Genesis Martial Arts continued with the growth of their Fight Team and Squad at the Northants Open in Wellingborough. 

 Established Genesis Unleashed Fight Team members Archie Thompson, Shannon Barlow and Brad Reason led a 9 strong team and were joined by competition new comers AJ Gunasingham, Ven Gunasingham and Luke Simmons.

 Waleed Bin Akram continued his impressive run winning the boys under 140cm semi contact section, and also competed in his first ever light contact section. This first round was an incredibly tight affair and required the referees to confer on their decision but ultimately Waleed was denied the victory for failing to throw the minimum number of kicks within the round.

 Luke Simmons fighting in his first competition took part in the boys under 160cm novice sections in semi contact and light continuous. Luke lost a tight first round 5-6 in semi contact going behind early on but gradually pegged his opponent back as he got into his stride and demonstrating he is a talent for the future. In the fight contact section Luke lost his first round to the eventual section winner but won his next bout which was a fight off for 3^rd place.

 Ven Gunasingham stormed his way to victory in the boys under 150cm novice semi contact section. Ven also competed in the novice light contact section against a frenetic opponent and was unable to get into his stride due to the pace and heavy shots which the referees seemed to let go through out the day, ultimately losing a scrappy first round.

 AJ Gunasingham, Vens big brother took part in the boys under 160cm sections in light contact and semi contact winning 3^rd place in the light contact section after having to face team mate Archie Thompson in the semi final. He also made it through to the second round in semi contact.

 Helene Weaver has been out of completion for a year and returned looking for success with a conversion from semi contact to light continuous. Entering the semi contact section as a warm up Helene was soundly beaten but ready for the light contact section. In the girls over 160cm light contact section Helene fought to instruction and out worked and over whelmed her opponents in the first and second rounds fighting perhaps the best she has ever looked. In the final Helene met a Team Storm Fighter who just wouldn’t be denied. Putting up a valiant fight Helen was unable to match her rival for speed movement or power and Coach Matt Jackson called a halt to the bout unhappy with the high level of contact. Helene secured a second place win.

 Fight Team member Archie Thompson continued his winning ways with wins in the boys under 160cm in semi contact and light continuous, and cemented himself as the top Genesis fighter of the year to date.

 Not to be out done Archie’s teammate and semi contact specialist Shannon Barlow stormed her way to victory in the girls advanced under 160 cm semi contact section and secured victory in her first ever light continuous competition.

 Armid Akram had a straight final in the men’s under 75kg section but a slow start gave his opponent the lead he needed and Armid was unable to claw back the early lead. He also took place in the advanced section and was introduced to the skill gap between the intermediate and blackbelt section on route to his first round exit.

16 year old Brad Reeson made it through to the final in the boys over 160cm advanced section narrowly missing out in the final taking a silver. Brad also competed in the men’s advanced section existing in the 3^rd round.

Coach Matt Jackson also entered the Genesis Squad into the semi contact and light continuous team sections to test the team believing with the correct match ups they could emerge victorious.

 In the first round of the semi team section Genesis faced the Fighting Fit Team fielding Brad, Archie, Shannon, AJ and Ven, to secure the victory. In the second round Genesis fought the Welsh Storm team who fielded a team with 2 girls and a fighter under 140cm. Genesis fielded a team to match which included Brad, Helene, Shannon, AJ and Waleed and again won picking up the gold in the semi contact team event.

 

Fighting Fit and Storm fought the fight of their lives to challenge Genesis in the final of the light contact section. With the crowd on their feet Storm fielded an under sized team member and two girls which required a girl to fight one of Fighting Fits boys. Overall it was a tight match but Fighting Fit were victorious and met Genesis in the Final.

Genesis final Team was lead of with semi contact specialist Brad Reeson fighting his first ever light continuous bout securing a victory by using his superior speed and movement to win. Shannon Barlow followed up with another win as did Archie Thomson. New comer Luke Simmons filled in a much need place and although was unable to secure the victory earned some valuable experience. Special thanks to Peter Felix from Nemesis Martial Arts for letting Genesis borrow his young protégé Sam to anchor the team and fill our missing spot and securing the Teams 4^th victory to secure victory once again.

 Special thanks once again to parents Mohammed, Kevin and Stewart.

