Mr. Marshall
FREESTYLE TAEKWONDO
Mr Marshall explored various martial arts before focusing on TaeKwonDo. After trying Japanese Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, and Karate, he began training in TaeKwonDo in 1999 under the International TaeKwonDo Alliance (ITA). This is a US based style now known as Ho-Am TaeKwonDo. Quickly finding a passion for the training, he was attended classes 3 to 4 times a week. In 2001, Mr Marshall was awarded a 1st Degree Black Belt. Two years later, he achieved 2nd Degree. Three years after that, he was awarded 3rd Degree. In 2008, Mr Marshall left the ITA in favour of a UK based organisation. After joining the Cobra Martial Arts Association (CMAA), his 4th Degree was not validated, despite Grading for it prior to leaving the ITA. This was because of the time served requirement differences between the organisation. So, in 2010 he participated in Grading as part of the ratification of his previously Graded for 4th Degree.
My journey
Since joining the CMAA, Mr Marshall studied and trained within several similar styles of TaeKwonDo. These include ITF, TAGB, and several independent groups that follow the Chang Hon system of TaeKwonDo. He also attended seminars with Master and Grandmaster Instructors including First Grandmaster Rhee Ki Ha of the UKTA. In 2014, one of Mr Marshall’s previous instructors (Lynne Lewendon then 6th Degree Black Belt) also joined the CMAA. This gave him the chance to be Graded under a Senior Instructor more relevant to his training and lineage. After completed the requirements needed to promote, he was awarded a 5th Degree Master Black Belt in 2015. In 2020, Master Marshall completed another 3 hour physical test. The test was supervised by then 7th Degree Black Belt, Lynne Lewendon. After the Grading, Mr Marshal was presented with his 6th Degree Black Belt.
Throughout his TKD Journey, Mr Marshall has always sort out a wider understanding of what TKD has to offer. His separation from his original organisation led the way into the discovery of the depth of TKD. Since becoming 6th Degree, Mr Marshall has sought an instructor or group can than can help his knowledge expanded further. He now works with an ITF Master Instructor. This collaboration is more heavily based on the Chang Hon System. It is hoped that upon completing this next step, his Grading for 7th Degree will be a possibility.
BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU
After discovering Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2006, Mr Marshall took part in several workshops and seminars. Unfortunately, there were very few instructors in his area. He struggled to continue training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu frequently. To address this, he began to travel to Poole BJJ Academy a couple of times a month. There, he trained under one of his former TKD Instructors, Stephen Greenaway (now Black Belt). Unfortunately, it became clear that at least a weekly class was essential. Without it, progression in skills and understanding was minimal. After persevering for just over a year, Mr Marshall decided he needed to find someone more local. Another former ITA school owner, Kevin Hall, started teaching BJJ in Basingstoke in 2011. Mr Marshall began training there instead. However, fitting his own training around his teaching commitments each evening was still difficult. It took some time until he was able to fully commit to regular classes. However in 2013, Kevin Hall began running classes during the day. With classes available at least twice a week, Mr Marshall was able to start to progress at a steady pace. He was awarded a Blue Belt in 2017, Purple Belt in 2022, and then Brown Belt in 2025. Along with his training Basingstoke BJJ and frequently visits Paraestra HQ in Bournemouth as well as other Paraestra clubs.
OTHER TRAINING STYLES & COMPETITIONS
HANMUDO
Mr Marshall also trained in HanMuDo whilst with the ITA and Graded to Red Belt 4th KUEB. Although his training briefly continued until 2013, Master Marshall did not promote further in rank.
COBRA KICKBOXING
In his teenage years, Mr Marshall tried several Kickboxing classes. After discovering TKD, he moved away from Kickboxing in favour of it. Between 2020 and 2022, he was able to train in Kickboxing under the CMAA. He was successfully graded through the Colour Belt Grades, and nowholds the rank of Brown Belt 1st Kyu.
His other striking style training is not limited to Kickboxing. It also includes elements from Muay Thai/Thai Boxing. He uses a similar arrangement to the Freestyle TaeKwonDo he developed. This allows several striking backgrounds to be trained together.
SELF DEFENCE SYSTEMS
In 2015, Mr Marshall received many requests for a modern approach to training in martial arts and self defence. As a result, he created his own martial arts programme. He combined the training from Freestyle TaeKwonDo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and the other martial arts he had studied. With this combination, he developed the Self Defence Systems (SDS) programme. Mr Marshall achieved ranks in associated Martial Arts styles. Because of these achievements, the Cobra Martial Association awarded him the rank of 2nd Dan Black Belt within the SDS programme. In 2018, he had spent the required time in rank to be able to promote in rank. After completing a Grading, the CMAA ratified his promotion to 3rd Dan Black Belt. Unfortunately, after the Covid pandemic, the SDS classes declined in demand. The individual styles taught became more popular. Consequently, the classes were removed from the weekly schedule. Despite this, Mr Marshall and several of his students still trained the SDS syllabus. They trained either separately or in open mat classes. Based on his promotions in TKD, BJJ, and CKB, Mr Marshall since achieving his 3rd Dan, he was awarded his 4th Dan Black Belt from the CMAA in 2023.
