Sa Bum Nim Kris French
4th Degree Black Belt
Instructor Profile & Credentials
Hey there and thank you for your interest in the Kuk Sool Won of Lowestoft website. I could be accused of being biased but I believe our club is one of the finest in the Country. We have many very fine instructors and black belts who have achieved great successes both competitively and in their private/professional lives.
Biography
Prior to joining the school SBN Kris had tried football, rugby and BMX racing. His mother describes his interest in the martial arts as "an inner knowing", there might be something to be said for that, but he does know that as impressionable 9 year old SBN Kris was heavily influenced by The Karate Kid movie. It just so happened that when he went along to see his first Kuk Sool class he was blown away. KJN Martin showed SBN the first three kicks and a fire within him was ignited. He found he had a natural aptitude, balance and just plain loved it.
SBN Kris's favourite aspect of Kuk Sool has always been forms training. Although the self defence techniques has given him confidence in his work as a police officer, he has found them to be exremely effective, forms training is a great mental and physical workout.
Unfortunately shortly after SBN Kris promoted to 1st degree black belt his parents decided to relocate to Hampshire, extremely upset at the prospect of not being able to practise Kuk Sool anymore SBN Kris was honoured to be invited to stay with KJN Martin and his family during the school holidays. "The biggest honour however was becoming part of the family and I doubt I will ever be able to fully express what Martin, Alison, Rachel and Jason mean to me. Thank you guys."
Achievements
- Achieving the level of fourth degree black belt
- Won medals at our annual National Championships and taken part in many demonstrations.
- One year we were lucky enough to be spotted at the Seni Exhibition in Birmingham by a talent spotter working for the Beckham's. Several of us got invited to perform at Beckingham Palace when they had their pre-World cup party.
- Like I have mentioned the Ducker family and I are very close but there was a period where I didn't mind admitting that I wanted to ask Rachel out when she was a bit older. KJN Martin did not oppose this idea at all but made one provison, I had to beat him at sparring! Looking back now it occurs to me that this is probably why he used to beast me so hard in classes and demonstrations, it was a warning. There was however one morning where KJN and I were training in the dojang at Halesworth.. He was killing me. But there was a window of opportunity and I went for a low spin kick and put him on the deck. I was ecstatic and danced around shouting "I got you!" He looked up at me and said "The answer is still no." Ah man!
Mentoring Instructors
Obviously KJN Martin has been the biggest inspiration for me over the years.
Kuk Sa Nim's sons have always been an awesome inspiration. They can be counted among the finest martial artists in the World and we are very lucky to learn from them.
As the highest ranking non-Korean in Kuk Sool Master Barry Harmon is also someone you can learn a lot from.
Media
SBN Kris was away at police training school when he demonstrated at Beckingham Palace and had to have a day off which got him in all sorts of strife and no one believed what I was doing. So he was very glad that the event was covered in a documentary in which he appeared for two seconds doing the sword form.