 

Sunday 15^th April saw the return of the Genesis Martial Arts Fightshow, with Unleashed 3. With 2 previously sold out events, UNLEASHED – The Fight Show has been a huge success for Genesis Martial Arts in the last 12 months. Initially put together as a replacement to poorly supported inter club tournaments, the Unleashed shows have presented a truly professional platform from which students of all ages and levels can safely test their skills in a competitive environment.

 After several male title bouts leading the last cards, it was decided that this was the time for the women to shine, with Genesis attracting 2 of the countries leading kickboxing women to battle for a Genesis Belt and title. As last time, UNLEASHED 3 delivered with a great venue, plenty of seats, a top notch audio system (complete with our very own dancing DJ), a food pre order service, a raffle with some serious prizes, and a host of fights, demonstrations and dancing entertainment by our First Aider Joel. Yet again, for anyone living in the local area with an interest in Martial Arts, they must simply have been crazy to miss this!

On the back of the Watford Open in January Genesis Martial Arts took an 11 strong team to the Windsor Cimac Superleague on the 25^th March 2012.

Junior 8 year old Walled Bin Akram, was supported by Fight Team members, Archie Thompson, Kieran Johnson, Louise Birkett and Shannon Barlow.

Adults in attendance were Matt Vladar, Mike Wellington, Gary Cook, Greg Tiba Armid Akram and Tom Stone made his competition debut! Fight Team member Craig Johnson was also in attendance to add support to the team despite being unable to compete himself due to injury.

 In his second ever competition massive Bruce lee fan Waleed won all 3 of his fights to win his first ever competition in the boys 4ft 2 semi contact section demonstrating timing and patience beyond his years. Walled was over the moon with his win and didn’t put his trophy down all day.

55kg Armid Akram once again gave away weight to all his opponents but was well on his way to taking the men’s intermediate section under 75kg, when with 2 seconds left on the clock and up by a single point Armids evasion skills were deemed to be illegal and he was deducted a single point, which resulted in the bout being taken to over time. The 30 second over time ultimately proved that the deducted point was vital as Armid lost by a single point. It is unlikely that he will show a similar lapse in future.

Fight Team member Archie Thompson fought well in the boys under 5ft 2 advanced section in semi contact but was ultimately picked off and beaten in the first round.

In light continuous his specialist category Archie had a semi final fight off with Genesis Martial arts Fight Team mate Kieran Johnson! Neither boys gave an inch in the bout ultimately Archie’s raw determination experience and pressure fighting style was too much for Kieran whom Archie clearly wanted to welcome into his first continuous competition with a baptism of fire! Archie’s used the same pressure style and a savvy in and out style to win in the final and to capture the second first place of the day.

Kieran was clearly spent having fought Archie but showed heart to push his opponent in the 3rd place fight off to the limit. Ultimately he was too spent to win but the experience showed Kieran that he can compete in this section and will be back after taking home a respectable fourth place.

Having signed a death warrant and collected their race numbers, the Genesis team assembled themselves at the start line and psyched themselves up for the eight mile assault course. The cannon fired to mark the start and 6,000 potential Tough Guys charged off on the cross-country run, with various obstacles along the way. Within five hundred metres, they were climbing up and over a series of log walls, jumping down into trenches filled with waist high muddy waters, only to continue running in water logged trainers, full of mud and stones.

This was followed by a series of log walls to climb and then downhill zigzags up and down treacherous steep muddy inclines, designed to test your calves! The course continued scrambling up muddy banks and sliding back into the water trenches, running on to cargo nets to tunnel under through smoke flares obscuring visibility.

Having completed the run, they arrived at the Killing Fields for the hardcore obstacles… Climbing cargo nets as high as houses, scaling ropes, squeezing throughtight tunnels in the pitch dark, avoiding cattle electric fence wires dangling down which give off a sharp jolt when soaking wet, wading through swamps, swimming across ice cold lakes and under wooden beams, hauling themselves over huge wooden barricades, squeezing through tyre tunnels, scrambling through thick mud where many almost lose their shoes,  crawling beneath barbed wire, running through tyre allies, jumping through walls of fire, walking the slippery plank and diving into smelly muddy water – so cold it takes your breath away!

