Set your goals high, work hard and even if you don’t quite reach them, you have still moved forward a long way from where you started - Daniel Norris

I had always wanted to do a form of martial arts, ever since i was a young boy. After 25+ years of being called ‘Danielson’ and ‘Chuck’ opportunity (or was it fate?) came knocking on my door and i finally bit the bullet and started Taekwondo with with Irontiger.  I was 30 years old at the time and Head Instructor Master Dianne Carn met me at the door for my first lesson with a warm smile that instantly made me feel at home.  After that lesson, i knew that i had made the right decision... then I went home and repeatedly kicked myself for not starting sooner!!

I started out as a clumsy white belt  back in 2008 with next to no skill and a level of fitness that would have made a sloth proud. I remember those early days when i would get up the day after training and every muscle in my body would be aching... I had no idea how unfit i’d become from years of working behind a desk. It doesn’t take long though to start to build up some fitness and conditioning and these days I welcome the chance to get out there and work up a sweat, I feel younger now than I did 5 years ago.

Since joining Irontiger I have competed in several local, State and National competitions in both Sparring and Poomsae, with the highlight of my TKD career being the 2010 National Championships where I picked up Gold in the Individual Poomsae event, a performance which I am hoping to repeat this year when we attend the New Zealand Open in March!

I’m working hard towards getting my black belt and look forward to training for years to come after that. I’m hooked now and i’m not looking for any intervention to get me off the Taekwondo drug!!