TOURNAMENTS
Although competitions is not Mr Marshall’s primary focus, he strongly believes that as an Instructor he must lead by example. If he is to train and encourage others to compete, he must do so as well.
Throughout his TaeKwonDo career, he entered several tournaments each year under the ITA. He frequently medalled in Forms, which is his favourite area of study. Sparring has never been his strongest attribute. Despite this, Mr Marshall has had success in Point Sparring and has medalled in open events for continuous sparring. Between 2012 and 2014, he was undefeated within the local circuit in both disciplines.
During his time as a White & Blue Belt in BJJ, Mr Marshall competed a couple of times a year. He frequently won silver. However, he never quite reached the top of the podium. As he achieved Purple Belt, he expanded his training. He visited other clubs and instructors within his affiliation. In his first competition of 2023, he finally achieved GOLD.
Teaching at Martial Arts Schools & Instructor Training
Mr Marshall first began teaching part-time in 2001, by assisting in junior classes at the Cowplain TaeKwonDo Academy (now closed). In 2002, he became a Trainee Instructor. With a growing interest to work in martial arts schools as a career, he began teaching full-time as an apprentice. During this time, Mr Marshall attended Instructor Workshops. These workshops covered subjects such as class & centre management, customer service, health & safety, and curriculum reviews. Also, in this time he helped organise after school clubs, taught self defence classes and ran summer holiday programmes. In 2005, Mr Marshall passed a written and physical test to become a Certified Instructor under the ITA. He was then given the position of Assistant Centre Manager.
In 2006, he was invited to start up a TaeKwonDo School in Sardinia, Italy. He did so successfully and graded over 40 students. Unfortunately, they discovered the community depended heavily on seasonal tourism. As the summer months came around, many club members suspended their training. This led to the club being closed as Mr Marshall could not sustain it over the summer season.
Upon his return to the UK, he began teaching in Southampton. He worked as a Centre Manager for a full-time martial arts club. The club was located in the former Eastpoint Centre in Thornhill. After a year at what was then the Southampton TKD Academy, Mr Marshall decided it was time to run his own classes. With the Eastpoint Centre due to close, the owner had to move the TKD Academy, but this eventually led the club to close. It was during this, that Mr Marshall started teaching his own classes. As the club grew and developed, Mr Marshall wanted to expand beyond what was available through the ITA. Along with other reasons, he and several others from the ITA joined the CMAA in 2008. His Certified Instructor training was credited towards the Martial Arts Instructor UK Qualification. After he attended an MAIUK Course and passed the written exam, he was granted Level 1 Instructor Status.
As Mr Marshall began to expand his training into other styles of martial arts, he made the decision to become completely independent from a TKD only based club. He founded the Phoenix School of Martial Arts in 2012. As his Instructors Training continued, his students also became part of the Instructors Team. To enable him to offer a better training programme, Mr Marshall passed the Martial Arts Instructor UK trainers certification in 2015. This certification allowed him to run his own MAIUK Course. This meant instructors more local to him could progress in their training without having to travel away. Mr Marshall has seen over a dozen students achieve Instructor Certification in the last decade. Several of them help run classes within Phoenix SMA.
Setting up Phoenix School of Martial Arts (SMA)
After gaining the knowledge and experience in how to run a TaeKwonDo School, Mr Marshall set out to open his own martial arts classes in 2007. He started with just 1 day a week in Bursledon and Hamble in Southampton. The classes soon became so popular that eventually they were moved to bigger training spaces in Hamble and soon expanded to another local venue in Botley.
In 2010, Mr Marshall was asked to be a TKD Instructor for Sainsbury’s Active Kids within Hampshire. This opportunity allowed him to teach in several schools within the county. After attending a more local Infant School (Bishop’s Waltham), the senior staff was thrilled with the classes. They asked for the rest of the school to participate in classes under the Active Kids Scheme. They also invited Mr Marshall to set up an After School Club (ASC). The ASC Programme quickly grew and expanded into Junior School and then further into other local schools. Within a decade, a total of 8 schools were included in the ASC Programme.
On a unfortunate note; due the covid pandemic the ASC’s were not able to run for almost 2 years. When restrictions where finally lifted, not all schools resumed the ASC Programme. However, those who did, it became the most popular activity and almost every school is full each term.
As pupils move up to Year 7 and into secondary school, they have to leave the ASC. The same TKD syllabus is taught within the ASC’s. This allows children to transfer easily to other classes within Phoenix SMA. However, some schools were not as close to the other class locations. Therefore, in 2017 more evening classes were introduced in Bishop’s Waltham in the local church hall. Once again, classes outgrew the space and was moved to a larger venue inside a year of opening. This venue also consolidated the existing Bishop’s Waltham classes and those running in Botley into a single, larger club.
Phoenix SMA now has 300 members across Hamble, Bishop’s Waltham, Sarisbury Green, and Locks Heath.