Carl is with Jimmy ‘The Brick’ Flick, MMA fighter based in the USA.  They discuss what it takes to make it to the top and why it’s all about mindset, never quitting and always moving forward.

Jimmy is someone who is dedicated to building his dream and looking after those he loves and as a successful pro-MMA fighter he is achieving everything he wants through hard work and dedication.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• My dedication comes from losing, I never want to be in that position so I train hard to make sure I can win the fights.
• Every fight I just try to do my best. I want to win clean and not leave it to the judges
• I’m known as the brick because I’m known as solid in all areas of fighting
• I work fulltime and train every day. I work in a variety of ways to give the best results
• It’s about putting in the grind every day with dedication.
• If you want to be at the top you have to put the work in every day.
• Everyone has to go through losing to understand what it takes to work through and get in a winning position.
• There is always an opportunity and always a chance because quitting is not an option.
• We are ready for the next big thing and I’m ready to take on and win in any fight with a flyweight.
• I don’t have to fight but I love doing it and helping others along the way.

BEST MOMENTS

‘I’m just chasing my dream’

‘HKA is going to blow up’

‘If you want to be at the top you have to put the work in’

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 

[email protected]  - Join Leigha every weekday for a workout for a fiver per month

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. 

Carl is with ‘Gorgeous George’ who is sponsored by HKA. They discuss his phenomenal journey from being in a coma at 19 to winner of 3 gold medals in the ring.

George has been on a journey that has had both highs and lows and he shares with great candour what it’s really like to stay on the path to achieving your goals

This is an inspirational story that is all about wanting to win enough to keep on going through adversity and the losses to reach the goals and ultimately achieve what you want to achieve.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Losing a fight made me realise that I wanted to win and that I had to put in the training if I wanted to make that happen.
• It’s all about the training and preparation you have to be prepared to do whatever it takes and put yourself into a place of pain to achieve it.
• When you lose you learn from it  - there is always going to be someone better than you who you are aspiring to be it pushes you to move up a level.
• When you win everyone wants to know you but when you lose there’s no one to be seen apart from your family.
• When I experienced 3 losses in a row I began to wonder what I was doing wrong and if I’d ever win a fight again, you begin to question it all.
• When I took on a boxing fight everyone said I couldn’t do it but I won the fight. When I took on the Queensbury fight it was moving up another level.
• Now I’m on a roll with 5 fights, 5 wins with 2 stoppages and 3 gold medals
• If you have a focused goal you get there whatever happens even if there is an obstacle that means your path is diverted for a while.

BEST MOMENTS

‘After a fight, it’s all about being back in the gym and training on Monday’

‘From 19 being in a coma to now with 3 gold medals and major sponsors’

‘It’s more than a kickboxing gym it’s my family and my happy place’

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 

[email protected]  - Join Leigha every weekday for a workout for a fiver per month

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. 

It’s important to fail and it’s important to try new things. Every set back is really just a step towards success and getting to where you want to be.

You need confidence to try new things and you may try many different things before you find what’s right for you but the journey and the challenges are what fuels the learning so it’s vital you get out there and start moving towards your goals. There will be many steps but it is always about moving forwards.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• You need to push yourself to experience new things and grow
• You need confidence to try new things and you may try many different things before you find something you want to pursue
• You have to step out of your confidence zone and experience things
• You have to sort your own life out and be accountable to yourself
• You never know where things will go and if you stop moving forwards and stand still it’s the same as going backwards
• Trying with some failure is better than not trying at all
• You have to keep trying and continue even when there are challenges.
• If something fails it’s not a failure it’s just something that didn’t work.
• The key is to keep trying until it does work and learning to shut off your inner talk about failure.
• It’s not about failing it’s about the steps it takes to get where you want to be

BEST MOMENTS

‘If we had given up after the first week we wouldn’t have the success we do now’

‘It’s not my comfort zone but I’m trying and it’s getting better’

‘The bits you don’t like are just steps to get over’

‘I literally fell right to the bottom of the ladder and had to start again’

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 

[email protected]  - Join Leigha every weekday for a workout for a fiver per month

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. 

Carl is talking to Chris Doe about male mental health and why it’s vital to talk.

There is often an expectation that boys and men should ‘toughen up and get on with it’ but this results in depression and anxiety increasing.

Chris shares his personal journey through very challenging times and why he is now rebuilding his life to be the best he can be for his family.

