08/03/2024
👊 Meet Our Instructors 👊
Alun Griffiths
6th Degree Black Belt
Professor
• Alun is the instructor at our Saturday class •
I was born in a village near Llanelli, South Wales, called Bynea. As a young boy I played Rugby, and learned to Box at the same club my father was taught, Trostre Amateur Boxing club. I knew nothing of Martial Arts at that age.
I was introduced to Martial Arts by my old Art teacher, Mr Meurig Evans. He allowed us to watch a classic martial arts film starring the Bruce Lee called “Enter The Dragon”. From that point on, I was hooked. Over a number of years as a teenager, I tried many styles, but never truly found a style that fitted. So I put Martial Arts on hold and focused on rugby and my education.
In 1986, I attended university to study for a computer science degree. During my first year at university, my Martial Arts fascination was reignited when a Shotokan Karate club was established at the university. I trained at the university Karate club and thoroughly enjoyed my time there and developed an ambition to one day earn my Black Belt. The club eventually folded due to lack of members.
After completing my Degree, I found myself living in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. I discovered there was a local karate class every Monday night. I visited that class, and I was amazed how relaxed the students were, and how much fun everyone was having. Very different to my Shotokan days.
In January 2002 I started training in American Kenpo Karate. In March 2006 I changed my job and had to take a break from training due to the travel involved in my new role. I started training again in February 2008 thanks to one of my instructors, Mr Keith Birrell. I had a warm welcome from everyone upon my return, and I pretty much picked up where I left off and realized how much I’d missed the training. From then on, I tried my utmost to attend as often as I could, work permitting.
In 2012, I gained my 1st Degree Black Belt in American Kenpo Karate. It was a special day, shared with some great friends, and will be long remembered. I have learned so much from my instructors that it’s difficult to put into words. My instructors were teaching all the time, even when they weren’t in class. They were constantly sharing their knowledge and life experiences.
American Kenpo Karate is a devastating Martial Science. With its linear and circular movements and deadly effectiveness. It’s an incredible art form to behold. It’s also very contagious, it gets in your blood. I also count myself lucky to have been embraced into a large Kenpo family, and have been fortunate enough to share this incredible martial science with all three of my daughters. Two have achieved the rank of brown belt and my youngest daughter is currently a green belt. Having achieved a lifelong ambition of earning my Black Belt, I am constantly searching for what's next. I believe that my journey has only just begun, and giving back to my students and other members of our association is a perhaps a great way to continue my journey.
