Disabled Martial Artists’ Demonstration Proves A Hit
1 April 2008
Wheelchair user Dave Lee, founder and chairman of the Disability Martial Arts Association charity, demonstrates his skills at the event.
This event showed that anybody can get involved in martial arts; which can mean doing anything from the gentle art of Tai Chi to very intense, physical activity.
”Charles Spring - Programme Leader for the Joint Honours Martial Arts Theory and Practice degree, and sports related courses.
Martial artists with and without disabilities delivered a striking display of the 'Ways of the Warrior' at a University event.
They demonstrated their skills in various fighting disciplines at the first Disability Martial Arts Association one-day exhibition. It was held at the University of Derby's Devonshire Campus in Buxton on Saturday (March 29).
Around 30 martial arts students and instructors, plus supporters and onlookers, attended the event, the first one held by the UK association.
Attractions included:
- Cane-jitsu - a demonstration of a new form of self defence which enables an elderly person, or someone with a disability, to incorporate the use of their walking stick into adapted ju-jitsu moves;
- mixed martial arts skills demonstrated by wheelchair user Dave Lee;
- attendance at the event by blind aikido instructor, Steve Fyffe.
Charles Spring - Programme Leader for the Joint Honours Martial Arts Theory and Practice degree, and sports related courses at the University of Derby's Devonshire Campus in Buxton - is an ambassador for the Disability Martial Arts Association and jointly organised Saturday's event.
His students are among the very few in the UK to learn how to instruct people with disabilities in martial arts as part of their degree course, and they have worked with Charles at relevant events.
Charles said: "The day was a great success. This event showed that anybody can get involved in martial arts; which can mean doing anything from the gentle art of Tai Chi to very intense, physical activity."
Further exhibition events by the Disability Martial Arts Association are now being planned including a possible visit to the renowned Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire, later this year.
Dave Lee, founder and chairman of the Disability Martial Arts Association charity, was at Saturday's event. He has been in a wheelchair since he was involved in a car accident 18 years ago.
Despite attaining black belts in kung fu and karate before his accident, it took him six years to find an instructor willing to teach a student who uses a wheelchair.
Dave, 52, from Enfield, Middlesex, said: "I set up the Association, so other people with disabilities would have easier access to martial arts."
For further information go to www.disabilitymartialartsassociation.co.uk.
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For further media information please contact Press and PR Officer Simon Butt on 01332 591891 or 07748 920023, or email s.butt@derby.ac.uk.
Press release by Press and PR Officer Sean Kirby on 01332 593004 or email s.kirby@derby.ac.uk.
