Meet Jonnie
Jonnie’s Martial Arts Journey
Jonnie began martial arts at age 5, starting in taekwondo. Between age 5 and 10 Jonnie quickly progressed to red belt and was competing in national competitions.
By age 14 Jonnie took up free-style kickboxing to widen his martial arts skills. He soon began competing weekly in both points and continuous kickboxing, winning a European championship and a British championship!
From age 16 to 20 Jonnie began training in boxing, K1 full-contact kickboxing, San Shou kickboxing and muay thai, alongside free-style kickboxing. Jonnie competed in muay thai, San Shou and K1 full-contact kickboxing, whilst achieving his black belt in free-style kickboxing.
Jonnie received his second dan black belt in free-style kickboxing at age 21.
More recently, 2 years ago, Jonnie began training in MMA and Jiu Jitsu. He is currently competing in Jiu Jitsu nationally.
Jonnie’s Coaching Experience
From age 16, Jonnie began learning to coach by assisting with classes at Spartans Kickboxing Academy. His natural ability to coach and passion for kickboxing caused him to progress, taking on adult classes, teaching kid’s classes and high grade/ability classes at Spartans by age 18. Independently, Jonnie also began working in local primary and secondary schools, providing lunchtime and afterschool club kickboxing services.
By age 19, alongside university, Jonnie began his own business in free-style kickboxing. The business began as private 121 sessions. This led him to setting up his own classes whilst taking on more classes such as the adults mixed ability class at Spartans. Jonnie also immersed himself in many local projects such as ‘This Girl Can’, projects to engage children in sports, sessions with ‘hard-to-reach students’ in schools and 4-week preschool courses. Meanwhile, Jonnie’s 121 service picked up to an average of 32 clients per week!
Within the more recent years, Jonnie began his own ladies-only beginner kickboxing courses and adult sparring classes for all abilities, whilst also helping with the mixed-age sparring class provided by Spartans.