Students
Mr. Vincent Dinapoli
I first got involved with Cardiff North Taekwon-do when my son, Alfie, started training in January 2014 after a recommendation from a family friend that is also a student. At this point, my involvement was never going to be any more than support and spectate. Looking back, I now realize I was probably more tempted to join in than I cared to admit, just felt I was too old, unfit, and pretty much past it. As Alfie started progressing through the ranks he entered first a national and then a local competition. We somehow ended up with a running bet that when he won his first Gold medal I would start training in class (purely as an incentive for him). The inevitable happened and he did us proud winning first, a silver medal at the British Open and then another Silver and his first Gold at the ITF Wales competition in December.
Not being one to break a promise, suddenly there I was.. 37 years old, no interest in sport, a poor fitness level, and at that point a heavy smoker lining up with the rest of class. All that was going through my head was “What the hell are you doing ?..”. Fast forward to now, and I struggle to find the words to describe what a positive difference Taekwon-do has made to my life. Under the excellent instruction of Mr. Johns, and with the absolute unwavering support of my family and also everyone involved in the school from committee members to students and their families, friends, and relatives I have made steady progress and am now working towards my black belt grading. That in itself is something that I never in a million years thought myself capable of and that on its own would be a huge achievement, made even more so if I achieve it alongside my son. Starting Taekwon-do has given me the incentive to give up smoking (since April 2015) and get myself into probably the best physical condition I’ve been in since my teenage years. I enjoy the team-spirited training with such a diverse group of students but also the traditional discipline that is so important to the art and its heritage. It goes hand in hand with Mr. Johns own ethos of training and learning whilst promoting family values and supporting those that need it.
James and Evie Morgan
I Like Taekwondo as it makes me a stronger better person. I also like taekwondo because it's good to socialise with people I would not meet naturally. Everyone is so friendly.
I like Taekwondo because it makes me healthier, fitter, and more disciplined. Everyone there is so friendly and we all help each other.
Anja and Luke
We are a married couple and have performed other martial arts for several years.
We were looking for a new opportunity when we moved to Cardiff in 2018. We
approached Mr. Johns and were invited to watch a lesson and were able to ask
questions. Once we started training, we quickly got to know the other students.
Mr. Johns runs his class like a family. He highlights individual and team strengths and
efforts while pushing us to do better. The warm-ups are always really good fun and
the class is always different. We quickly felt part of the community and we particularly like the kicking and board breaking.
We are both green belts now which we are very proud of especially seeing as one of
us has a long-term knee injury and we had a baby. Three months after giving birth
Anja won a bronze medal in a regional competition and received student of the year
2020. We even continued classes over zoom or outside during the pandemic, such
dedication by our instructor won him an international award recognizing his dedication to the sport.
We really look up to the skills of senior students and Mr. Johns is a fantastic martial
artist. Taekwondo really taught us to think about the science of movements and has
highlighted that martial arts should be a family affair for young and old. We cannot
wait for our son to turn 5 to start class.
Gareth Jones
I joined the school in autumn 2020 with the intention of supporting my 2 sons who joined at the same point.
Over the past year, we’ve been made to feel part of the family. Every member trains hard with a welcoming style.
Don’t let the smiles deceive you, standards are really high and the correct technique is critical to improving.
Mr. John’s teaching is clear, concise yet challenging.
So after a year where we’ve trained online in living rooms, I’ve achieved my yellow belt and my sons have also passed their gradings.
I’ve had fun, got fitter and more flexible, and become part of the family.
So if you want to learn a new art and get fit in a fun and focussed environment then come and join us