DEREHAM MARTIAL ARTS

Kjn Chris began his general martial arts training in 1982 whilst serving as a young soldier in Chepstow Gwent.  He later practised Karate whilst based in Kent.  Then in 1991 whilst serving in Kuwait in a Bomb Disposal Unit Chris was involved in an unfortunate beach mine field rescue of two injured young boys and was subsequently decorated for bravery receiving the military oak leaves as a result of his actions. Whilst there he also began to practice Kuk Sool Won under Master John Gravenall.  This was and is the only Kuk Sool club ever set up in a War Zone with Kjn Chris and Kjn John the only two members still training.  

 

Whilst in Kuwait Kjn Chris graded and promoted to yellow belt in the intense desert heat.  1995 saw Chris gain his first black belt in Kuk Sool whilst a member of the Beccles club in Suffolk. Kjn Chris has travelled extensively in Kuk Sool and first took part in a World Champion Competition in 1994 in Houston U.S.A.  Although, Kjn Chris has won a number of medals over the years in all aspects of Kuk Sool he states his hardest and most challenging but which gave him the greatest satisfaction was the silver medal he won in the World Championships.  This was in Korea in the Full contact sparing category facing the reigning world champion in the final.  This was the first Kuk Sool World Championships to be held in Korea and attracted 2600 competitors, the largest martial arts tournament in the world.

 

Whilst in Korea Kjn Chris travelled through and visited the historically important and fascinating  area of Gyeongju where Kuk Sool evolved.  He was later allowed to visit and stay with the monks at the Korean Buddhist Baek-Dam-Sa Temple which is situated a mile up in the mountain and is twenty miles from the border with North Korea. 

 

Kjn Chris instructs in Self-defence and Aggression Management outside martial arts and likes to inject aspects of realism in class combining traditional and modern techniques. He is married to Kirsty a Fourth Dahn and former European Grand Champion, they have three children, all of them attained blackbelts, one was also a grand champion.  Kjn Chris is now one of the main UK Masters in Han Guk Mu Sool, an exciting new chapter he is looking forward to in his martial arts journey.