Who are we?

   Class Timetable  

   Personal training

   Our training venues

   Short Video Clips 

   Seminars & Events

   Seminar Reports

   Courses for Adults

   Classes for Youngsters 

   CitySport programme 

   Women in the Martial Arts

   Instructor training

   Publications

   Affiliations & Links

   Information for members:

   Member's news page

   Academy Members Forum

   Academy clothing and
   equipment

   Books for sale

The Academy was established in 1989 by instructors qualified in a variety of martial arts and combat disciplines. We offer high-quality, safe and fun classes in a friendly and appropriately relaxed environment. Our Senior Instructor, Ollie Batts, has spent more than a third of a century studying and training in the martial arts, and he currently holds instructor grades and qualifications in several different martial art systems. You can find out more about our instructors here.

New members are always welcome at the Academy whether complete beginners or experienced martial artists. If you are new to martial arts, you may be interested in our popular introductory courses in martial art and kickboxing for adults. This year, we are also running beginners martial arts & savate kickboxing courses for youngsters.

We offer two training programmes - you can chose to train in either programme or both:

Integrated fighting arts - our martial arts training sessions include both stand-up and fighting on the ground. You will learn to strike effectively with your hands, feet, knees, elbows (and more), to apply close-quarter trapping, throws and take-downs, joint locks, submission holds, immobilisation's, chokes and strangulation's, escapes and reversals from holds - either for competition or for effective self-defence.There are many hundreds, if not thousands, of individual martial art systems in existence around the world. Our training methods and techniques have been drawn from a wide range of complimentary martial art systems from around the world, not just from one individual country or region. These arts include: Filipino Eskrima, Kali, Arnis and Silat; Russian Sombo (Cambo); Chinese Jun Fan; Thai Boxing; Western Boxing; Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu; Japanese Ju-Jitsu; French Savate, Korean Hapkido, and many more.

Savate Kickboxing - Savate (pronounced sa-vat) combines effective hand strikes and dynamic kicks, and was a demonstration sport in the Paris Olympic Games in 1924. These classes concentrate on kicking and punching skills, mobility and defence. You can build up your fitness and progress at your own pace. We include 'sparring skills' for anyone who would like to learn to spar, as well as sparring sessions for intermediate and advanced students. Several members of the Academy have represented Great Britain in European and World Championship competitions. In addition, we offer classes in Savate's sister art: Canne de Combat, which is a traditional French stick fighting art consisting of striking techniques, blocks, feints and combinations. It is a long range, graceful art, involving stylish striking and athletic movement. In all free play (sparring) and in competition, padded clothing, gloves and headguards are worn.

We have an extensive Events & Seminars programme - recent seminars have included Savate & Canne de Combat with Gilles Le Duigou & Philippe Aguesse (here), Doce Pares with Grandmaster Danny Guba (here) and an evening seminar with the legendary Rick Faye, of the Minnesota Kali Group. At the end of August, five members of the Academy took part in a special training weekend for Canne de Combat and Baton in Thiais, France. The Academy regularly hosts Savate Assaut League Events and Instructor training days on behalf of the Great Britain Savate Federation. Our own Master Instructor, Ollie Batts, runs specialist seminars in Cambridge and around the UK. Go here for a report on a Filipino Martial Arts seminar held in June.

Here are a few small videos taken at the recent Cherry Hinton Festival where the Academy put on a demonstration of martial arts, including kali, savate and canne: