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Drum: ACTIVE 91
body as you train. It’s a sport that demands great
composure of its students. I have become more
humble and patient as a man because of kickboxing.”
Gavin leads a very hectic lifestyle. As an events
organiser/graphic designer/professional youth worker
his time is spent juggling the various demands of his
profession. For him, kickboxing is a way of organising
his life. “Training provides you with a goal,” he says.
“You learn how to structure your life. Time management
is life management. You become more focused on the
goal at hand.” As well as structuring his lifestyle,
kickboxing has motivated Gavin to restructure his diet.
No longer a consumer of red meat, he has taken great
steps to monitor the foods that he puts into his
system. His next aim is to banish all meats from his
diet altogether and become a vegan. “With this
sport you have to be very self-motivated. It can be
very hard and draining, but it is worth it because of
the results you achieve physically and mentally.”
Gavin developed his skills at the Sports Studio in
South Hampstead. He received his training
there under the tutelage of his father
Sensei George McKenzie, himself a
British, European and World Kickboxing
champion. The club has only been
open for under 4 years but has
managed to amass numerous
trophies and awards for its
students. Gavin first started
training when he was eight years
old. “I was bullied into it!” he
jokes. “My father forced me into
it. At first, I resented it but
gradually I began to appreciate
and respect it. As someone
who has grown up on an innercity housing estate, I was
surrounded by misfortune and
negativity. kickboxing allowed
me to escape from that and
provided me with a goal.”
As well as being a British
champion, Gavin is also a tutor
of kickboxing. He has also travelled around the
world to compete in tournaments. He says, “I’m
proud of my achievements but there’s always room
for improvement.” He is currently training for the
WAKO Championships in December and hopes to
“ It has been acknowledged as a
sport that requires great strength
and discipline.”
add the title of World Champion to his achievements.
When in competition his normal training sessions
increase from 2-3 times a week to 4-5. Despite the
demands kickboxing places on its students it is still
a sport that is open to people from all walks of life.
Adults and children alike all participate, helping to
banish the memories of corny 80s American martial
arts movies.
Visit Sports Studio at www.aiminghigh.org for more
information about kickboxing classes.