Kickboxing a Brief History

Kickboxing has evolved enormously since it was first created in the mid 1970's.

In the early days, kickboxing was simply an adaptation of freestyle karate and other martial arts but with the addition of boxing gloves.

Over 30 years of development and refinement has made kickboxing a unique sport in its own right and a highly respected martial arts discipline.

The PKA are the founders of American Sport Kickboxing in the UK under our principal Mr. Mike Haig
Our roots in pure American Sport Kickboxing, we are not ex-Karate or ex-Kung Fu practitioners but 100% Kickboxing trained.

PKA Kickboxing Guarantee

As the father of American Kickboxing in Great Britain and Europe, I take the responsibility of making sure that PKA-Kickboxing Instructors are of the highest quality, the best. For this reason I insist that all Instructors have Nationally Recognised Coaching Awards, Enhanced CRB checks, adequate insurance and attend regular training seminars to ensure that PKA-Kickboxing students consistently have the benefits of ongoing developments in the sport that they love.

Unfortunately due to the popularity of Kickboxing there are many bogus instructors about. As the PKA are the founders of American Kickboxing our members have the confidence and knowledge that they are learning the real thing. The PKA offers a pure American Kickboxing system, not something dreamed up by some second-rate martial artist trying to cash in on its popularity.

The PKA started American Kickboxing, it is here now and it will be here in the future. If you are ever unhappy about one of your Kickboxing lessons we will refund your training fee. Very few Martial Arts offers this guarantee and follow through with it. I also guarantee that you will find training in the congenial atmosphere of a PKA-Kickboxing club an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

You will learn new skills, meet new friends and enter a very rewarding phase of your life.

May I welcome you into the world of PKA-Kickboxing.

PKA Classes

We fine tune our classes to appeal to the masses rather than just hardcore martial arts practitioners. Only by training with us will you learn true Sport Kickboxing as it was intended to be, dynamic, varied, exciting and above all, safe.

The many benefits of Kickboxing include:

Children

  • Improved focus and attention span
  • Teaches respect and discipline
  • Make new friends
  • Improved confidence
  • Improved fitness and strength

Teens & Adults

  • Proven weight loss
  • Improved cardio fitness
  • Better muscle tone
  • Greater strength and flexibility
  • Improved self confidence

Although we have trained many great fighters, sparring and competition is completely optional, you will never be forced into doing anything you do not want to.

Derbyshire Kickboxing

Derbyshire Kickboxing is a division of the Professional Kickboxing Association (PKA) operating classes for all abilities in the Derbyshire area.
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire KickboxingSunday, October 4th, 2026 at 9:29am
πŸ₯ŠπŸ‘ video highlights from yesterdays interclub with Kickbox UK πŸŽ‰
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire KickboxingSunday, October 4th, 2026 at 9:03am
πŸŽ‰ Amaxing day at our interclub with Kickbox UK yesterday with a packed day of bouts πŸ₯ŠπŸ˜€ plenty of skill, determination but most importantly smiles and friendships built across the sport πŸ‘ massive thanks to all the instructors and coaching team who helped make the day run so smoothly
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire KickboxingSaturday, October 3rd, 2026 at 7:28am
πŸŽ‰ good luck everyone stepping onto the competition mat today for our final interclub of the year with our PKA sister clubs from Kickbox UK πŸ₯ŠπŸ‘πŸ˜€
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire KickboxingTuesday, September 22nd, 2026 at 11:30am
🧐 how long does it take 30 new members of the Coaching Team to put a competition mat together with no prior experience or guidance? 12 minutes β±οΈπŸŽ‰ well done everyone πŸ’ͺπŸ˜€ musical accompaniment for comedic effect πŸ˜‚
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire KickboxingTuesday, September 22nd, 2026 at 11:25am
πŸŽ‰ Amazing weekend with our PKA sister clubs from Kickbox UK and the next generation of Coaching Team members progressing on the martial arts journey πŸŽ‰ plenty of laughs with the learning and blessed to have such an engaged and energised group making the weekend fun πŸ˜€πŸ’ͺπŸ₯ŠπŸŽ‰
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire KickboxingWednesday, September 16th, 2026 at 6:15am
I am sure everyone will join me in wishing a very Happy Birthday to Neil Fletcher πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‚πŸΎπŸ»πŸ₯³
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire KickboxingSunday, September 13th, 2026 at 8:37pm
Huge congratulations to Coach Jon Davies who runs our Chesterfield Kickboxing class for stepping in to the ring and competing in a full contact K1 event in Leicester πŸ₯ŠπŸ’ͺπŸŽ‰ despite it being a β€˜no contest’ event with no officially declared winner, we’re confident the decision would have gone his way if there had been one πŸ† Jon is not only a fantastic sparring coach, he does it as well πŸŽ‰πŸ‘πŸ’ͺ well done Jon!
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire KickboxingTuesday, September 1st, 2026 at 3:14pm
πŸ“£πŸ₯Š INTERCLUB INCOMING πŸ₯ŠπŸ“£
Looking forwards to our next event with our PKA sister clubs from Kickbox UK - see your instructor to get your entry in πŸŽ‰
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire KickboxingSunday, July 12th, 2026 at 8:45pm
πŸŽ‰πŸ₯Š our busiest and best grading exam yet πŸ₯ŠπŸŽ‰ over 145 belts taken across the PKA national standard with every club from the Derbyshire Kickboxing family represented πŸ’ͺ huge well done to everyone, the standard, skill and determination was clear from the first minute of the junior red belt session, all the way to the end of the adult higher grades exam πŸ˜€ huge thanks to everyone from the instructing and coaching team who sure today ran so smoothly Melissa Osborne Adam Sharman Paul Hickman Sean Wincott David Allen-Ashcroft Jon Davies Martin Ellis Tracey Garnham Kate HJ Rachael Smith Nicki Underwood Harrison, Joel, Holly & Lee Marsh πŸ‘
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire KickboxingSunday, July 12th, 2026 at 6:45am
Good luck everyone taking their grading exam today from across the association πŸ‘πŸ₯ŠπŸ’ͺ
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire KickboxingThursday, July 9th, 2026 at 8:55am
πŸ“£ CONFIRMED GRADING EXAM SESSIONS πŸ“£ see below session split and times for our mid-year grading exam on Sunday 12th July at Belper Leisure Centre πŸ₯ŠπŸ‘πŸ“†

Please check and confirm your session time with your instructor - with over 140 belts being graded for, the day is extremely busy and late comers will not be permitted to start their exam

πŸ”΄ Juniors taking Red Belt = 09:00 to 09:45
🟑🟠 Juniors taking Yellow & Orange belt = 10:00 to 10:45
πŸ”΄πŸŸ‘πŸŸ Adults taking Red, Yellow and Orange belts = 11:00 to 11:45
πŸŸ’πŸ”΅πŸŸ£ Juniors taking Green, Blue and Purple belt = 12:00 to 13:00
πŸŸ’πŸ”΅πŸŸ£ Adults taking Green, Blue and Purple belt = 13:15 to 14:15

Good luck everyone πŸ₯ŠπŸ‘πŸ’ͺπŸ˜€
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire KickboxingSunday, July 5th, 2026 at 2:40pm
πŸŽ‰ great sparring session with Megan Vardy and students at Utopia Martial Arts in Sheffield πŸ₯ŠπŸ’ͺπŸ˜€ big thanks to Jon Davies for helping run the session and all the Derbyshire Kickboxing students who represented their clubs so well and forging new links across the martial arts community πŸ‘