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3 Grandparents take their Black Belts in Brighton, it\u2019s probably the world's most diverse martial art school.

Oceans Wellbeing Centre situated on the seafront in Rottingdean, Brighton is home to Brighton Choi Kwang Do and probably the most diverse group of Martial Art students in the world, if proof were needed we need look no further than the school\u2019s recent black belt gradings.

Last month 2 sisters from Rottingdean, Brighton became 2 of the youngest children in the world to earn their 2nd Dan black belts. Very few children under age 12 earn their black belt in Martial Arts and fewer still go on to earn their 2nd dan black belt which requires a minimum of 7 years training. Henna the younger of the two sisters is only 10 years old and began training at age 3 while her sister Maya who is 18 months older.

This Sunday 29th November 3 grandparents will take their 1st dan black belt in Rottingdean, Brighton proving that Choi Kwang Do truly is a wellbeing programme and a healthy Martial Art for life. Brighton Choi Kwang Do is known around the world for its accessible \u201cChoi for Life\u201d classes that focus on promoting health and vitality regardless of age or physical condition. These classes take place during the day and are also unusual because 90% of students are women and their average age which is around retirement age. This is far from the normal demographic for a martial arts class and is probably the highest ratio for women martial artists in the country.

Students currently range from age
5 to a g e 8 0 . W ith th e \u201c C h o i fo r L ife \u201d p ro g ra m m e b e in g o n ly 2 y e a rs o ld
many of the older students have on
ly b e e n t r a in in g fo r
and vitality despite a range of physi
c a l c h a lle n g e s
the schools most inspirational stud
e n ts K a te , is c o m in g u p to h e r 1
When Kate started training she\u2019d h
a d a h ip a n d k n e e r e p la c e m e n t , a s p in a l fu s io n , c h r o n ic lu n g d is e a s e a n d a n
impaired immune system. Yet she i
s o n e o f th e m o st b u o y a n t, o p tim istic stu d e n ts in th e sc h o o l a n d lik e m a n y
others has experienced tremendou
s b e n e fit s in h e r o v
Tess and Mariannick, 2 grandmoth
e rs ta k in g th e ir b la c k b e lt th is S u n d a y h a d n e v e r d o n e a n y m a rtia l a rts
before and would not have been a
b le to sta rt m o st m a rtia l a rts e sp e c ia lly T e ss w h o h a d re c e n tly u n d
hip replacement and had been wea
r in g a n e c k c o l
l
ar fo
l
lo w in g a
times each week including assistant
instructor classes partly because they enjoy them selves so m uch and
partly because of the way it makes
th e m fe e l.
for her 2nd hip replacement, which
could not be avoided despite taking good care of herself for the past 2
years. I\u2019m not sure how many ladie
s o n th e h o sp ita l w a rd w ill h a
a black belt, probably not that man
y .
A grandparent taking their black be
lt is n o t a fir s t b u t 3 g r a n d p a r e n t s in o n e g r a d in g m ig h t w e ll b e .
done really well in their training an
d h a v e h e lp e d B r ig h t o n
for life. Also taking their black belt
s a r e N ic k a h o s p it a l m a n a g e r a n d M ic k a lo c a l a r t is t ,
they both gave up traditional marti
al arts m any years ago
It took a while for both of them to
b e c o m e sa tisfie d th a t
practised were kind to the body an
d th at th e art itself
S tu d e n ts c u rre n tly ra n g e fro m a g e 5
to age 80. With the \u201cChoi for Life\u201d programme bein
g o n ly 2 y e a r s o ld
older students have on
ly been training for a year or two and began in order
to help restore health
a n d v it a lit y d e s p it e a r a n g e o f p h y s i
