibly proud of.
At 18, I was registered disabled with fibromyalgia. I had undergone surgery to remove my coccyx and struggled with dysfunction in my piriformis muscles. For a long time, my body felt like a limitation, but I made a decision early on that it would never define what I could achieve. During COVID, I reached my largest size and felt completely disconnected from myself, both physically and mentally. It was a difficult time, but it also became my turning point. I knew something had to change, and I began rebuilding, slowly, consistently, and with determination.
The reason I started Tang Soo Do was because of my son. When he was just 4 years old, I sat and watched his classes for months. I quickly realised this wasn’t just another club, it was a community. There was respect, encouragement, and genuine support across everyone on the mat. Not long after, my husband became one of the original members of the adult class. Watching him train became another source of inspiration. I could see his confidence grow and the enjoyment he got from it, but at that time, I still didn’t believe I could do the same. I sat on the side-lines, watching in awe, thinking that could never be me.
Eventually, at the age of 32, I found the courage to try, and I nervously stepped onto the mat.
What I didn’t expect was how much I would fall in love with it.
Unlike the gym, something I had never been able to stick to, Tang Soo Do gave me purpose. It challenged me mentally as much as physically, and it became something I could commit to. It helped me rebuild my strength, improve areas of weakness, and, most importantly, rebuild my confidence. There have been many tough days along the way, training through pain, fatigue, and self-doubt, but I kept pushing. Even on the hardest days, I showed up. Looking back now, I can truly see the difference that consistency and determination have made, and I can honestly say I am proud of how far I have come.
One of the most powerful parts of this journey has been the people. The club has become more than just a place to train, it’s become a second family. I’ve built lifelong friendships with people who support me on the difficult days, celebrate my wins, and stand beside me every step of the way.
As my journey progressed, I became an Assistant Instructor, something I never imagined I would have the confidence to do. Supporting others in their own journeys has become one of the most rewarding aspects of mine.
These past few years in particular have shown me just how far I’ve come.
The last 4years have been filled with incredible moments, challenges, and achievements I once never thought possible.
Today, I’m proud to have achieved:
🏆3 Grand Champion trophies
🏅3x European Champion Titles (TTF) across forms, weapons, and team forms
But the real achievement goes beyond medals and titles. It’s the person I’ve become through this journey: Stronger. More confident. More resilient.
There are moments now where I stop and reflect, and I still can’t quite believe that this is me.
The person who once doubted whether they could even step onto the mat is now competing, coaching, and achieving things I never thought possible.
Tang Soo Do hasn’t just improved my fitness, it has given me purpose, belief, and a community that feels like family.
I never thought I would be good at this.
Now, I can’t imagine my life without it………..
🥋🥋🥋🥋
Helena's story is a reminder that martial arts isn't about where you start.
It's about taking that first step.
Many people think they're too old, too unfit, too busy, too nervous, or that martial arts is something they should have started years ago.
The reality is that some of our most successful students started as adults.
If you've ever thought about giving martial arts a try, this is your reminder that it's never too late to start.
And if you're a current or former GTSD student and would like to share your own journey as part of our Student Spotlight Mondays series, please get in touch with Master Thomas.
Every black belt, champion, instructor and confident student started with a single lesson.
Your story might inspire the next person to take theirs.
