Welcome!
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Thank you for joining and a warm welcome to Hampshire Self Protection (HSP)!
We hope you enjoy your training and are looking forward to learning with us. Please take a few minutes to read ALL of the following important information about your classes and training with us and if you ever need to contact us please do so by emailing HampshireSelfProtection@gmail.com
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Club Rules (Terms and Conditions of Membership)
Acceptance of the Club Rules (Terms and Conditions of Membership) is a condition of membership of Hampshire Self Protection Ltd and any of its affiliate clubs (hereafter referred to as 'Hampshire Self Protection Ltd', HSP, ‘the club’ or ‘club’) Please refer to this link for our current TERMS AND CONDITIONS | HSP Martial Arts (hampshireselfprotection.co.uk)
Your class(es)
Your weekly class(es) will be at the same time and place as your original taster session(s) unless otherwise agreed with us. Please note, if you ever want to train in more sessions, please message us at HampshireSelfProtection@gmail.com and, as per the terms and conditions, if you ever need to downgrade you membership or change classes we require 31 days paid notice by email.
​​​​​​Introducing new students
If there is ever anyone you know who would like to try this or any of our classes, please pass on our details to them and, if they mention you introduced them on their online booking form and they join, you will get your choice of a FREE T-SHIRT, or 1/2 price grading.
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Future monthly payments
Thank you for setting up your GoCardless account, your future payments will be debited from your account at the end of each month unless you let us know of a more suitable date. If you joined mid-month your next payment will be in 4 weeks and will cover the remaining payment for that month followed by future monthly payments at the end of each month.
Please note, your licence and insurance will be automatically debited for a further 12 months cover, 1 week before it expires, so it can be processed and renewed without a break in membership. Unfortunately, we do not have a facility to send reminders of this so far in advance so please make your own note of it to ensure your funds will be available.
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Closures
Please note, other than a few weeks of closure in the year and at Christmas for instructors' annual leave or any closures beyond our control, our classes run throughout the whole year and your fees are calculated over this period which means students do not need to adjust or pause their monthly payments on the few occasions we are closed.
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Gradings, your first uniform and belts
What are belt gradings and why are they needed?
Gradings are a way of marking your progress in martial arts, they are also an indication of your skill level and the colour of your belt tells the instructor what skills you should know and what you are ready to learn next. All new beginners are classed as white belts, not everyone wants to progress through belt levels and some wish to train for other aspects such as fitness or health which is fine, but it should be understood that in all martial arts white belts will only ever practice the skills of their belt level and other skills can only be learnt when you have reached the next belt and further grades.
What do you need to grade?
Most clubs expect students to order a uniform and sparring gear straight away when they join, but we are happy to let you stagger payments for these essential items throughout the first year of your membership if you want to. Therefore, we don't ask you to order a club uniform until you are ready to take your first belt grading with us (which will be approximately 2 to 3 months after joining and every 3 to 6 months thereafter), although you are welcome to order it earlier if you wish.
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The uniform consists of a club t-shirt and your choice of either club shorts or trousers (please note this does not include a belt which you will receive when you pass your first grading).
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Students can also wear club hoodies in cold weather.
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Please message us with your size requirements if you would like to order any of the above items.
So, you want to take belt gradings and work towards being a Black Belt?
No problem! This is a great way to measure your progress in martial arts and learn more grade-related skills. Your instructor is a qualified grading examiner with the British Combat Association and can assess you for this in class. Our belt gradings are structured to gradually grow your skills in an achievable way as you progress.
Students who wish to take belt gradings will also need essential safety sparring gear as they progress. This consists of Focus pads and groin/chest guard, sparring gloves, gum shield, shin and head-guard. These will be staggered requirements throughout progressive gradings but if you would like to order any of these items in advance you are welcome to. To do so, please email us.
Club clothing and other training items
We also have a range of club clothing for our students, so if you want t-shirts, club hoodies, baseball caps, beanie hats or anything else.please let us know You may also want a sports bag for carrying your kit in, and for practising what you learn at home we can get you kick bags, training knives (adults only), and anything else you require, so if there is anything you want please check with us first before ordering elsewhere as we can usually get it cheaper for you with our trade links which helps support your club enabling us to buy club equipment for your use..
They also make great gifts for you or the budding martial artist in your life and we are more than happy to get your items to you surreptitiously without the recipient knowing.
