What happens after I make a booking for martial arts trial ?
You will receive a booking confirmation by email to the email address provided when making your booking.
This email confirms details of the lesson you have booked, the school’s location, the day and time of your class and other useful information you may need to know before attending your class.
Can I book a trial right away ?
We have over 500 members training with us over 7 locations. In recent years we have won a number of prestigious national awards including ‘Martial Arts Academy Of The Year’ and ‘Martial Arts Instructor Of The Year’ which means due to our strong reputation we do sometimes have a short waiting list for classes. Please contact us via this website and we will do our very best to book a trial lesson for you at the earliest opportunity.
What happens if I need to cancel my booking?
If you need to cancel your booking, please contact the Instructor, either by telephone or email.
After booking your session through this website, you will receive a confirmation email containing the contact details for your school.
If I have a free trial lesson, am I obliged to join the school?
No. The trial lesson is obligation-free and there are no charges for this introductory martial arts session. It is also an opportunity for the instructor to evaluate whether Storm is an appropriate fit for the potential student.
What should I wear to my trial lesson?
We generally recommend that you wear loose comfortable sports clothing, such as a T-shirt, tracksuit bottoms and trainers for your taster session. There is no need for specialist martial arts clothing. Please bring a bottle of water too.
Do you have separate martial arts classes for kids and adults ?
Yes. Timetables vary slightly between the academies but on the whole a typical structure looks like this:
Children age 4 to 6 – Dragons class
Children age 7 to 12 with less than 2 years martial arts experience – Tigers Beginner/Intermediate class
Children with more than 2 years martial arts experience – Tigers Advanced Class
Teenagers & Adults with less than 2 years martial arts experience – Beginner/Intermediate class
Teenagers & Adults with more than 2 years martial arts experience – Advanced class
When are the martial arts classes ?
We have more than 100 martial arts classes per month over 7 locations in Maidenhead, Bracknell, Warfield, Windsor, Woodley. Wokingham and Twyford. Please see out ‘locations’ tab for more details on days & times.
What martial arts style do you teach ?
We teach a multi-style syllabus including Kickboxong, TaeKwonDo, Karate & Self Defence. Check out our ‘Syllabus’ page under the ‘About Us’ tab for more information.
What is a Grading ?
A grading is an opportunity for you to gain another higher ranking belt as your training progresses towards Black belt level.
The gradings are not compulsory but should you test for the grade, you will be asked to demonstrate the techniques and knowledge that you have acquired in your classes.
When can I grade ?
To give you time to learn and practice new skills, there is a minimum time between your gradings. At the early stages you could grade every three to four months. As you get near to black belt level, your gradings are at least 6 to 9 month intervals. Your instructor will work with you to make sure that you cover the necessary training.
Where are martial arts gradings held ?
We understand students (and parents) lead busy lives so we now incorporate gradings into your usual training schedule so gradings are held at your academy at your usual time so there is no disruption to your week. The only exception to this is your black belt test which will be held at a private event during the weekend. With classes in Woodley, Twyford, Wokingham, Windsor, Maidenhead, Bracknell & Warfield we cover a large part of Berkshire.
Will I get fit doing martial arts ?
Oh yes ! Absolutely. Martial arts is a great and fun way to improve your health and fitness as part of a healthy lifestyle. There are also huge mental health benefits too. Your level of fitness, flexibility and stamina will improve as your training progresses. How much you improve will depend on your own individual effort and commitment of course.
Do I need to be super fit to start training ?
We will train you according to your abilities and therefore it does not matter how fit or flexible you are when you start. Your level of fitness, flexibility and stamina will definitely improve as your training progresses. How much you improve will depend on your own individual effort and commitment.
What age can children start learning martial arts ?
Our martial arts classes start from age 4 as children will have the necessary basic motor skills required. Our classes will help them to improve these basic skills, instil confidence, along with respect, concentration & discipline. Children enjoy the new skills they learn at our academy and follow our structured training program which provides the necessary challenges to keep them interested as their training progresses.
When can I take my black belt ?
Achieving your black belt takes a minimum of four years depending on your training, development and commitment.
What is a Leadership & Life Skills Academy ?
Storm prides itself in being unique in the Martial Arts industry by positioning ourselves as a Leadership & Life Skills Academy.
Every month we focus on a new word such as Respect, Courage, Self-Control, Determination, Kindness or Co-operation. We have 24 words which we recycle every 2 years.
In addition to this we invite in guest speakers to present seminars to our students. Very recently we invited in a former TEAM GB Olympic medal winner to talk about goal setting.
We have run seminars on Entrepreneurship, Finance Mangement, Investing, Productivity, Public Speaking and revision tips.
Every week we give out Community Awards for acts of kindness by our students in the local community.
We have planted nearly 600 trees in the last year to encourage students to think about their environmental impact.
In 2024 we were very honoured to have won the Thames Valley ‘Outstanding Contribution To The Community’ Award.
Are you a tournament club ?
Our focus is on teaching quality martial arts, self-protection and helping students with their personal development both physically and mentally.
Our Chief Instructor is a former Team GB Kickboxer and has personally won medals at British, European and World Championship level in Kickboxing, Karate and TaeKwonDo.
His most recent achievement being a Bronze Medal at the World Kickboxing Championships in Greece in 2023 when at age 52 he competed in the Black Belt Masters Division (age 35+).
Can you get a Blackbelt without Sparring ?
No. Sparring is a core part of our training syllabus. We understand that new members may be nervous about sparring however once you experience our classes and discover how supportive your instructors, coaches and fellow students are you will soon realise there is nothing to be nervous about. It takes around 9 to 12 months before a student starts sparring and all contact is light, controlled and ‘semi-contact’.
Can students skip belts if they have trained at another club ?
If a new student is an experienced martial artist then the instructor will have a 1:2:1 conversation to determine the best way we can help with their continued development and at what belt level / class they should enter our syllabus as we have separate classes for beginners and advanced students.
Is there a cancellation fee if I quit ?
No. Unlike most martial arts academies we do not charge a cancellation fee. You simply purchase one month at a time on the 1st of each month. If you decide, for any reason, you wish to cancel your membership then simply inform your instructor and no further payments will be taken.