Andy Nugent - Instructor Profile

Andy Nugent has been involved in martial arts for over twenty years, starting with the traditional style of Shotokan Karate. He trained in this style for approximately five years gaining his 1st Dan Black Belt. Once gaining this he also began to study the art of Japanese Ju-Jitsu training for approx three years. In 91’ Andy left the traditional styles of Karate & Ju-Jitsu to begin training under the World renowned John Harvey studying Kick/Thai boxing & Kali/Escrima.

Here he found the two arts very complementary to each other and enjoyed the more realistic approach to combat. By 93’ he began to get more involved in the competition side of Kali/Escrima and began to achieve many honours within the sport. Collecting many 1st & 2nd places in British & European championships his greatest achievement came in 94’ collecting a gold medal in the World full contact stick fighting in Cebu Philippines.

By the end of 96’ Andy started training with Bob Breen, Bob is regarded as one of the top JKD instructors in Europe along with Terry Barnet who are both Full Instructors under Dan Inosanto (one of Bruce Lees original students). Gaining his Black Belt under the Bob Breen Academy in 97’ his training now covered many aspects of martial arts including Jun Fan Gung Fu, JKD concepts and Filipino martial arts.

For the last seven years Andy has also been training privately with Bob Spour in Traditional Thai boxing and by early 99’ had achieved the grade of instructor under the ‘Phraya Pichai Muay Thai Camp’.

July 03’ saw Andy complete one of his long term goals in becoming an instructor under the top man in JKD, Dan Inosanto. One of only 30 people in the country to be under Dan Inosanto as an instructor this has made the club exclusive to the Inosanto name. This has also given Andy the opportunity to train with some of the top coaches in the World, one such coach was Erik Paulson of CSW (Combat Submission Wrestling) who gave Andy instructor status in October 04’. In April 2008 during Andy's 6th instructor camp in Los Angeles, he was promoted to Associate Instructor by Dan Inosanto.

Andy still trains as much as he can as a student but has been concentrating on the grappling arts, studying extensively in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to purple belt level under Roger Brooking of the Master Team. In June 2009 he was awarded his Brown belt by Eduardo Ferreira (himself under 9 time World champion Ricardo Vieira).

Andy has a very open approach to martial arts regardless of style or association and feels the policy of No Egos, No Politics & everyone enjoying themselves can only be good for the club and martial arts in general.