Catwoman’s stunt double to open martial arts school
Published on Friday 31 August 2012 12:00
THE OPENING of a new martial arts school in Bexhill promises to be the cat’s whiskers as internationally acclaimed stunt woman Maxine Whittaker will kick off the event on Tuesday.
The Martial Arts Centre - Bexhill, located at Bexhill High School, Gunter’s Lane, will teach the traditional Korean art of Kuk Sool Won - recently featured on ITV’s Let’s Get Gold programme. It will be run under the guidance of chief instructor Robin Holmes, fourth degree black belt.
The new club will be opened on September 4 by Robin’s long-term training partner and third degree black belt, and Hollywood stuntwoman, Maxine Whittaker.
Ms Whittaker has a number of big movie titles to her name including Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One and Two and Clash of the Titans, along with her latest role in Batman: The Dark Knight Rises, as Catwoman’s stunt double. Maxine was also personal trainer to Ann Hathaway (who plays Catwoman in the movie).
Robin and Maxine achieved their first degree black belts together in 2000, second degrees in 2003 and third degrees in 2006.
Robin went on to achieve his fourth degree in 2010. Maxine had to choose between her love for Kuk Sool and her professional work.
On this occasion, Hollywood won.
Robin said Kuk Sool Won is a very comprehensive martial arts system. “As well as offering a superb physical fitness programme, and includes all the usual hand and kick strikes, throwing and falling techniques, forms and sparring, as well as a systematic study of the oriental pressure point system.
“It also has a vast array of weapons techniques, which include long and short sword, long and short staff, spear, cane and fan to name a few!”
Robin has a number of distinctions to his name winning at least one gold medal at every Kuk Sool Won tournament he has entered, from white belt through to black belt. At the black belt level, he became the overall UK and European first and second degree Grand Champion, before retiring from competition. Robin also won gold medals at the Kuk Sool World Championships both in the USA in 1996/2001 and in South Korea in 2002.
Whilst living, training and teaching in South Korea, Robin took part in several public displays and featured on South Korean TV.
Bexhill’s new martial arts school will run junior and adult beginner’s classes.
Throughout September it is offering free introductory lessons, along with a free suit to the first 30 students joining the class.
Anyone joining on the first evening will also get a 50 per cent discount membership discount and free training during September.
The opening night, will see a number of free events including a display of Kuk Sool with high-ranking black belts performing.
For those aged five to 65 who want to experience Kuk Sool for themselves there will be a ‘try it and see’ session. And to round off the evening, Maxine will conduct a Catwoman body conditioning class.
Doors open at 6.30pm. For further information call 01323 416634 or 07540 179194 or visit the website at:
www.martialartsbexhill.com
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