LAST Sunday over 70 martial artists from Abergavenny Martial Arts Club (Kickboxing), Verve Kickboxing, Page Family Taekwondo and Hall Family Taekwondo came together at Abergavenny Leisure Centre to be put through their paces by world number one and Olympian Aaron Cook.

The whole seminar lasted just over two and a half hours, with a range of stretching exercises, kicking techniques, sparring drills and points scoring routines being drilled out to students of all ages.

Abergavenny Martial Arts Club Instructor Leigh Haslett said, "This was a fantastic opportunity for us to book Mr Cook and introduce him and his training techniques to our students. He is world number in in Olympic style WTF Taekwondo, and is a real icon to all martial artists. Whilst our styles are different, being kickboxers allows us to incorporate and utilise other styles within our own. All our students who attended, from eight years up had a fantastic afternoon training."

Abergavenny Martial Arts were also joined by John Swift and his Verve Martial Arts team, Brennen Page and his Page Family Taekwondo group and Luke Hall of Hereford's Hall Family Taekwondo and his students.

In addition, staff from Abergavenny Leisure Centre put on free taster sessions to encourage young people to become involved in sport and the club would like to especially thank Laura James and Young Ambassadors from King Henry VIII for their involvement.

The day started with sample kickboxing lessons from Abergavenny Martial Arts for members of the public to either watch or get involved, followed by another taster from Page Family Taekwondo. Verve Martial arts then showed off some line work, pad drills and board breaking leaving Aaron Cook to show his stuff in a two hour plus finale. Following the seminar Cook posed for some individual pictures and signed autographs for the students.

Leigh Haslett added, "Events such as these highlights our commitment to bringing our students the very best in martial arts.

"Next month on June 15 we are fundraising in Abergavenny's Red Square for Breast Cancer Cymru doing a five hour kick-a-thon, in July we are doing a demonstration in the Abergavenny Carnival, plus we have eighth Degree Mr Jason Wadley from the USA over doing a training session for us. In September we are involved in the Breakin' Out Festival, plus we have world champion Kickboxing star Drew Neal down for a two hour training seminar in October. It's very exciting at the moment and next year is set to be just as good'.

For information on kickboxing in Abergavenny you can visit http://www.abermartialarts.co.uk">www.abermartialarts.co.uk or telephone Lisa on 07739 720613 or Leigh on 07843 269188.

For information on Taekwondo please visit either http://www.pagefamily-taekwondo.co.uk">www.pagefamily-taekwondo.co.uk or ring Brennen Page on 07742 356818.