September 2025 Grading Success at Elemental Kickboxing Leeds

On Saturday 13th September, we came together at Elemental Kickboxing Leeds for another incredible grading day—and what a day it was!

First of all, a huge congratulations to everyone who completed their next belt grading. Your hard work, determination, and dedication have truly paid off, and every single one of you should be proud of what you’ve achieved.

Results of the September Grading

Yellow Belt: John Paul, Anna, Charlie, Caitlin, Grace & Matthew
Orange Belt: Ethan, Isaac & Rosie
Red Belt: Nikolas, Majid, Noel & J’Nayah
Green Belt: Noah, Millie, Ani, Detroit & Tash
Junior Purple Belt: Aliza
Senior Purple Belt: Kaden & Jacob
Junior Blue Belt: Drewie, Izzy, Raj & Rachel
Senior Blue Belt: Eduard
Junior Brown Belt: Sharon & Nico
Brown 2 Belt: Jaya & Noah
Senior Brown Belt: Chris, Stuart, Brendan, Shaan & Leon

A Day of Dedication

Every belt awarded represents hours of training, perseverance, and pushing beyond limits. From the excitement of the early belts to the challenge of the advanced grades, each step is a reflection of discipline, resilience, and the commitment to improve week after week.

It was inspiring to see so many of you step onto the mats and give it everything. Whether it was your first grading or one of your final steps towards black belt, you’ve proven that effort, focus, and consistency always pay off.

Highlights from the Grading

Welcoming our Yellow Belts
A special welcome goes out to our new Yellow Belts. This is the first big milestone in your martial arts journey, and we’re delighted to see you join the club officially on your path forward. Keep bringing the same effort and enthusiasm—this is just the beginning.

Fantastic Energy at Orange, Red, and Green Belts
The energy from the Orange, Red, and Green Belt groups was excellent, showing real spirit and determination. These grades demand confidence in movement and sharper technique, and it was clear that the preparation paid off.

Kata Preparation at Red, Green, Junior Purple, and Senior Purple Belts
Set kata forms were delivered with confidence and precision. The effort in learning these patterns really shone through, demonstrating the discipline and focus needed to progress at this stage.

Blue Belt Kata Forms
The same can be said for the Junior and Senior Blue Belts. The pre-made kata forms at this level require attention to detail, rhythm, and accuracy—and all were displayed to a high standard.

Standout Performances at Brown Belts
At the Brown Belt levels, the musical kata forms truly stood out. These performances combined technical skill with creativity, and the results were both powerful and inspiring to watch.

Strong Sparring from Red Belt and Above
From Red Belt upwards, sparring becomes a bigger test, demanding tactical awareness, speed, and power. Everyone who stepped onto the mats in these grades showed strength, control, and determination in their sparring rounds, leaving a strong impression of what it means to progress at these higher levels.

Looking Ahead: Senior Brown Belts and Beyond

A special mention goes to our new Senior Brown Belts—Chris, Stuart, Brendan, Shaan, and Leon. Reaching this level is an outstanding achievement, and it also marks the final stage before black belt. These students will now begin preparing for the 1st Dan Black Belt gradings in 2026 by joining our June 2025 senior brown belts, a huge milestone in their martial arts journey. The commitment, discipline, and effort required at this level are immense, and we look forward to supporting them every step of the way.

We’d also like to give a shout out to Stuart Wright, who has recently returned to the club and is already showing great determination as one of our new Senior Brown Belts. Stuart has set his sights on achieving his 1st Dan Black Belt after three years away from the grading system, and we’re excited to see him back on his journey towards this goal.

How Gradings Are Assessed

Every grading at Elemental Kickboxing Leeds is carefully marked across a range of criteria, including:

Technique – accuracy, sharpness, and control of strikes and movements.

Defence – blocking, footwork, and the ability to respond effectively to an opponent.

Kata Forms – demonstrating set or pre-made patterns with precision, rhythm, and confidence.

Sparring – showing power, timing, and tactical awareness in controlled bouts.

Conduct – discipline, respect, and behaviour throughout the grading.

Instructional Ability – for higher grades, the ability to lead and demonstrate knowledge clearly.

For many students at the higher levels, written kata pieces were also submitted, and it was excellent to see the effort and presentation put into these. They showed not only technical understanding but also clear thought and pride in the work produced.

It was also well noticed how much additional time members were putting into their preparation prior to the grading—making use of the facilities, attending extra classes, and showing real dedication to being at their best for the big day. That extra effort really shone through in the performances.

All of these elements combine to form each student’s overall mark. Your final mark and certificate will be processed and sent out within 14 days of the grading date.

What This Achievement Means

A new belt isn’t just a symbol—it’s recognition of your progress and a reminder of how far you’ve come on your martial arts journey. For some, Saturday was about building confidence and experiencing their very first grading. For others, it was about showing years of dedication and refining advanced techniques at the higher levels.

Whichever stage you’re at, you’ve all shown what can be achieved when you set your mind to it.

Moving Forward

This grading was just one milestone on your martial arts journey. Now the challenge continues—new techniques to master, higher levels to aim for, and fresh goals to set. We can’t wait to see what the next few months bring as you all push forward to the next stage.

Well done to everyone who graded—you’ve earned every bit of your success.

The next grading is scheduled for Saturday 13th December 2025.