Carl is with American Mixed Martial Arts Fighter Ashley ‘ Smashley’ Cummins. They discuss the journey Ashley has taken and how she now successfully combines her passion for MMA and her role as a police officer.

She started with martial arts as a child and then as a teenager moved into MMA, now she balances being a MMA professional with her career as a fulltime police officer in California.

This is a great opportunity to hear from someone whose passion for MMA, police work and volunteering is what drives her forward every day. If you want to be inspired listen in now.

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Having good quality kit has really helped me in my fights.
• My MMA skills give me confidence when I’m working as a police officer.
• When I’m in the cage fighting, my background as a police officer helps me get a good perspective and not be overwhelmed.
• I’m able to focus on the fight that is happening at that point.
• Every day I learn ten new things and I’ve been working and fighting for thirteen years
• Boxing helps kids to stay on the right path and gives them confidence.
• We put on a day ‘Box with a cop’  to give kids the chance to work and be with positive role models.
• At the end of the program each police officer gave the kid they had worked with HK gloves and it was amazing to see the reaction.
• Having something of their own was really significant.
• Lots of kids need the opportunity to work with mentors and have a routine and consistency.
• The program gives them the hope and motivation they need in life.
• Follow Smashley at   https://www.instagram.com/smashleymma/?hl=en

BEST MOMENTS

‘I love being able to do both my passions’

‘I can’t thank you enough for helping to make these kids dreams come true’

‘We have different game plans for each fight’

 

VALUABLE RESOURCES

HKA Main landing page www.hastingskickboxing.co.uk/kickstartnow

YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/user/Hastingskickboxing

HKA Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Hastingskickboxing

Adult community link  https://m.facebook.com/groups/274624209886110?ref=share 

 

 

ABOUT THE HOST

Hi, my name is Carl Denne.  

I was born in Hastings in 1980. Married, father of two beautiful daughters, Bethany and Leigha. 

My daughters, the wife, and gym ARE MY LIFE.

IF I’M HONEST, I pretty much failed at school. Heavily dyslexic, I was dismissed for being a “naughty kid” that didn’t want to learn. I was heavily bullied for having shit clothes and ginger afro hair. I didn’t have many friends. 

When I say bullied I don’t mean called a “poo-poo head” and being looked at in a nasty way. I mean thrown downstairs, and hit with chairs and tables. Clothes were stolen whilst in the shower. That kind of bullying…

Oh, how things have changed… 

Martial arts, and specifically Kickboxing, have changed my life, and now I am much happier and change other people’s lives for the better on a daily basis. 

I am a complete adrenaline freak, so In my spare time, track days, jumping out of planes, sitting on top of them, rage buggies in the desert… The higher, the faster the better for me. I’m always looking for the next thing to get my blood pumping, so if anyone has a challenge I’ve not found yet, please feel free to share. 

I do like a Saturday night movie night, Chinese, Netflix, lots of chocolate with my three little ladies. I love being around my friends and family. This is why I love the crazy HKA family so much, as this is my extended family.   

I left school with pretty much nothing! A few sad GCSE’s C - D grade, BUT I did have a shit-ton of energy and passion to achieve, and to prove all the teachers and people that looked down on me for all those years, wrong. So, after a few jobs here and there, I settled on working for Openreach (BT) as a cabler/jointer copper and fibre optic multi-skilled engineer with HGV.

I left this in 2015 to chase my dream of running my own Kickboxing Academy and working with the future of today, rather than a job that just paid the bills. 

I’ve trained pretty much my whole life: Karate, boxing, Judo, from the age of 9, and of course, I’ve now done over 29 years of Kickboxing. I’ve passed many Instructors and coaches courses, attended many training courses and seminars, grading up through the syllabus. I passed my 4-hour hell-on-earth 3rd Dan black belt in July 2018 with the ICO.

If I’m honest my real passion and skills have come from learning the hard way; through being in the trenches. I know how it feels to be on your arse. I know how it feels to have to pull yourself out of the pit. I’ve been through a divorce. I’ve lived through the pain and have worked with thousands of members, students, children, teachers and adults over the years, and the one thing I get told every time is how well I/we keep it very real, and that I have a complete understanding on most eventualities. 

Thank you for reading and listening. I hope you connect with myself and the team, take away some ideas, understand you’re not alone, and that it’s good to talk, listen and help others as and when you can.