Staying in contact with us
To stay updated on all the latest club news and events:
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You will be invited to join our members-only WhatsApp group where we post regular updates and club news.
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If you are on Facebook, please visit and like Hampshire Self Protection Martial Arts and Self Defence Club | Basingstoke | Facebook and if you are enjoying the classes please drop us a quick review on there.
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You can also follow us on Instagram at @hampshireanddorset_martialarts
If you ever have any questions or want to order anything, please email us at hampshireselfprotection@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible (please do not comment on the WhatsApp group or contact us in other ways as these messages can easily be missed).
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A Final Thought - your first and most important lesson
The most important thing in self-defence is being aware and prepared for dangers or problems that you may face before they occur, rather than having to deal with them when you least expect them so this is your first and most important lesson!
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At the start of your martial arts journey, everything is fresh and exciting, but there will be days when it doesn't always feel that way and that is when you need to remind yourself why you or your children started, what you wanted to achieve and then JUST GO TRAINING.
When the weather is miserable, the nights are dark and the house is cosy and warm, if you have a small injury or feeling a little bit under the weather, it is easy and understandable to want to give in to yourself and allow yourself a day off (we all feel it), but then when the next class comes and you feel the same way, most people think: 'oh well, it won't matter if I miss just 1 more class, it's only 2 classes and I'll be back next week'. You may feel the same the next week, and the week after, and the week after... Continually giving in to your or your children's wishes to 'take it easy' and miss a class or two will eventually mean you or they will quit!
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“Remember that life’s greatest lessons are usually learned at the worst times and from the worst mistakes.” Anonymous
That is why we ask this one thing of you if you or your child ever start to think about quitting, please speak to us straight away before making a potentially life-changing decision.
Parents, please remember, children often have low attention spans and get bored easily, so as they progress training may start to seem less exciting, requiring more concentration and commitment to progress. When they reach this point in their martial arts journey, they may say they don't enjoy training anymore and want to quit.
Please work with us on encouraging them to work through this. In the same way, children have to go to school whether they want to or not.
On that note, parents and carers often tell us they want their children to be taught in a structured and disciplined way, in order to do that we occasionally have to tell them off and give them a time out. When this happens at their school, the children often don't want to go back but they have to by law, but when it happens at martial arts, the child will sometimes say they want to quit (they may even say it is for other reasons or make something up that is not the real reason). If you let them quit without talking to us first, they learn that they can always have and do whatever they like in life without any consequences and can walk away from their actions. THAT IS NOT THE WAY OF A MARTIAL ARTIST or good citizen generally, and may well eventually lead them into trouble throughout their lives. Please help us to help you and your children by just sending them to training, even when they don't want to come, and remember our adage, that THERE IS NO GROWTH IN COMFORT!
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The strength to commit to martial arts promotes a way of life in which you persevere, the day you or your children quit is the day we guarantee that at some point in the future, you or they will regret doing so!
By persevering you/they will reap so many benefits throughout your/their life, such as improved self-confidence, self-respect, a healthy body and a strong determined mind, super-fast reactions, and improved lifetime safety in many more ways than you could ever imagine. If you are ever in doubt JUST GO TRAINING and speak to us, we promise we will always help you and will never quit on you, as we have been where you/they are now and can help with all of the pitfalls, setbacks, lows and highs of becoming and being the true martial artist you and your children deserve to be!
“There is no growth in comfort" - Geoff Thompson, British Combat Association Chief Instructor
Introduce a friend or family member prize incentive
As mentioned earlier, if you know of anyone who would be interested in trying a class with us, please help us by passing on our details to them (if you need any cards or a poster to display at work/school etc please let us know). If you tell them to mention you introduced them and they join, you will get your choice of A FREE T-SHIRT or 1/2 PRICE GRADING
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Lastly, if you enjoyed the classes, please can you do us a big favour and help us grow and keep going by dropping us a quick review?
Facebook Reviews and Google Reviews
Please also let us know what you want to gain from your training over the next 12 months by completing this short feedback form.
Don't worry, only we get to see your answers and can use them to make sure you get the very best training experience with us to meet your needs.
Many thanks for completing the review and feedback links, it really does help us and your club.
If you ever have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to message us at HampshireSelfProtection@gmail.com
Once again, a HUGE WELCOME TO OUR HSP FAMILY!