Brought to you from deep within the vaults at TMAP!

It is Spring cleaning time again at the Dojo, and we have stumbled across a treasure chest (well, more of a box) of old TMAP photo albums, which we are excited to share with you!

Here is our first album. See if you can spot some familiar faces. Click on the individual photos for a closer view.

Please remember that the Dojo will be closed this
Bank Holiday weekend (Friday 3rd, Saturday 4th, Sunday 5th & Monday 6th)
Classes resume as normal on Tuesday 7th May.

Enjoy the sun and we’ll see you next week!

See what we at the Dojo were loving in April
…brought to you by Nacho, the adorable
chocolate chihuahua and Dojo pet!

1. Game of Thrones

Which House do I back? The Starks, of course – everyone knows that wolves and dogs  are canid cousins!!

2. Iron Man 3

I love Superhero films and Tony Stark (aha – another Stark!) is back with a vengeance in this the latest installment of the Iron Man franchise. Robert Downey Jr. is brilliant in this film! My one suggestion for Iron Man 4 is that Tony Stark needs a new sidekick (sorry Don Cheadle) – maybe a chocolate chihuahua or little monkey.
 
 
 

3. American-style Muffins

This portable meal fits in the palm of your hand (or between two paws for me), proving that good things really do come in small packages (like me). The muffin is the more sensible cousin to the cupcake as it is generally not as sweet and topped with icing, but it is just as fun and relevant. I usually find our British muffins…well,  bit flat and boring… but these dome-shaped beauties can be chock-full of goodness, just by adding a few healthy ingredients! Some of my favourites are:  blueberries, pumpkin, banana, seeds (pumpkin, chia, poppy), pecan and macadamia nuts, oatmeal and wheatgerm!

I will rustle up some recipes for you, but until then, head over to your nearest Le Pain Quotidien and try out their organic blueberry muffins – they are so good! And remember, the proper way to eat a muffin is to pop the top (dome) off and save it for last!
 
 

Happy May!!

They look so proud!!

Ever wanted to know more about your fellow TMAPers, but were too shy to ask? This segment features individual students and finds out what they like about TMAP and what they do when they are not training.

In this week’s limelight, we have a resident film-maker & poet, fellow foodie and all-round nice guy:

Name: Kevin Bisbangian

Country of birth: Iran

Belt level: Orange

__________________________________________________________________________________________

What do you do for a living?

Film Director/Producer/Writer

What are you working on now?

A Film Project called ‘Salome’, which is a psychological thriller.

Who or What made you take up kickboxing?

I was advised by my doctor to lose weight so I decided  the best way would be to join this club.

Have you always had an interest in Martial Arts?

I always liked the discipline and respect which goes with all the Martial art styles.

When did you start training with TMAP?

I started training seriously at TMAP from January 2013.

How did you find out about TMAP?

I was aware of the web site as well as the location of the Dojo.

How often do you train at the Dojo?

Since January 2013, minimum of 4-5 times a week.

What is your motivation to train?

Health wise, I feel much better and feel more active and it terms of confidence I feel great when I train and that motivates me enough to continue. Plus having great professional instructors has helped me to push myself more and try to improve.

What element of the training do you enjoy the most at TMAP?

Sparring, simply because it allows me to sharpen my skills and concentrate on things like controlling distance, timing, speed and to me sparring is the nearest thing to a real fight without actually fighting.

Is there an element of the training that you can live without? (Burpees tend to be a popular answer!)

I honestly enjoy all elements of the training but I feel bad because due to having 25 dislocations and two shoulder operations in the past, I am not able to do press-ups as well as other students.

What is the best training advice or tip that you have been given? If you had one tip for a new student, what would it be?

I consider myself very lucky because I have been able to get different tips from all of my instructors and I value all of them but my tip to new students is to be patient but work hard.

How would you describe TMAP to your friends?

What I really like about TMAP is that all the instructors are extremely professionals and they know exactly how to train different people with different skill levels and different personalities.

Do you have a sporting hero?

Muhammad Ali

Do you have a favourite Martial Arts movie or TV show?

Enter the Dragon which was made in 1973 with the budget of $850,000.

Apart from kickboxing, what are your hobbies and interests?

Travelling and food are my other hobbies.

One more thing, please tell us an interesting fact about yourself.

Last year I managed to get 6 nominations for my Drama called ‘Broken Wings’ at the Madrid International Film Festival and this year I have two nominations for my documentary ‘ Poetic Emotion’ at the St Tropez International Film Festival. But as a person I consider myself a very boring person and I doubt if I have anything interesting to tell anyone.

For more information on Kevin’s work, please see the links below:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5098365/

http://prankster101.com/film/interview-with-kevin-bisbangian-poetic-emotion/
 
 

This is an exciting new kids course using an iconic martial arts tool, and children can attend either one, two or three of the sessions with cost changing accordingly.

The dates for the course are as follows: Wednesday 3rd, Monday 8th and Wednesday 10th, and courses are split into three age groups: 5 to 7’s, 8 to 10’s and 11 to 14’s.

The course aims to develop:

Eye hand co-ordination
Concentration
Dexterity

To sign your child up for this fun and exciting course then please contact the Dojo as soon as possible as spaces are limited.

Also for more information you can call us on 020 75861222.