MEMBERS of Helensburgh ITF Taekwondo were recently treated to a training seminar with the president of the British Isles Taekwondo Federation.

Les Hutchison, a 9th dan grand master, has held the BITF’s top post for 25 years and was president of the European ITF for 15 years, while he was inducted into the International Taekwondo Hall of Fame last year.

He shared his 45 years of taekwondo expertise with the local group in a session which included all aspects of training, including self-defence, sparring and patterns.

Meanwhile, Helensburgh ITF Taekwondo coach Steven McLaren was recently promoted to the level of 6th degree blackbelt – following a gruelling session which included a six-hour training seminar and a two-hour grading.

Steven, an officially-accredited ITF Scotland taekwondo coach and an international instructor and examiner who has represented Scotland at European and international level, was watched at the session by his wife and dad.

He said afterwards: “It was my parents that got me into martial arts.

“I was into everything from Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and the Shaolin Monks to Van Damme.

“I never ever thought I could get this far. Remember that the next time you’re bringing the kids to class –you just don’t know how far they could go.”