Sparring and training for competitions is a totally optional part of the sport and takes place in a separate additional session outside of normal class time. We sometimes train in shadow sparring during the normal classes but understandably, not everyone wants to experience full sparring.
The extra session allows the training to be focused on applying the techniques safely and competitively. We practice both light contact continuous sparring and point scoring. For those students who do take part, they enjoy the added element of excitement that sparring brings to their training and have an outlet for a naturally competitive streak.
Any student can begin learning to spar whenever they feel ready and are welcome to attend the training sessions (attending the sessions doesn't mean you have to compete either!). Sparring is exhilarating and safe as we follow strict guidelines on both protective safety equipment and rules.
Sparring Session Facts
- Sparring training is separate from all regular classes
- Sparring training is completely optional
- If you attend sparring training you do not have to compete
- All sparring is light-contact and full safety equipment must be worn
Derbyshire Kickboxing
Derbyshire Kickboxing is a division of the Professional Kickboxing Association (PKA) operating classes for all abilities in the Derbyshire area.
We have our first tournament of 2026 coming up on 10th May! 🥊
Lots of our students enjoy sparring in class, but find the tournament a bit daunting, so let’s break it down!
On the day, the tournament is between students from the Derbyshire PKA clubs, and the Nottinghamshire PKA clubs! We put all of our students into categories - juniors have age categories and adults have weight classes. So even if you’re up against someone from a different club who you don’t know, you will be evenly matched!
Students can enter into semi contact (breaks after each point is scored), light continuous (no stopping, referees take points throughout) and juniors can also enter into the padwork competition.
Our tournaments are local, and are more about having fun, having a good go at some sparring matches than it is winning titles - we want everyone to enjoy themselves more than anything!
Our next tournament is on the 10th May at Clifton Leisure Centre. As we get closer to the tournament we will have more sparring opportunities in classes, so let one of the instructing team know if you’re interested!
See your instructor for details on how to enter 😀
Lots of our students enjoy sparring in class, but find the tournament a bit daunting, so let’s break it down!
On the day, the tournament is between students from the Derbyshire PKA clubs, and the Nottinghamshire PKA clubs! We put all of our students into categories - juniors have age categories and adults have weight classes. So even if you’re up against someone from a different club who you don’t know, you will be evenly matched!
Students can enter into semi contact (breaks after each point is scored), light continuous (no stopping, referees take points throughout) and juniors can also enter into the padwork competition.
Our tournaments are local, and are more about having fun, having a good go at some sparring matches than it is winning titles - we want everyone to enjoy themselves more than anything!
Our next tournament is on the 10th May at Clifton Leisure Centre. As we get closer to the tournament we will have more sparring opportunities in classes, so let one of the instructing team know if you’re interested!
See your instructor for details on how to enter 😀
🎉 Thrilled to share that all clubs across Derbyshire Kickboxing have been certified as meeting all the required standards in safeguarding in the delivery of martial arts 🎉🥊😀 we’ve been operating to and beyond this for a long time as standard but it’s a huge endorsement to receive external accreditation and recognition for everything the team delivers every week and behind the scenes 🏆
Sad to hear the passing of Chuck Norris - a true martial arts legend who inspired generations of people across the World
In true Chuck Norris fashion and bring a smile to faces, one of my favourite legendary Chuck Norris “facts”….. when the Hulk gets angry, he turns in to Chuck Norris 😀💪 post your favourite below
Rest in peace. 👊 #legend
In true Chuck Norris fashion and bring a smile to faces, one of my favourite legendary Chuck Norris “facts”….. when the Hulk gets angry, he turns in to Chuck Norris 😀💪 post your favourite below
Rest in peace. 👊 #legend
🎉🎉 Another amazing grading day in the bag 🥊💪 over 125 students grading all the way across the PKA syllabus from Red 🔴 all the way up to Brown 🟤 belt - bucket loads of skill, effort, determination and most importantly development and improvement seen 🎉 special thanks to all the members of the instructor team who made today happen as well as the Coaching Team Melissa Osborne Adam Sharman Ceri Knapgate Paul Hickman Sean Wincott Rachael Smith Nicki Underwood Martin Ellis Jane Louise Tracey Garnham Harrison, Joel and Holly 🎉 can’t wait for the results and feedback to be handed out at next weeks classes 😀
With our first grading exam of 2026 taking place on Sunday, have a read about what happens at a PKA grading? 🤔🤔
Grading for a kickboxing belt can seem daunting, but your coaches will have prepared you in class for every step of the grading. Here’s what happens on the day:
🥊 Shadow work: everyone shows off their shadow kickboxing moves! This is where you show what punches, kicks and evasion you know without a partner holding pads. We’re looking for flowing moves, a good guard and pivots on all techniques.
🥊 Padwork routine: The coaches will give everyone a demo of a short padwork routine to work on in pairs. For higher grades, one of these will be a freestyle routine made up by you to show off your skills and how well you can hold pads. For some students, we might pair students with coaching team members.
🥊 Kickshields: You will be given both technical and power kicks to do on a kickshield. Keep your energy and guard up and give these kicks all you’ve got!
🥊 Grading sets: Our junior members will complete the first two foundation sets plus the two appropriate for awarding their next belt. Adults will complete all the grading sets across the whole syllabus in pairs. Don’t rush through these, we’re looking for energy plus great technique.
