Club Information

The Clubs

The Jason Rodd Academy of Tae kwon-do was established in West Kirby on March 2nd 2000. It has since become one of the leading Tae Kwon-do clubs in the Wirral & Cheshire region and in Jan 2005 was joined by two other T.A.G.B. clubs Elton & Runcorn est. 2001.  Our Clubs have an unsurpassed record in competition and run many social events throughout the year.  The clubs are headed by Chief Instructor Mr Jason Rodd 3rd Degree Black Belt who teaches at all of the three clubs and classes which are always taught in safe, friendly and professional manner.   At our clubs, we do our very best to give all members the possibility of reaching their full potential. We have produced many junior/senior local and national Champions in both free Sparring and patterns.  I have trained with many highly regarded seniors and masters in the Martial art of Tae kwon-do and I feel this has helped me to progress not only with my own knowledge, but that of the students that grace our clubs.

Meet the Team

Chief Instructor:   Mr Jason Rodd 3rd Dan Training in TKD 13 years.

       
My Instructor:

Mr. Tony Littlejohns 5th degree Black Belt of Neston Ellesmere Port TKD.

Why I Started TKD :

For most of my childhood and teenage years, I played football like most other boy's / teenagers, right up to the age of 22yrs. One night I was at football practice at the local sports centre when I stumbled across TKD. I'd seen a couple of old friends doing it, and hadn't heard of it before. So I asked them about it the next time I saw them and they suggested I should have ago, so I did. And as the saying goes "the rest is history". I've never looked back since that first lesson I just couldn't help it I was hooked. Although it was hard, and still is, something in my brain / body / heart said to me you must stick with this however hard it gets. 13yrs on and I still love every minute of practicing the art of TKD. It is an excellent form of self-defence, with the added bonuses of flexibility, fitness, sport (competition), and above all... fun. Biggest achievement to date: Running my own successful TKD Schools, which I had established in March 2000 at West Kirby and recently Elton & Runcorn in 2005, which I took over from another instructor.

Favourite Technique:

Jumping reverse sidekick / back kick.
The most influential individual I have trained with Master Willie Lim 8th degree Tae Kwon-do.

Likes:

Being a TKD instructor, being married to my gorgeous wife and  two lovely children, martial arts films and philosophy.

Dislikes:

Bad sportsmanship.
Unreasonable people.
Dishonesty.
Bad Time keepers.

The best aspects of TKD:

Patterns, doing my up most in training and in everyday life to observe the Tenets of TKD, meeting new people, teaching and developing people skills within a safe environment, and most of all the feel good factor from doing it.

What's next?

Turned Professional on April 21st 2006 and looking forward to promoting TKD in and around the areas I teach. Continue to train hard, achieve 4th Dan status and give as much knowledge back to my students as possible.

Assistant Instructor   Colin Jones 2nd Dan Training in TKD 8 years.

Junior Assistants

Junior Assistant Hannah Roberts 1st Dan Training in TKD 6 Years.

Junior Assistant Matthew Pearce 1st Dan Training in TKD 5 1/2 Years.

Lesson Information

Make sure you’re always arrive at the lesson 5 minutes early and be pre-pared for some hard work. Lessons always start with a line up in grade order senior grade always top right hand corner if viewed from the back. This is then followed by the Tae Kwon-do oath. Following this is the warm up - a vital part of all physical sports. Without warming up properly you are much more likely to suffer serious muscle injuries. The rest of the lesson varies, but normally consists of some or all of: Basic movements, Patterns, 1-3 Step Sparring, Semi-Free Sparring, Free Sparring, Small and Large Focus Pad Work, Self defence etc. The lesson normally finishes with stretching and a warm-down.

Equipment

Students will require a number of items of equipment to aid them in training. For beginners, comfortable sports clothing is all that is required, bare feet and no jewellery (for safety reasons). Before a student takes their first grading, they will require the standard TAGB white dobok and a set of North Midlands TAGB Korean Terminology cards. They will also require a licence (shown below), which is renewable annually. Additional equipment is not required until Blue Tag, when sparring equipment is required to take the grading. However, students are encouraged to purchase equipment as soon as they can afford it, as it greatly improves their training, and loan equipment is not always available. Equipment that should be purchased through myself, can be viewed in the online catalogue, and the order placed with the instructor. It is always advisable to ask the instructors advice whether or not items are suitable for their training before ordering.

Club dobok’s are also available.
The costs of the suits are as follows: -
Sizes 00 - 02 £40.00
Sizes 02 - 07 £45.00
(the sizes are the same as your white TAGB dobok’s)

Grading Information

Grading’s take place four times a year at St Agnes Hall, West Kirby and is at the discretion of the instructor. Many things may affect the student’s chance of taking a grading, such as attendance, or the students ability to execute the required moves, but the final decision is with the instructor. All grading’s are usually overseen by Master Brian Towndrow (7th Dan), and instructor, Mr Jason Rodd. Here, students are called up in front of the examiners and their skills tested relevant to their grade.

Belts and Grades Duration

• 10th Kup to Yellow stripe (9th Kup) 3 months.
• 9th Kup to Yellow belt (8th Kup) 3 months.
• 8th Kup to Green stripe belt (7thKup) 3months.
• 7th Kup to Green belt (6th Kup) 3 months.
• 6th Kup to Blue stripe (5th Kup) 3 months.
• 5th Kup to Blue belt (4th Kup) 3 months.
• 4th Kup to Red stripe (3rd Kup) 6 months.
• 3rd Kup to Red belt (2nd Kup) 6 months.
• 2nd Kup to Black stripe (1st Kup) 6 months.
• 1st Kup to Black belt (1st Dan) 6 months.
• Black belt to 2nd Degree 2 Years.
• 2nd Degree to 3rd Degree 3 Years.
• 3rd Degree to 4th Degree 4 Years.
• 4th Degree to 5th Degree 5 Years

If you are successful in your grading, you will be rewarded for all your hard work with your new belt and a grading certificate, signed by your instructor and the examiner.
Then the hard work begins again with only three or six months to your next grading!!

T.A.G.B Syllabus Book

The TAGB have produced an excellent new book for you, the student, and gives all you need to know for your grading’s from White Belt to Black Belt (10th to 1st Kup). This book covers all the colour belt patterns, target areas, all set sparring etc.

The book contains over 160 colour photographs and is a very good investment for all students.

If you would like a copy, they will be available from your instructor at a cost of £24.99.

Tae Kwon-do Oath

I shall observe the tenets of Tae Kwon-do
I shall respect the instructor and seniors
I shall never misuse Tae Kwon-do
I shall be a champion of freedom and justice
I shall build a more peaceful world.

Organisations

Tae Kwon-Do was introduced into the UK during 1967, but owing to subsequent political differences arising in Korea, first two then several competing groups came into existence. A number of these were and are dominated by foreign nationals with financial & political interests in what they are doing. A group of the most senior British TKD instructors eventually became so disillusioned with the situation that in 1983 they joined together to form what is know the Biggest single martial Arts organisation in GB today called" The Tae Kwon-Do Association Of Great Britain" T.A.G.B. Our Association has over 600 schools and over 23,000 members across the UK.

The T.A.G.B. also helped found T.K.D.I. Tae Kwon-Do International, the object of which is to bring together TKD practitioners throughout the world. T.K.D.I. is non-political and doesn't attempt to dictate to member countries how they must run their affairs.

The T.A.G.B. is not just concerned with its own development. That’s why it helped play a leading role in the

reunification of British TKD into one body called The B.T.C. The British Tae Kwon-Do Council in 1988. This organization is the only governing body of TKD to be recognised by the Sports Council.