THE MARTIAL ARTS MONTHLY COLUMN: July edition

It’s fair to say I took a metaphorical kicking on the back of the story I ran on little Erin Parfoot last month.

The full extent of their anger is vented in the story below. I would give you my own frank opinion on the great debate but getting my arse kicked by a four-year-old girl would be a little embarrassing.

You can get my honest and less facetious verdict on our Facebook page - SA Martial Arts Monthly, where our followers regularly disagree with my views on hard-hitting topics such as, ‘who is the world’s hardest ginger?’. BBC’s Question Time has got nothing on us.

The banter continues on Twitter (@SA_MartialArts) where our network of friends now includes pro fighters such as Dan Hardy, Tank Abbott, Frank Trigg and Andreas Kraniotakes.

And fear not, official MAM mascot and nudist bar worker, Brandie Pickles is still on the bandwagon. Using the medium of the tweet, our Brandie regularly imparts poetic words of wisdom such as: “If I had to choose between breathing and loving you I would use my last breath to tell you I love you.”

Truly the voice of a naked generation. Personally I would pick the breathing option every time, especially with all the local jiu jitsu masters currently wishing to clamp me in a triangle choke.

To make it up to you I’m giving away tickets to the upcoming Knuckle Up MMA show in Bath (details below). Friends again? Good. See you next month.

• A BLACK DAY FOR THE BLACK BELT?

LAST month’s story hailing Erin Parfoot as Britain’s youngest blackbelt was meant to be a heart-warming tale accompanied by a cute pic of a high-kicking four-year-old.

In reality the article led to a mini sackful of letters and emails directing scorn on instructors that throw belts around like confetti - and myself for printing the piece in the first place.

I must point out that none of the aggrieved had anything put positive words about Erin, praising her effort and dedication at such a tender age.

Most of the complaints were from experienced martial artists who feel the growing trend of fast-track gradings is part of a business plan rather than a martial arts ethos.

Stratton Higashi Karate Kai instructor Phil Woodfield led the charge.

“This sort of thing is very damaging to martial arts,” he said.

“In my experience it is money orientated. When I was grading for my brown belt many moons ago I joined a club with my son and it was £3.50 a lesson, £35 joining fee, £35 for the suit and £35 for every grading. Now some of these associations are even adding in extra gradings which is completely against the principles of karate, and it’s all about making more money.

“The way instructors should operate is as long as they have enough money to cover the rent of the sports hall, that should be enough.”

Woodfield also believes that pre-schoolers claiming black belts devalues the achievement of students who have trained for many years to obtain the sport’s highest accolade.

“Achieving the status of Shodan black belt first Dan would take the average student five to six years within the traditional karate concept.

“The modern western concept of mixed martial arts, usually a mixture of kickboxing and a martial art, can allow the student to achieve a black belt grade in less than three years and can allow minors under the age of six years of age to participate, also being able to achieve a black belt grade within a very short period of time.

“But the average minor under the age of six will have a very small concentration level and little co-ordination.

“These skills are essential to the learning of any martial art, it is not until a minor has been at school for a full year and more that these qualities of concentration and co-ordination are to a standard required to use in a martial arts class.

“Boxing, football and rugby are competitive and full contact sports, minors are only welcome to participate in these sports at a competitive level above the age of six, seven and eight years old.

“Most martial art forms are competitive and full or part contact, I believe the minor age ruling of participating within martial arts should be the same as those sports.

“Maybe then we will have no more four-year-olds wearing a black belt and the true value of the black belt will be retained.”

Erin trains at Success Martial Arts in Stratton under the instruction of Gareth Davies.

Davies was unavailable for comment this week but told MAM last month: “It shouldn’t be judged the same way as a 30-year-old who has trained six years to get his black belt. The two would be judged very differently.

“We have several master instructors who come and oversee us from all over the country and they make their own assessments, so it’s not just me judging the students.”

• CONGRATULATIONS TO THE UFC PREDICTION KINGS

WELL done to Matt Pratley, Ryan Pratley, Simon Thomas, Matt Evans and Amy Crawford who were joint tipping champs in our June UFC prediction contest. You each win a Swindon Advertiser pen. I can’t afford to post them so you’ll have to collect them from our office. Amy, as you live in Boston I’m not sure the trip would be economically viable. But congrats anyway.

• WIN TICKETS TO THE KNUCKLE UP MMA SHOW IN BATH

WE HAVE three pairs of tickets to give away to this month’s Knuckle Up mixed martial arts show in Bath.

The Knuckle Up promotion has just secured a new television deal with MyChannel (Sky 219) and their latest show will be held at Bath Pavilion on Saturday, July 16.

For full details of the card visit www.knuckleup.co.uk To be in with a chance of winning one of the pairs of tickets answer the following question: UFC welterweight champ Georges St Pierre is commonly known as:

A) G.S.P.

B) H.R.T.

C) S.T.D.

Send your answer on a postcard to Martial Arts Monthly competition, sportsdesk, Swindon Advertiser, 100 Victoria Road, Swindon, SN1 3BE. To enter by phone call 09011510478 and leave your answer and details when prompted. Or text your answer to 80360 starting with MARTIALARTS leave a space, followed by your answer, name and contact details.

Calls cost no more than 51p per call from a BT landline. Calls from mobiles and some other networks may cost more. Texts cost 50p plus your normal operator text charge. You can also leave the answer and your details on our facebook page - SA Martial Arts Monthly or Tweet @SA_MartialArts.

Entries must be received by 5pm on Thursday, July 7 2011.

For full terms visit: http://www.newsquest.co.uk/terms. Service provided by Newsquest Media Group. Usual Newsquest Wiltshire rules apply.

• KNOCKOUT BIRTHDAY FOR SALEM SAMI

  Salem celebrated his 20th birthday by knocking out Matt Nation of Taunton Kickboxing Club.

The Scorpion Gym fighter, back in the ring at Weston-super-Mare after a three-week break, landed telling combinations from his southpaw stance and visibly hurt his foe with a couple of roundhouse kicks.

Salem then finished Nation with a powerful left to take his record to 6-1.

• STRATTON KIDS STRIKE GOLD

STRATTON Karate Club students had a successful day the Higashi National Karate Championships in Reading.

Millie Kardasz (eight) and 14-year-olds Damon Twine and Cristina Tucci all won gold, while Patrick Parker, also 14, achieved silver in their junior individual events.

The Stratton seniors followed with more success with Martin Whyte, Chris Whyte, Alex Tucci, Mark Ladler and Dean Aeries all achieving silver in the individual and team events. As a result of their displays, Cristina and Alex Tucci were selected for the EKF championships in Sheffield and the WKF Championships in London.

• TITLE HAT-TRICK, NEXT STOP THE WORLD CUP

  ANDY Dunn, Warren Baldwin and Kate Reeves all had some joy at the Cimac Super League kickboxing competition.

Baldwin won the lightweight (65kg) black belt section, Dunn triumphed in the middleweight (79kg) black belt category and Reeves claimed the ladies’ intermediate heavyweight (+67kg) section.

Next stop for the Swindon Martial Arts Club gang is the World Cup in Windsor on July 17.