“They are all Belters, said Billy Murray ”

It was a busy weekend at the ProKick HQ for junior & senior members and for the other ProKick clubs around the country. On Sunday May 28th, almost 50 adults and 20 ProKick kids took a step up the ladder of excellence taking their grades in yellow right through senior blue belt.
“The holiday season is about to start and everyone wants to get into shape for the summer ,” said a delighted Billy Murray prokick’s senior instructor. “Congratulations to all those who passed their grading, it’s a mark of their hard work, talent and application.”

Also people from the Falls and Shankill roads were fighting again at the weekend - and its all former world champion kickboxer Billy Murray's fault!
But there was no reason to fear a breakdown in any new intercommunity relations. Both sets came together at Murray’s ProKick Gym to win new grading belts in kickboxing.
“We’ve been opening a lot of new ProKick classes recently,” explained Murray. “Two of the most successful were in Shankill and Falls Leisure Centres. After each six week course, I grade the members to see if they can get their yellow belt – or higher – and I thought it would be a great gesture to bring members of both gyms together at ProKick HQ in east Belfast. There was a great atmosphere, great spirit. All were united in their attempts to be the best they can in kickboxing. It was a fantastic day having people from both communities in the same hall sharing the same goal.”
He added that because of the inclusive nature of his kickboxing organisation – whose key slogan is Truth, Discipline, Respect – there was a great atmosphere during the grading.

A grading is when KickBoxing students, non-contact and contact, are assessed through a series of levels / grades, with the base level being White Belt, through ten levels, finally reaching a Dan grade at black belt, which is equivalent, if you like, to a degree level in KickBoxing. This type of achievement would take, on average, between six and eight years.

It’s not just in Belfast that kickboxing is kicking off big. With outlets in Ballynahinch, Larne, Derry, Carrickfergus, Ards and Bangor, kickboxing is, according to Murray, the “most fashionable sport of the 21st century”.
“For many different reasons people take up kickboxing. Some want to get ready for the ring, some just want to lose weight, improve self-defence skills and self-confidence. They come from all walks of life and all age groups. It’s truly a sport for all.”
For information on joining a prokick class around the country call ProKick on 028 9065 1074

For information on joining a prokick class around the country call ProKick on 028 9065 1074

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