Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to train

Yes its perfectly safe to train at 5 Elements Martial Arts. Our school is geared for people of all levels and abilities from absolute beginners through to Black Belts and Seniors.

What should I wear

At 5 Elements we supply a uniform free of charge when you become a member so you wont need to go and buy a Marital Arts training suit. When you first come to the school we ask that you wear loose sports clothing such as shorts or jogging trousers and a T-shirt. You wont need training shoes as we train on a special padded flooring for comfort and safety and to ensure this remains safe all students train bare foot or in Feiyue Shaolin Shoes.

I am not sure if I should come on my own

We recognise that it can be intimidating for some people to take that first step through the door especially if people are completely new to the marital arts or you have had a bad experience at another school in the past. We make sure that all potential students are made welcome. We offer the first 2 lessons free of charge with absolutely no commitment so that you can make sure that you are happy with both our teaching style and the atmosphere of the school before joining. We always make sure that new students are taught the basic techniques and what to do when on a 1 to 1 basis with one of the instructors or staff to ensure that no one is left not knowing what to do and feeling awkward.

Do I have to be fit to come to the classes

Absolutely not. The martial arts will build the fitness you require to train and lead a healthy successful life. The Martial arts are famous for training the mind and internal health as well as the cardiovascular fitness trained in the west.

Do you have any ladies training

Yes we have ladies in the majority of our classes but we find that kickboxing is the one that attracts the most ladies. The ratio of male/female students per class can change significantly from day to day but please mention this if its of concern to you when you first meet our staff and we will introduce you to other members of your sex to make sure you feel comfortable.

I am overweight and conscious of my body will I be embarrassed.

Most certainly not. We are here to help everyone achieve their full potential, avoid bullying and ensure a friendly safe training atmosphere for all our students. We never single students out and the instructors duty at all times is to ensure all their students are welcome and progressing at their own individual pace. Throughout the path from beginner to black belt everyone will reach different obstacles and its the role of the instructor to work with the students to make sure they can overcome these. This is training for a successful life and teaching the route to overcoming obstacles and achieving ones goals. Thats what the martial arts is all about.

I see all the information for beginners but I want to fight and become a professional fighter

We teach our seniors and potential fighters in additional separate classes. Through our links with the WKA and BFKKO we have lots of routes to competition from point competition to full contact kickboxing or Muay Thai and our students can train with World, European, and British Champions in both mens and womens kickboxing. The head of the BFKKO is the Team Manager for the British WAKO full contact team and Tony Willis our Chief instructor is a senior technical Director for the BFKKO.

I want to learn traditional martial arts do you only teach the sport side

No. At 5 Elements we have a wide range of martial arts classes including kickboxing, Chow Family Southern Mantis Kung Fu, Filipino Eskrima and Qi Gong. The Chow Family Southern Mantis Kung Fu is a traditional style of Kung Fu teaching weapons and empty hands techniques in a traditional manner and Sifu Tony Willis traces his lineage through Master Paul Whitrod to the founder of the style. Filipino Eskrima is a style built on the stick and knife defenses from the Philippines and through our links with Guro Krishna Godhania we have a source of training back to Cebu City in the Filipino.

I want to come along but dont know what to learn as I am new to the martial arts

Simply come along to the school and talk to our staff who should be able to guide you once we understand your requirements. If you want to change as you become familiar with the classes or to do more than one course then thats a simple change that can be made with the help of the staff at the school. We are also able to offer new students the chance to train in a wide range of martial arts for a trail period to help them decide which is the right course for them at that time. One of the advantages of 5 Elements Martial Arts over other martial arts schools is that we have a wide range of teaching qualifications and experience and you have a choice within the school itself on what to learn.

I used to do Karate but gave up would I be welcome

Yes of course. Its quite probable that your previous training skills will come back quite quickly even if you have had a long gap. You should also find that the way the martial arts are taught has changed significantly over recent years and you would be most welcome. All we ask is that you tell the staff when you first come along so that they can make sure you get the correct attention although the instructors will soon be able to tell if you have done any marital art including boxing in the past.

I am worried about being bullied at the school

Sifu Tony Willis has ensured that there is an absolute zero tolerance for any kind of bullying be it physical or mental. His passion for the martial arts has been aided by his personal abhorrence of bullying and this underlies everything that is taught at the school. Please be assured that this will never be a problem and we have both a child protection policy and ethos throughout all our classes to ensure this is not an issue.

What if I want to talk privately to one of the instructors

Our office is available for this purpose and you are always welcome to request a private meeting either for yourself as a student, as a parent, or for your child directly with Sifu Tony Willis head of 5 Elements Martial Arts. Although the office is private once the door is closed, it has a window onto the training area to ensure compliance with our child protection policy.