Wow o wow. I have really been looking forward to presenting this award for a while. This really is someones journey I am very, very interested in and excited about indeed and someone I believe in 100%.

Awesome job by Elise our student of the month for the month for January 2026.

Very well deserved.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Elise earned this fully engraved award with her name on for excellent all round progress. Taking home the first ESBD student of the month award for 2026.

I am very pleased that Elise is training at my club with her younger sister, both have made many new friends and both are really enjoying the black belt journey together. It is very rare to get two siblings that are both very very good practitioners with so much potential, so for me it is very exciting times.

I truly believe this young lady does not realise how good she actually is already and how good I know she is going to be.

It was very clear to me from the first few minutes of training her on her very first class that this young lady is really going to be something special. So so much potential. During the first few weeks of her training I knew we just needed to work hard on confidence which we have been doing and the progress made really has been amazing. I am seeing fantastic results. These past few months she has really raised her game even more so which I didnt think was possible.

Elise graded just before Christmas at a very high standard no mistakes and earnt her Orange belt.

We have been working very hard on syllabus material and Elise is really picking up everything so well. She is an absolute natural and a very fast learner.

Elise has been gifted with a photographic memory and is absolutely flying. She memorsies the new forms very well and also her Ho Sin Sool (Self Defence).

Her concentration, balance and hand and eye coordination has massively improved also.

This young lady is a real power house, she has fantastic kicking and punching power. The kicking technique is looking very good too.

Elise gives 100% concentration and effort every single week and the reason she does this is because she absolutely loves her training and the journey she is on. 

Elise is a very humble young lady and has been quietly going about her business and putting in so much hard work, I am so so pleased she is getting the rewards for all her effort.

I am really looking forward to teaching and seeing Elise progress on the rest of her black belt journey.

This young lady is on the right path and definitely one to watch and is destined for great things at our club.

I always say in class, if you find your passion you will find your purpose. I truly believe Elise has found hers. 

Well done Elise keep it up. Keep doing what you are doing. I am very very proud of you young lady.👊

This post is also available on our club website:-

https://www.essexsbd.com/student-of-the-week

We started our family class with a good stretch and warmup followed by movement.

Our class theme tonight was:- Concentration 

The action or power of focusing all one attention

We discussed our class theme and why concentration is so important in our training and everyday life. 

We then moved into lots of Ho Sin Sool (Self Defence) and Hyung (Forms) using our seniors to help assist the white, yellow and orange belts which was great to see.  

We are working on leadership mentality and assistance from our seniors. For our seniors it's not only important to keep learning new skills and progressing on the black belt journey. It is also to pass on the knowledge learnt in your own unique way and become a leader. To be able to demonstrate at a high standard what you have learnt. It's not just about the journey it's also about who you become on that journey.

We then practised our kicking techniques on the shields.

Closing off strongly with a group effort of lots of sit ups, we had a great class.

Our senior class was great, working hard on Ho Sin Sool (Self Defence), Hyung (Forms) and IL Soo Sik Dae Ryun (One Step Sparring).

Someone from tonight's class will receive a student of the week award next class.

Keep up the great work everyone.

Soo Bahk !!!

👊