Up to a third of all competitors fail to complete this gruelling course. All five Genesis Tough Guy Team members completed the course and made it to the finish – caked in mud, looking like swamp monsters, showing amazing spirit, pure grit and determination.

Well done to Genesis Tough Guy Team members:

Genesis Martial Arts took a 13 strong fight team to the Watford Open on Sunday 29^th January 2012 at the Hemel Hempstead Leisure Centre.

Unleashed Fight Team members Brad Reeson, Shannon Barlow, Kieran Johnson and Archie Thompson led 9 Squad Members all of who are keen to secure themselves a place on the Unleashed Fight Team. Fighters included Lil Dragons Waleed Akram and Zain Iqbal, who were at their first competition as was newcomer Greg Tiba. Semi contact fighters Armid Akram and Jake Bartlett were joined by light contact fighters Soroush Mahdavi and Stuart Nicholson andMike Wellington and George Bentley who competed in both semi contact and Light Contact.

 

Unleashed Fight Team Coaches decided that it was time Fight Team Fighters Shannon Barlow and Brad Reeson were taken out of their comfort zones for a challenge! So Brad was entered into his normal category the boys brown and black belts section over 160cm and the Mens under 70kg brown and black belt section. Shannon was also entered into her normal category the girls intermediate under 160cm and the girl’s brown and black belt section under 160cm.

Coached by Genesis student Raj Chiropal currently on loan to TEK Nottingham whilst at university Brad is learning that to win in his sections he needs to be cerebral technical and talented. Brad acquitted himself well on the day against some of the UK’s more established fighters including Tom Gould and Shriya Malhotra. Brad was disappointed in his performance but as the most complete fighter on the Team will undoubtedly be placing regularly after he can commit to training at the Genesis Gym once he has completed his GCSE’s.

 

Shannon like Brad is also learning that the old Bull in a China Shop routine is not enough to win competitions and is tempering her fighting with focus, technique and by listening to her coaches. Shannon listened and performed well winning the intermediate section and coming third in the brown and black belt section, losing out to the uber talented Shannon Ryan who used slick movement to avoid Ms Barlow’s lead leg whilst countering her Blitz to edge her 1 to 4!

WKA World Champion and Fight Team member Archie Thompson returned to action from a knee injury, which has kept him out for months to compete in the boys brown and black sections under 160 cm in light Contact and Semi Contact. Archie took second place in his favorite light contact category but was unable to place in semi contact. 

Armid Akram one again gave away 20kgs weighing just 55kgs for the intermediate under 75kg semi contact section, winning the section with his countering lead hand back fist and side kick.

Soroush Mahdavi took a leaf out of Shannon and Brads book by adapting his usual full bore attack with a stick and move strategy, which ultimately won him the intermediate light contact over 75kg category.  

Lil Dragon Waleed Akram took 4^th place in the boys under 130cm category losing a hard fought battle in over time by one point. Seeking a win in his first competition and the smallest of Genesis Fighters competing Waleed was disappointed he didn’t win but the competition spurred him on for future success.

George Bentley competing in just his third competition made it through to the third round in the boys intermediate under 160cm section losing a third place fight off but was unfortunately injured in his first round in the light contact section and unable to continue.

Fight Team member Kieran Jonson was unable to build on the successes of 2011 having a tough start to 2012 along with Mike Wellington as they were both unable to proceed past the first round in their respective categories. Although Jake Bartlett was positive about his performance in the boys brown and black belt section as this was the first time he had progressed past the first round in  competition.

Fight team members Louise Birkett and Craig Johnson were unable to attend on the day due to Louise being ill and Craig having work commitments. Although Craig’s absence didn’t seem to bother Mike Wellington or Stuart Nicholson who entered a huge intermediate under 70kgs light contact section. Stuart did a great job in reaching the third round.

The Genesis Unleashed Fight Team and Squad will be looking to continually improve individually whilst growing the Genesis brand, which is now just 1 year old throughout 2012. Next stop for the entire team being the Cimac Superleague on the 25^th March in Windsor.

Genesis-ma.com would like to give a special thanks to Dave and Becky Ryan for running a great competition on our door step and all the parents for there continued support and understanding.

Genesis Unleashed Fight Team and Fighting Squad Members the next Squad Training session is 6.30 till 8.30 at the www.genesis-gym.com.