Former World Professional Kickboxing champion set to open new Flintshire fitness academy

A former World Professional Kickboxing champion has announced his plans to build a new fitness academy in Flintshire over the coming weeks.

The fitness academy will be based in Flint and goes alongside plans to create a “new programme” for when children go back to schools next week.

It is in line with the announcement from the Welsh Government earlier this month that gyms are now able to reopen under safety guidelines.

Ricky Nicholson, owner of Nicholson Kickboxing and Fitness, represented his hometown of Flint when he won world championship gold in the 1990s, successfully defending in 1997 and 1998.

The Welshman was formerly known as “The Tank” during his days as a kickboxer, but now uses his knowledge of the ring to help teach others self-defense and fitness.

He is excited to announce his new fitness academy, opening up in September.

“Our new fitness academy will be next to our current NK Martial Arts Academy,” he said.

“We are joining forces with a former England and British Lions captain who has his own chain of gyms.

“We are aiming to put our joint skills to use and create a family fitness facility where parents can train in the fitness academy while their children attend one of the martial arts classes.

“Our mission is to promote family and community fitness.”

The new programme for children is aimed at providing another avenue for Ricky to expand his classes to the entire family.

With schools reopening in September these classes could be beneficial to helping local schoolchildren in Flint tackle bullying.

He said: “Going forward for when schools reopen next Tuesday and Wednesday, there will be plans put in place on building new programmes with goal setting and tasks inside and outside of the academy in order for them (children) to attain their grading systems.

“We are here to help everyone achieve their goals in fitness and martial arts. We are totally against bullying and will not tolerate it at our academy or any outside activities that could damage our reputation.

“We don’t have egos either, as this causes an unhealthy environment and, again, it won’t be tolerated.”

Ricky has been teaching previous to this new facility opening up and has built up a community of like-minded people who enjoy martial arts and fitness.

The lockdown period has however had a particular impact and has led to losses in revenue for the academy.

There is belief in the community to “rebuild” and “succeed” though.

Ricky said: “The lockdown has been extremely difficult as we were forced to close and have lost income. It will take time to rebuild but we will succeed.

“Our members have been superb and supported us throughout and they can’t wait to get back to normality.

“Keeping in touch and talking to our members was easy because we have created a family environment and we look out for each other.”

Ricky has been dealing with COVID-19 at his academy since gyms were reopened and is therefore prepared for when this new academy opens.

“Reopening under COVID-19 with a restriction in numbers and classes is a challenge but we will overcome them and prevail,” he said.

“Since opening pre-COVID-19 we have prided ourselves on the safety and wellbeing of all our clients. Our hygiene policy before COVID-19 was, as it is now, its basics.

“We are currently building our fitness academy and plan to be ready for the end of September if not before.

“We are looking forward to welcoming back our existing members and also new.”

A full announcement and rebranding will be forth coming over the next week or so on the Nicholson Kickboxing and Fitness social media platforms.

—–

By Jordan Adams