Black belt boost for teenager (From Somerset County Gazette)

Black belt boost for teenager

9:49am Tuesday 8th July 2008

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TAUNTON student Brennain Scantlebury has earned his black belt at aikido - regarded as one of the most difficult martial arts to master.

Brennain, 15, was given the accolade on Monday after grading at United Dojos Martial Arts, where he first started training in 2005 aged 12.

"Brennain has done exceptionally well to achieve this grade in under four years," said Sarah Luddington, for the Taunton-based club.

"We are a martial arts training facility with extremely high standards and we expect a lot of our students if we are to grade them to black belt.

"Unlike kickboxing or karate, and so on, it is highly unusual for anybody under the age of 18 to achieve this standard in aikido."

In the grading, which was conducted over a period of weeks, he demonstrated specific self defence techniques against all manner of attacks, including bladed weapons and multiple attackers.

It also included a written paper and the final stages of the process were completed on Monday.

Brennain, who is in year ten at Bishop Fox's School, wants to study photography and graphics at college and is also a keen skateboarder.

Aikido was the martial art made famous by action movie star Steven Seagal and works on the principle of using the opponent's own energy and strength against them.

It is a highly practical self-defence system using movement and avoidance rather than physical strength.

United Dojos Martial Arts offer classes for children aged from about five through until they are old enough to join the adult class.

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