An Amazing Achievement :- Callum Burkinshaw
Callum Burkinshaw trains at the Martial Arts Academy in the centre of Bedworth (George Street opposite the new Tesco store). He trains seven days a week in the different disciplines they offer there. He has lived in Bedworth all his life since he was born in November 1999, and currently attends to St Thomas Moore School in Nuneaton.
He studies Kung Fu and Kickboxing under his father, Paul Burkinshaw (2006 World Champion, 6 x UK Champion plus other British, and English titles.) most days of the week, as well as MMA and Submission grappling under Lee Walford twice a week, and a special fitness and sparring class once a week under Aaron Marsh, all at the academy.
Callum started training at the age of 3 and was 12years old in November 2011.
His training regime :-
Monday trains in Kickboxing 5.30-6.45pm at academy under his father.
Tuesday 4.30-5.30 helps his father in Little Tigers class teaching the younger children of 4-8yrs old then covers basics and helps out in beginners Kung Fu class 5.45-7.00pm before then training himself in the intermediate and higher class from 7.00-8.00pm at academy under his father.
Callum learning the Hark Fu Horse Bench during a seminar at the academy
Wednesday 4.30-5.30 helps his father in Little Tigers class teaching the younger children of 4-8yrs old at Bulkington before then going to the academy for a Fittness & Sparring training 7.00-8.15pm under Aaron Marsh
Thursday 4.30-5.30 helps his father in Little Tigers class teaching the younger children of 4-8yrs old then covers basics and helps out in beginners Kung Fu class 5.45-7.00pm before then training himself in the intermediate and higher class from 7.00-8.00pm and then the Black belt class 8.00-9.00pm at the academy under his father and his assistants.
Friday 4.30-5.30 helps his father in Little Tigers class teaching the younger children of 4-8yrs old, then 5.30-6.30 mixed Kung Fu class at Bulkington. This class is then followed by a weapons training class 6.30-7.30pm open to all grades.
Saturday 9.45-11.00 trains in MMA Submission Grappling at the academy under Lee Walford, followed by Kickboxing, 11.00-12.15 under his father.
Sunday 4.00-5.15pm 00 trains in MMA Submission Grappling at the academy under Lee Walford, followed by weapons training 5.15-6.15 and then finally Kickboxing 6.15-7.30pm under his father.
This strict training regime has kept Callum fit and healthy, as well as focussed keeping him off the streets and channelling his spirit and efforts into a more productive and positive pass time with like minded friends. All this martial arts training has also helped Callum to be a positive and polite and respectfully young man who is focused at school and doing well academically.
This year’s competitions :-
First competition was in March at Milton Keynes run by the BCCMA (British Council for Chinese Martial Arts – governing body in UK). This event was a full-contact Sanshou fight which is similar to kickboxing but is the Chinese style allowing leg kicks, take-downs, throws, sweeps and forcing your opponent off the Laitai. Laitai is a raised platform like a boxing ring without the ropes. Callum won the boys -12yrs category.
The next competition was the WUMA British Kumite Championships in April held at Worcester, where Callum entered two events. The first event was the -155cm Light Continuous sparring (kickboxing, but semi-contact) winning this event followed by the boys -45kgs Grapple and Strike winning this event also. Grapple and Strike is a semi-contact version of MMA / Cage fighting on the mats. Fighters win by either submitting their opponent with a lock or choke or after two rounds by judge’s decision.
In May Callum entered the WKA Open British Championships in Birmingham winning the -40kgs Kickboxing (full-contact) title and the Team Katas with his brother, Cameron.
Also in May Callum entered the BCCMA’s Forms and Weapons British Championships in Milton Keynes. Callum entered five categories winning the Sothern Open Hand Form, the Sothern Long Weapon, and Northern Open Hand Form, achieving a 2nd and a 3rd in the other two. (Open-Hand Forms is a traditional routine (like a Karate kata) and Weapons is the same but using that weapon.)
In June, Callum travelled to London to fight in a BCCMA Sanda National Fight Night (Sanshou style full-contact) winning this title.
Callum fighting Ryan Ta in the full-contact Sanda
In July entered the WUMA International Championships at Cheltenham winning two International titles. -155cm Light Continuous Sparring and the -40kgs Grapple and Strike.
Callum ducking under an attack & scoring with a punch to the face
Callum with Brandon McDonald in the WUMA Grapple & Strike final
In September, Callum travelled to Luton to fight in the BCCMA British Championships. Callum fought in the Qingda which is a semi-contact version of Sanshou winning the -13yrs -44kgs category and the Pushing Hands (a standing type of wrestling trying to unbalance your opponent).
In October, Callum travelled to Cheltenham to take part in the WUMA World Cup Championships with entrants from several countries taking part. He entered three events taking World titles in the Junior Chinese Open-Hand Forms and the -45kgs Grapple and Strike and coming 2nd Place in the -155cm Light Continuous Sparring.
Callum receiving his WUMA World Cup trophy for the Chinese Forms
The Final competition was the WUMA Open British Championships held in Cheltenham on the 4th December. Callum entered four events wining all of them. Junior Chinese Forms, Junior Weapons, -155cm Light Continuous Sparring and -45kgs Grapple and Strike.
Callum with the runner-ups at the WUMA Open British Championships -155cm Light Continuous Sparring
Entered 9 competitions, achieving 19 Titles, 3off 2nd places, and 2off 3rd places.
World Titles = 2off (Chinese Forms + Grapple & Strike)
International Titles = 2off (Light Continuous Sparring + Grapple & Strike)
British Titles = 13off (2off Light Continuous Sparring / 4off Chinese Forms / 2off Weapons Forms / 2off Grapple & Strike / 1off Full contact Kickboxing / 1off Qingda Sparring / 1 off Pushing-Hands)
National Titles = 2off (both for full-contact Sanshou fighting)
As his father and coach, I am very proud of his commitment, dedication and hard work to achieve these amazing results. He has had good years building up to this :-
2010 won 3 titles
2009 won 6 titles
2008 won 4 titles
2007 won 2 titles
But I am even more proud that he has taken this all in his stride and hasn’t got arrogant or boastful.
My favourite competition was the BCCMA Sanda Fight night in London in June. As a club, we had three other fighters at this competition and hired a coach to get everyone there. It was a spectacular event with PA system announcing the different fighters and categories, entrance music and in a large arena filled with loads of spectators. Callum fought a strong and skilful fight beating his opponent in the 2nd round out of a three round contest. I suppose, because it was full-contact added to the whole atmosphere and made the night more real and memorable.
Many of these competitions can be seen on our youtube page at sillumkuneuk.
written by Paul Burkinshaw