About Us
Masters Academy Instructors
From left to right: Matt Chapman 5th Dan Chief Instructor & Founder / Kerry Hughes 3rd Dan - Anton St James 7th Dan Masters Instructor / Tina Cullender 2nd Dan / Daniel Lloyd 3rd Dan / Danielle Schaffer 3rd Dan / Martin Lowe Brown Belt / Zilha Evans-Nicolle 2nd Dan / James Evans- Nicolle 5th Dan Chief Instructor & Founder / Richard Baskin (Not pictured) 3rd Dan.
What do we teach?
- Masters Academy offer the following classes:
Kickboxing. An American sport which combines Karate Kicks with western boxing. Great for getting into shape and toning up.
Kids Kickboxing. The popular American sport with the dangerous techniques removed and an emphasis on developing fitness, control and confidence.
Thaiboxing. A powerful style of kickboxing that includes, punches, kicks, knees, elbows and throws. Very basic and easy to learn, Great for a super tough workout
Mixed Martial Arts. Exactly what it says. A mix of martial arts that blends stand up striking and groundwork. Made popular by the UFC promotion. Includes Kickboxing, Wrestling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. A whole body, all round mega work out.
Escrima. A Filipino martial art developed to defend against weapons. Classes include the use of single stick, double stick, knife, staff and other weapons along with an effective empty hand system.
Keysi Fighting Method. A modern art that studies the street and real fighting. Involves cultivating natural survival instincts to keep you alive when things go terribly wrong. An intense workout that will challenge your physical and mental limits.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. An art that concentrates on ground fighting. By using leverage and weight BJJ teaches how a smaller, weaker person can defeat a bigger, stronger person whilst wrestling standing or on the ground. A technical and physically tough class that will make you work and think hard, taught by a Brazilian BJJ black belt.
For more information about classes please visit our Classes page.
What are the benefits?
Masters Academy Martial Arts is designed to simultaneously achieve several goals including:
- MAMAS will help you achieve good overall fitness. It will improve your cardiovascular efficiency, flexibility, muscular endurance and help you lose weight. You will have more energy and vitality to help deal with the pressure of modern day living, as well as a sense of calm and overall well-being.
- MAMAS is also designed to teach you how to defend yourself as quickly as possible. This will include awareness training as well as effective self defence techniques.
- Classes are carefully structured using a sports science approach. Classes are well balanced with warm up and cool down stages avoiding any dangerous or strenuous exercises. Classes are suitable for all ages, male and female.
History of Masters Academy
Masters Academy started 10 years ago when friends Matthew Chapman and James Evans-Nicolle decided they did not want to have real jobs!
“Ten years ago, at the University of East London where we were studying sports science we set up a kickboxing class in the sports centre. This was well attended by students and local residents and provided a little extra cash for us to spend on beer! Two of our first students, Del Seager and Alex Wall, are still training with us to this day.”
With the goal of looking for a full time academy, they went on a search for suitable locations in the Essex area and arrived at the David Lloyd Leisure Centre in Chigwell. They enquired as to whether or not they had any spaces available for kickboxing classes.
“We met with the assistant manager, who also practised martial arts, who allowed us to set up a couple of classes in the sports hall and bar area.”
After 2 weeks of handing out flyers they had their first demonstration which was attended by 20 members of the public. Several of these people came back the week after to start training and some are still training to this day, Richard Baskin and Darren Simcox being just two of them.
The classes at the David Lloyd gradually began to grow. By this time there was no more space available for them to continue teaching there.
“We decided to set up a satellite class at the Forest Ladies Only Fitness Centre in Epping where we taught kids Karate and Kick Fit aerobics classes.”
Unfortunately, after a year, the centre shut down so new premises had to be found. After enquiring at the Seedbed Centre in Debden, unit E10 was made available for their use.
“We spent a week renovating, painting, cleaning and modifying it to meet our needs, and then introduced it to the public with a grand champagne opening. Most of our students from the David Lloyd and the Forest Centre came down and celebrated with us.”
After a few years they had outgrown Unit E10 but had to wait a whole year for another unit to become available. Eventually, the plumber training firm relocated to Waltham Abbey and the unit was theirs! Masters Academy II was open on 10 Sept 2005 at Unit C3.
“We have now outgrown this unit, and are currently looking for a bigger premises to allow us to have a larger training area, a boxing ring, a half cage, a weights area, changing rooms, an office, a reception, and a comfortable, bigger waiting/spectators area.”
Since those humble beginnings at the University of East London they have taught thousands of people and taken 50 plus students to Black Belt level and beyond and have competed at a high level in Mixed Martial Arts, grappling and stick fighting.
“Both of us have won belts in our respective weights at the Cage Fighters Championships, and have recently been graded to 5th Degree Black Belts by Anton St James which now makes us two of the highest graded martial artist’s in Essex.”
Both James and Matt continually update their training with trips to America and Thailand to train with some of the best instructors in the world. They also invite high level instructors like Bob Breen, Ian Freeman, Erik Paulson and various Thai born champions to teach at Masters Academy regularly.
We are commited to offering the very best instruction and service to our students. We are constantly investing in the Academy by buying new equipment or by organising world class instruction. We have the reputation of being the best Martial Arts Academy in the area and we want to keep it by keeping our students happy, fit and motivated"