In this in-depth conversation, the message is ultimately about reaching out and understanding it OK to not be Ok because we all stumble at some point on our journey through life.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• As men, we are taught to not talk, to say it’s all ok even if it’s not.
• Stumbling doesn’t make you weaker or worse it just means things have got on top of you and there is nothing wrong with that.
• It’s ok to ask for help and there are others out there who can help them to understand their mental health challenges.
• I didn’t feel worthy of being with my family
• I had lost everything, my career my wife and my kids
• I had to start again, I had to rebuild but I was still really broken.
• The benefit of having been at that low point before was I could feel when I was slipping back towards it again.
• If you can’t function properly then you aren’t in a position to look after anyone else.
• It’s knowing that you are in the situation and assess it for what it is
• Seeking help, rebuilding and coming out the other side is about being able to help your children to not make the same mistakes and being able to provide them with the tools and resources to be able to do whatever they want to do.
• Depression and anxiety are getting worse because boys are taught to harden up and don’t cry but they should share their emotions, its ok to not be ok and seek help if you need it.

BEST MOMENTS

It’s as though your mind is drifting towards those negative emotions’

‘It’s vital that men talk and recognise when they are not feeling themselves’

‘If you are suffering there is help out there’

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 

[email protected]  - Join Leigha every weekday for a workout for a fiver per month

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. 

If you work from home and your kids are now working at home then this is a great listen. Carl shares some great tips on how you can make working at home successful for everyone.

You need to be focused, set goals and stick to them and be prepared to negotiate with others if you want to get the most out of working together at home.

Carl looks at what you need to do to get it right for everyone along with some of the unexpected bonuses.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Work on a computer not a tablet, the screen is too small and there isn’t enough memory
• Make sure you have a specific desk or work station and a chair that is comfortable.
• Share your space by scheduling time for everyone to be able to use the work area during the day.
• Take time to rest its important block work time and breaks to work effectively.
• Make sure you have a lunch break away from work so your brain can reset.
• Set a goal and make sure you stick to it.
• Establish a routine for everyone in the household, you can’t set a routine for others and not follow one yourself.
• You are the parent and can set the routine to get them up and achieving throughout the day.
• You can negotiate with your kids to incentivise them but make sure you and your kids stick to any deals you agree.
• There has to be boundaries, but as a parent, you have to have empathy with your children – it’s all very different for them.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Why are you letting your kids sleep in? Wake them up, you are the adult and can make the rules and routine’

‘Get off your arse, get out of your pyjamas and do something with your life’

‘Set a fair exchange and stick to it’

‘There are bonuses – no more travel to school, you can choose who you interact with online’

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 

[email protected]  - Join Leigha every weekday for a workout for a fiver per month

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. 

Carl is with Joshua Sampo aka the ‘Gremlin’ mixed Martial Fighter.

Josh has a passion for fighting and for teaching and he discusses with Carl how he balances the elements of his life and the journey he has taken to be a pro fighter.

It’s easy to think that being talented is the key to being successful but Josh and Carl explain why having the right mindset, being prepared to make the sacrifice, ‘out-work’ and want it more than anyone else is what really counts.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• I love helping kids on their journey to being what they want to be. I love coaching, teaching and sharing my knowledge.
• Kids want to learn but you have to teach stuff in an interesting way that helps them want to learn.
• If you want something you find a way of achieving a balance between fighting and work life. I love to fight and its one of the elements in my life and teaching is another element of my life.
• Fighting is about control and respect; it’s about challenging in a positive way and the mindset is so important.
• It is always about how you respond and come back from the challenges, this is what defines you. We have to lose and accept disappointment because otherwise, we develop an entitled mindset.
• Always ask yourself ‘what could you have done differently?’ and remember there is always another opportunity.
• You have to always keep pushing forward. It doesn’t matter if you fail as long as you pick yourself up and keep trying.
• I can’t control lots of outside things but I can control myself and find a way to move forward. If you want it bad enough you will find a way to make it happen.
• A little bit of talent won’t get you anywhere you have to be prepared to work.
• I’m not the most talented but I’m prepared to ‘out work’ everyone else to get where I want to be.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Once you earn something it gives you a whole new perspective’

‘My mindset comes from having to struggle a bit’

‘You should surround yourself with like-minded people’

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 

[email protected]  - Join Leigha every weekday for a workout for a fiver per month

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. 

In this episode, Carl is with Greg Appleton, Professional Firefighter and Muay Thai Fighter.

