Master Matthew Marshall

Martial Arts Background

FREESTYLE TAEKWONDO

After trying Japanese Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing and Karate, Mr Marshall began training in TaeKwonDo in 1999 under the International TaeKwonDo Alliance (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, then 2 years later he achieved 2nd Degree, followed by 3rd Degree 3 years after after that. In 2008, Mr Marshall left the ITA in favour of a UK based organisation. After joining the Cobra Martial Arts Association (CMAA), the 4th Degree he Graded for prior to leaving ITA was not validated due to the time served requirement differences between the organisation. And so, in 2010 he participated in Grading as part of the ratification of his previously Graded for 4th Degree.

Since joining the CMAA, Mr Marshall studied and trained within several similar styles of TaeKwonDo including 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 opportunity to be Graded under a Senior Instructor that was 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 under the supervision of now 8th Degree Grandmaster Black Belt, Lynne Lewendon (was 7th Degree at the time). After the Grading, GM Lewendon presented him with his 6th Degree Black Belt.

BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU

After discovering Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2006, Mr Marshall took part in several workshops and seminars. Unfortunately, due to the very limited number of Instructors in his area, he struggled to continue training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu frequently, so he began to travel to Poole BJJ Academy a couple of times a month to train under one of his former TKD Instructors, Stephen Greenaway (now Black Belt). Unfortunately, it became clear that without a minimum of a weekly class, the progression in skills and understanding would be little to none. 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, so Mr Marshall began training there instead. However, trying to fit his own training around his teaching commitments each evening was still difficult, so it was some time until he was able to fully commit to regular classes. However in 2013, Kevin Hall began running classes during the day and with classes available at least twice a week, Mr Marshall was able to start to progress at a steady pass and was awarded a Blue Belt in 2017 and then Purple Belt in 2022. Along with his training Basingstoke BJJ and frequently visits Paraestra HQ in Bournemouth as well as other Paraestra clubs along with joining in the weekly class at his own club run by Black Belt Jon Williams.

OTHER TRAINING STYLES & COMPETITONS

HANMUDO

Master 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 trained in Kickboxing, but after discovering TKD, he moved away from Kickboxing in favour it. Between 2020 and 2022, his training in Kickboxing was able to become a focus and successfully Graded through the Colour Belt Grades and now holds the rank of Brown Belt 1st Kyu in Cobra Kickboxing under the CMAA.
His other striking style training is not limited to Kickboxing, it also includes elements from Muay Thai/Thai Boxing, using a similar arrangement to the Freestyle TaeKwonDo he developed, allowing several striking background to be trained together.

SELF DEFENCE SYSTEMS

In 2015, after having many requests for a modern approach to training in martial arts and self defence, Mr Marshall created his own martial arts programme. Combining the training from Freestyle TaeKwonDo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the other martial arts he had studied and trained in, he developed the Self Defence Systems (SDS) programme. Based on the ranks achieve in associated Martial Arts styles, Mr Marshall was accredited the rank of 2nd Dan Black Belt within the SDS programme by the Cobra Martial Association. In 2018, he had spent the required time in rank to be able to promote in rank. After completing a Grading in May 2018, the CMAA ratified his promotion and Mr Marshall was presented with his 3rd Dan Black Belt. Unfortunately, during the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, the SDS classes lost favour to the individual styles taught at Phoenix SMA, and eventually was removed from the weekly classes. Despite this, Mr Marshall and several of this students still trained the SDS syllabus, be it separately or in open mat classes. Based on his promotions in TKD (6th Degree), BJJ (Purple Belt) & CKB (1st KYU) since achieving his 3rd Dan, the CMAA used these and the extra time served to award Mr Marshall to 4th Dan Black Belt in 2023. After almost a years break, the SDS classes were re-introduced in 2024.

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.
Over the course of his TaeKwonDo career, he entered several tournaments each year under the ITA, medalling frequently in Forms (his favourite area of study). Sparring was never been his strongest attribute, but despite this, Mr Marshall has had success in Point Sparring and has medalled in open events in 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, frequently winning silver, but never quite reaching the top of the podium. As his achieved Purple Belt, he expanded his training and visited other clubs and instructors within his affiliation, and in his first competition of 2023, he finally achieve 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 and 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 that covered subjects such as class & centre management, customer service, health & safety as well as curriculum reviews. Also, in this time he helped organise after school clubs, taught self defence classes, ran summer holiday programmes and set up Black Belt Training classes. In 2005 after passing a written and physical test, Mr Marshall became a Certified Instructor under the ITA and was given the position of Assistant Centre Manager.

In 2006 he was invited to start up a TaeKwonDo School in Sardinia, Italy, which he did so successfully and graded over 40 students. Unfortunately, it was discovered that the community depended heavily on seasonal tourism and so as the summer months came around, the club had many members suspend 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 as a Centre Manager for a full-time martial arts club 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 TKD Academy owner was forced to move the club and it eventually closed. 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 and after attend an MAIUK Course and passing 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 decided the best route was to become completely independent from a TKD only based club and so 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 course and achieved a MAIUK Course Trainer certification in 2015. This allowed him to run MAIUK Course of his own, meaning instructors more local to him could to progress in their training without having to travel away. Mr Marshall has seen over a dozen of his students achieve Instructor Certification within the last decade and several now 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 schools in 2007. Starting with just 1 day a week in Bursledon and Hamble in Southampton, the classes soon became so popular that more were needed. The club was eventually 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 allowing him to teach in several schools within the county. After attending a more local Infant School (Bishop’s Waltham), the senior staff was so happy with the classes, that they not only asked for the remainder of the school to have a class with from him under the Active Kids Scheme, but 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 each 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, so children can simply transfer in the other classes within Phoenix SMA. However, some schools were not as close to the other class locations, and so more evening classes were made available in Bishop’s Waltham in 2017 in a 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.

After expanding his knowledge of martial arts and seeking different styles of training, Mr Marshall founded Phoenix SMA in 2012 which now has 300 members. These martial arts schools offers both Freestyle TaeKwonDo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu between Hamble, Bishop’s Waltham, Sarisbury Green & Locks Heath as wells the ASC’s in these areas.

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