Traditional Martial Arts for All - Club of the Month January 2025

Martial arts and karate might not instantly summon an image of mass inclusion, but Oxfordshire based club Traditional Martial Arts for All (TMA4A) are kicking that theory into submission. For January 2025's Club of the Month award, the Every Body Moves team donned their Gis and tightened their belts, spending a day with the club to see what a session was all about.

Founded by Ray Sweeney, who after moving to Spain with the intent of retiring, had started to run a karate club.  "It was built on the idea that rich people would pay lots of money and poor people wouldn't pay anything. Or maybe we gave them money or food or some sort of support in order that they could participate." Ray told us.

"The local government started to send disabled people [to the club] and didn't tell us that they were doing that. So we were kind of giving them a free social services and building this community out, on those kinds of basis. So people knew that's what they were doing."

"So the wealthy people were happy to pay more money because, they felt like they were making a contribution to society as well."

On returning to the UK, Oxfordshire Council asked Ray to deliver a martial arts come and try day. The non-contact, mixed impairment format and a chance meeting with two-time Paralympic medallist Ian Rose, spearheaded the (soon to be) club's approach of 'inclusion within inclusion', or a holistic view of inclusion as a reflection of society. Fast forward to today and all demographics of people are included in programmes rather than targeting specific groups, such as persons with a disability, because they believe inclusion cannot be achieved through exclusion.

The combination of pan-disabled and non-disabled participation see an incredible level of movement adaption, tailoring movement to suit every body.

Ray's son and participant at the club, Adam, told us - "You really have to think about the kinds of people... what people actually can physically do and how you can actually make it accessible for people.

"If you want people in wheelchairs to come to your class, you're not going to just expect them to kick. You're going to have to create a technique that is like kicking, which is exactly what we do."

"So for a kick, it's the elbow coming up and you get them to do it with everyone else. You don't say, okay, you guys go over there and do that, these guys go over there, everyone does everything together. But things have to be adapted so that people actually can do them."

Teachers, carers and Teaching Assistants take part side-by-side with the young people to improve their health and physical literacy and add to their professional development. Non-disabled people take part in the same sessions and learn about disability, inclusion, volunteering and equity. Each athlete's syllabus is modified to meet their needs so that everyone can receive an achievable challenge. The club grade the athletes to coloured belts so that each person can enjoy the feelings that achievement brings.

This holistic pathway ses the organisation's inclusive Martial Arts sessions also offer young disabled and non-disabled people coaching, education and employment opportunities. Employability skills are embedded throughout the TMA4A curricula, from someone's first Martial Arts lesson through to self-directed work in international projects. The organisation is partnered with Oxford Applied Training, University of Oxford and Open University to offer apprenticeships in many different fields of work in business, sport and charity, including Digital Marketing and Operational Management. and they are an approved Kickstart Scheme Employer.

The result is an incredible example of inclusive movement and supporting the growth and development of participants to meaningful real world applications. Congratulations to Traditional Martial Arts for All and every one involved.