Bow out: After all your hard work, Mike Haig, founder of the PKA and association principal who oversees each grading to ensure they are all kept to the same high national standard, will bow you out.
What happens next?
Your kickboxing coach will receive feedback on how you did on the day and if you passed. If you did pass, you’ll be told if it was a Pass, Merit or Distinction mark and award your belt at the end of the your next class 🥳 You’ll also receive a certificate and important feedback notes to take forwards to your next grading exam
Good luck to everyone who has stepped up to take either their first or next belt 📆looking forwards to seeing you there 👍🥊😀
Grading for a kickboxing belt can seem daunting, but your coaches will have prepared you in class for every step of the grading. Here’s what happens on the day:
🥊 Shadow work: everyone shows off their shadow kickboxing moves! This is where you show what punches, kicks and evasion you know without a partner holding pads. We’re looking for flowing moves, a good guard and pivots on all techniques.
🥊 Padwork routine: The coaches will give everyone a demo of a short padwork routine to work on in pairs. For higher grades, one of these will be a freestyle routine made up by you to show off your skills and how well you can hold pads. For some students, we might pair students with coaching team members.
🥊 Kickshields: You will be given both technical and power kicks to do on a kickshield. Keep your energy and guard up and give these kicks all you’ve got!
🥊 Grading sets: Our junior members will complete the first two foundation sets plus the two appropriate for awarding their next belt. Adults will complete all the grading sets across the whole syllabus in pairs. Don’t rush through these, we’re looking for energy plus great technique.
Bow out: After all your hard work, Mike Haig, founder of the PKA and association principal who oversees each grading to ensure they are all kept to the same high national standard, will bow you out.
What happens next?
Your kickboxing coach will receive feedback on how you did on the day and if you passed. If you did pass, you’ll be told if it was a Pass, Merit or Distinction mark and award your belt at the end of the your next class 🥳 You’ll also receive a certificate and important feedback notes to take forwards to your next grading exam
Good luck to everyone who has stepped up to take either their first or next belt 📆looking forwards to seeing you there 👍🥊😀
📣 CONFIRMED GRADING EXAM SESSIONS 📣 see below session split and times for our first grading exam of 2026 on Sunday 15th March at Belper Leisure Centre 🥊👍📆
Please check and confirm your session time with your instructor - with over 125 belts being graded for, the day is extremely busy and late comers will not be permitted to start their exam
🔴 Juniors taking Red Belt = 09:00 to 09:45
🟡🟠 Juniors taking Yellow & Orange belt = 10:00 to 10:45
🔴🟡🟠Adults taking Red, Yellow and Orange belts = 11:00 to 11:45
🟢🔵🟣🟤 Juniors taking Green, Blue, Purple and Brown Belts plus Adults taking Brown Belt = 12:00 to 13:00
🟢🔵🟣🟤 Adults taking Green, Blue, Purple and Brown Belts = 13:15 to 14:15
Good luck everyone 🥊👍💪😀
Please check and confirm your session time with your instructor - with over 125 belts being graded for, the day is extremely busy and late comers will not be permitted to start their exam
🔴 Juniors taking Red Belt = 09:00 to 09:45
🟡🟠 Juniors taking Yellow & Orange belt = 10:00 to 10:45
🔴🟡🟠Adults taking Red, Yellow and Orange belts = 11:00 to 11:45
🟢🔵🟣🟤 Juniors taking Green, Blue, Purple and Brown Belts plus Adults taking Brown Belt = 12:00 to 13:00
🟢🔵🟣🟤 Adults taking Green, Blue, Purple and Brown Belts = 13:15 to 14:15
Good luck everyone 🥊👍💪😀
🎉📣 thrilled to share two new clubs opening soon and the growth of the Derbyshire Kickboxing family 🎉 David Allen-Ashcroft is opening Bakewell on 9th Feb at Lady Manners School, DE45 1JA and Jon Davies is opening Chesterfield at Hall on the Green, S41 8EQ on 26th Feb 🥊😀please like and share
🎉 Happy New Year to all our students, coaching team and instructors who have made 2025 such an amazing year for Derbyshire Kickboxing 🎉
🎅🧑🎄 Merry Christmas everyone, hope you have a great day 🎉
🎉 great way to finish the year welcoming two new members of the instructing team 🎉 Jon Davies and David Allen-Ashcroft from the Matlock class have successfully completed the Coach Confirmation Programme, competing practical delivery of classes across all our clubs as well as building their skills in the behind the scenes parts of being an instructor including health & safety, safeguarding and customer service 👍😀 both have worked tirelessly to achieve this amazing milestone to be awarded their Blue trousers and will be opening clubs of their own in early 2026 🎉 huge thanks to the existing team who have helped on their journey and especially Adam Sharman, Matlock class instructor for all his hard work 💪
📣🎅🧑🎄 As we near the festive break, please see below full club timetable of last classes of 2025 and first ones of 2026 📆 📣 Ripley class will also be moving to Wednesdays 7pm till 8pm after securing a bigger space in Ripley leisure centre to enable more advanced training to be done safely 👍🥊 as usual with our clubs, any missed sessions can be taken up at any of our clubs with no time limit so you get the most out of being part of our extended family of clubs 🥰