They talk at length about Greg’s journey and finding his passion. Life is about valuing the time you have and doing something that makes you happy. It can be challenging to make the big changes but there are lots of things you can do making the small changes that ultimately make a huge difference.

Greg shares his experiences of both living and fighting in Thailand where Muay Thai is the national sport. This is a great listen with something for everyone, listen and enjoy.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• I strive to be the best but you have to understand you are not going to win every fight.
• It’s not the fights that you win that you learn from, losing is about learning.
• You can have lots of people, physios, and trainers but in the end its just down to you and the work you put in.
• If you f#ck up it’s just down to you.
• You have to value your life and get it all in perspective, it’s great to dream but you need to remember it’s all relative to what you need and are content with.
• The most important thing humans have is time and it’s important to make the most of it.
• There is what you think is important and what’s actually really important
• Materialistic stuff doesn’t bring true happiness.
• Always ask yourself are you happy? and if you don’t like what you are doing then change it.
• The change may be difficult and it’s what comes next that is the challenge but never be afraid to change.
• There are no quick fixes but every small change will make a difference
• Surround yourself with people who are on the same journey as you have the same mindset as you.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Muay Thai isn’t recognised as it should be’

‘I like to be the hardest working person in the gym’

‘Praise is something that has to be earned’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Gregg Appleton IG page - https://www.instagram.com/greggappletonmuaythai

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. 

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. 

In this episode, Carl is with Jess who is in Year 10 and completing her work experience at his gym.

Jess came to the gym following participation at one of the trial sessions that Carl does at schools. She is now part of the gym family and they talk about how kickboxing has changed her life.

Kickboxing has brought her confidence, new focus and better ways of dealing with her emotions all of which have impacted positively across her life but especially at school.

Kickboxing will grow your confidence and life skills and can change your life, listen in and be inspired.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• There are lots of things that you can get from kickboxing – I lost weight, gained confidence and made friends.
• Kickboxing teaches you about discipline and how to learn, and this can be used in every area of your life.
• You can contain your emotions in different situations in life because you know that when you are kickboxing you can let it all out.
• Being part of a kickboxing gym is about being part of a community – it’s like a family.
• When you are at the gym you are away from the outside world – its shut off from you.
• Kickboxing teaches you how to get focused and this helped me to change and be more focused at school. My grades are better and I’m focused in class.
• Kickboxing changed my life because the things I learnt at the gym changed how I was at school – everything in my life has got better.

BEST MOMENTS

‘When you’re at the gym the outside world is shut off’

‘It’s all about being part of a big family’

‘It’s all about engaging and being positive’

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 

[email protected]  - Join Leigha every weekday for a workout for a fiver per month

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. 

In this episode after many requests the tables are turned and we get to find out about Carl as he discusses, with Stuart Bailey, growing up and the experiences that have shaped his views and beliefs.

As someone who experienced extensive and prolonged bullying throughout his time in education, Carl is passionate about anti-bullying and making sure that young people are equipped with the right skills to deal with it. This heartfelt episode provides a real insight into Carl and what drives him to be the person who is helping others to grow their confidence and resilience. This is an episode that has something for everyone and is truly inspiring, listen in and enjoy.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Bullying at school began very early on for me. One day I’d be allowed to play and another day I wasn’t and everyone wants to belong and be part of the group.
• Understanding what bullying is, is vital. Many people misunderstand and misuse the term.

• When I started at the gym it was about finding something that was positive in an environment that was largely negative.
• When I started at secondary school the bullying continued but I did everything in my power to not lash out as I was worried about hurting someone.
• I was successful at kickboxing but the bullying continued due to hierarchy in school.

The experience shaped me to be the person I am today. I’ve lived through being bullied so I know how I can help.

• Training is about being in a place where you belong and getting fit, only a few are looking to compete to actually fight one on one.
• If you have pent up anger the best way to deal with it is to have a way to successfully release those emotions.
• We all have breaking points and carry stress; going to the gym is a way of releasing that stress and feeling calmer.
• The world is far more challenging for youngsters and this is combined with a loss of resilience. The work at the gym helps children to come to terms and understand what resilience is and how they can have it and confidence in themselves.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Initially, I didn’t want to be known as a champion for anti-bullying but it turned out lots of people needed our help to grow their self-confidence, develop resilience and face the bullies’

‘I wasn’t academic but I had a really strong work ethic’

‘When I deal with children I know what they are feeling’

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 

[email protected]  - Join Leigha every weekday for a workout for a fiver per month

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.