cal challenges from osteoporosis, arthritis and heart
c o n d it io n s . O
th e sch o o ls m o st in sp ira tio n a l stu d e
nts Kate, is coming up to her 1st year anniversary.
e d t r a in in g s h e \u2019d h a
d a hip and knee replacement, a spinal fusion, chron
ic lu n g d is e a s e a n d a n
im p a ir e d im m u n e s y s t e m . Y e t s h e i
s one of the most buoyant, optimistic students in the
s c h o o l a n d lik e m a n y
o th e rs h a s e x p e rie n c e d tre m e n d o u
s benefits in her overall wellbeing and is now an assis
ta n t in stru cto r.
Tess and M ariannick, 2 grandm othe
rs taking their black belt this Sunday had never done
a n y m a rtia l a rts
b e fo r e a n d w o u ld n o t h a v e b e e n a b
le to start most martial arts especially Tess who had
re c e n tly u n d
h ip r e p la c e m e n t a n d h a d b e e n w e a
ring a neck collar following a car accident. They train
on average 4
t im e s e a c h w e e k in c lu d in g a s s is t a n t
instructor classes partly because they enjoy themsel
ves so m uch and
a k e s
them feel. Three days after her black belt grading T
e s s is d u e in t o h o s p it a l
h ip r e p la c e m e n t , w h ic h c
ould not be avoided despite taking good care of hers
e lf fo r th e p a st 2
y e a r s . I\u2019m n o t s u r e h o w m a n y la d ie
s on the hospital ward will have prepared for their hi
p
b la c k b e lt , p r o b a b ly n o t t h a t m a n y
.
A g r a n d p a r e n t t a k in g t h e ir b la c k b e
lt is not a first but 3 grandparents in one grading mig
h t w e ll b e .
d o n e r e a lly w e ll in t h e ir t r a in in g a n d
have helped Brighton Choi Kwang Do prove that thi
s really is a m artial art
A ls o t a k in g t h e ir b la c k b e lt s
are Nick a hospital manager and Mick a local artist,
o n e e it h e r s id e o f s ix t y
b o th g a v e u p tra d itio n a l m a rtia
l arts many years ago when they found it became to
o
b
ecome satisfied that Choi Kwang Do was different a
n d th a t th e m o v e m e n ts
practised w ere kind to the body and
that the art itself was not competitive in any way.
S tu d e n ts c u rre n tly ra n g e fro m a g e 5 to a g e 8 0 . W ith th e \u201c C h o i fo r L ife \u201d p ro g ra m m e b e in
g only 2 years old
b e g a n in o r d e r
to help restore health
, a rth ritis a n d h e a rt
conditions. One of
e d t r a in in g s h e \u2019d h a d a h ip a n d k n e e r e p la c e m e n t , a s p in a l fu s io n , c h r o n
ic lung disease and an
im p a ire d im m u n e sy ste m . Y e t sh e is o n e o f th e m o st b u o y a n t, o p tim istic stu d e n ts in th e
school and like many
e r a ll w e llb e in g a n d is n o w a n a s s is
tant instructor.
T e s s a n d M a r ia n n ic k , 2 g r a n d m o t h e r s t a k in g t h e ir b la c k b e lt t h is S u n d a y h a d n e v e r d o n e
any martial arts
before and w ould not have been able to start m ost m artial arts especially Tess w ho had
recently undergone a
T h e y tra in
on average 4 \u2013 5
tim es each w eek including assistant instructor classes partly because they enjoy them sel
ves so much and
Three days after her black belt grading Te
ss is due into hospital
h ip r e p la c e m e n t , w h ic h c o u ld n o t b e a v o id e d d e s p it e t a k in g g o o d c a r e o f h e r s
elf for the past 2
r th e ir h i
p operation by taking
A g r a n d p a r e n t t a k in g t h e ir b la c k b e lt is n o t a f ir s t b u t 3 g r a n d p a r e n t s in o n e g r a d in g m ig h
t well be. They\u2019ve all
C h o i K w a n g D o p ro v e th a t th i
s really is a martial art
o
ne either side of sixty
w h e n th e y fo u n d it b e c a m e to
o harsh on the body.
C h o i K w a n g D o w a s d iffe re n t a n
d that the movements
of 00

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