The University of Manchester Chinese Kickboxing Society

Tired of slogging it out at the gym? Searching for something new? Want to be trained by world class professionals?

You should join Chinese Kickboxing. Created and overseen by the inimitable Chris Boughey (7th degree black belt, England coach, chief instructor of North West Chinese Kickboxing), Chinese kickboxing is a combination of Western Chinese Kickboxing with elements of Kung Fu. A discipline unique in its power, elegance, and practicality, Chinese Kickboxing is the ultimate cure for dull, mind-numbing hours at the gym.

Training for beginners focuses first on basic stances and coordination before moving on, to more complex forms and drills, while also rapidly developing fitness levels. Think you can’t do 100 sit ups? Well, maybe you can’t now, but you’ll be surprised by how much you can do when you start training with us. UoM Chinese Kickboxing has a team of qualified black belt instructors dedicated to both the discipline and to its students, ready to provide the best workout available. Whatever your fitness level, you can train at your own pace but be prepared to push hard and give it your all!

While training is designed to prepare you for a two minute round in the ring, there’s never any obligation to take part in competitions and absolutely no mindless violence allowed in the sessions. You don’t need to worry about getting hurt (or hurting someone) in the sessions at all, because not only do we have a team of instructors on hand to make sure you are always training correctly, we also have a large supply of protective gear ready to cushion any blows. Kickboxing isn’t scary at all: it’s just good, honest fun, with punching.

Training isn’t just physically and mentally rewarding; as you progress, you qualify for belts. Markers of your hard work, they not only look good, but carry a real sense of achievement, and you can whack it on your CV to prove to prospective employers that you are dedicated, disciplined, and willing to go the extra mile. You can gain belts by taking part in gradings, which are basically elevated training sessions to test your skills. It’s totally optional to grade, but it does feel amazing receiving actual qualifications for the work you put in, and you can proudly show off that shiny new belt around your waist.

The system of belts is as follows: white, blue, orange, green, yellow, purple, brown, and of course black. We train anyone from absolutely zero knowledge of martial arts upwards, so don’t worry if you have no experience of martial arts (or if you’re a 7th degree black belt!): everyone’s welcome at UoM Chinese Kickboxing!

North West Chinese Kickboxing has been coaching the university club for twenty-six years this year, but the society is just two years old. Despite being in our infancy, we have a large and dedicated group of attendees from all walks of life training at a whole range of levels. The society is full of friendly people who can regularly be found at the pub after sessions, or at one of our many socials, including our (almost) legendary curry nights.

If you did want to take your training to the next level, NWCKB runs classes across Manchester and beyond, all of which are open to university students at the discount university rate. These offer the opportunity to step up your training with some sparring and more advanced self-defence, as well as the chance to train with, and be trained by, world medallists.

NWCKB also run Combat Leagues throughout the year for anyone who wants to test their skills at a competitive level. The last meet in March saw UoM Chinese Kickboxing senior Tom Quinn placed second in his category, receiving a trophy, and our congratulations (good job, Tom!).

We train Tuesdays 6-7pm at the Sugden Sports Centre and Thursdays 7-8pm at Trinity College Sports Centre. There’s no joining fee, and no subscription; just pay as you train, £3.90 a session for top qualified instructors and access to the best training in the world.