Name: Gordon Slater
Current Rank: 6th Dan ITF style Taekwondo
Born: 1961 Hong Kong, China
Started Martial Arts: 1975
Started Taekwondo: Feb 1983
Other experience: Wing chun Kung Fu, Boxing, Kick Boxing, Judo and Karate.

He started his martial arts journey while growing up in Hong Kong. As a teenager he dabbled in Kung Fu during the Bruce Lee era. He came to the UK in 1980 and it was not until 1983 that he started formal training in the guise of Taekwondo. Mr. Slater is a competent all rounder. A decent fighter, a former consistent destruction winner during the 90’s and a good technician of the art of Taekwondo as shown by his pattern achievements. His has won numerous gold, silver and bronze medals for sparring, breaking and patterns from 1983 to 2009. (although now retired from competition)

Mr. Slater is a qualified grading examiner and also part of the black belt grading panel

Mr. Slater runs two successful clubs for the GTI in the Essex area. He originally joined the GTI at it’s inception in 1993. He opened his first club for the GTI in 2000.

His objective is to be a driving force along with the committee, the instructors and ALL the students in making the GTI as successful as it can be by building a culture of continuous improvement and quality training and tuition.

Taekwondo

As many already know Taekwondo came to the UK in 1967. Politics and different views have fragmented all styles of all the arts.Taekwondo would perhaps be the second largest martial arts body in the UK (only behind Karate, as they got here first) if it were not for the splitting of organisations, associations etc. I believe taekwondo is the best “stand up” fighting style.

Patterns
Patterns, forms, Kata what ever you want to call them are an intricate part of most of the martial arts. These sequence of movements using defence and attacking techniques against imaginary opponents are what makes one of the foundations of most martial arts. Taekwondo is no different.

From our patterns you are learning to perfect techniques. You are learning about the history of the country that the art originates from. You are learning tradition. Tradition develops discipline and values. Both create self control and a positive attitude.

Within our Taekwondo patterns are the techniques of an almost complete martial art as they incorporate punching, blocking, striking, throws, grabbing and take downs.

For a start every block could be used as an attack? Every attack could be used as a block? The stances within the patterns carry the strength of the techniques, whether it be a block or attack. therefore correct application of the stance can mean the success or failure of the technique.

As a coloured belt you will learn the basics of each move, it may not be until you begin the higher black belt Dan grades that you develop a better understanding of the techniques locked within the patterns of Taekwondo.

In summary, our Patterns are a core fundamental that makes Taekwondo a martial ART !!