Mr Liu started his Taekwon-Do journey from a very early age.
It was through his Grandmother that he became interested in Taekwon-Do.
She used to make uniforms for Master Choy (then a 1st Dan) to sell to his students. The
young Mr Liu would often dress up in the small uniforms and run around
the house, attacking anything that would wander to close to him (his poor
brothers normally).
A few years passed and at the tender age of thirteen
years old he was persuaded to train properly with Master Choy (3rd Dan
by now) at the well known Hillingdon school of Taekwon-Do. Some internationally
known students have trained at this school, Master Tham Ying Au 8th Dan,
Gary Daniels (martial arts actor), Master Trevor Nicholls 8th Dan,
Master Wayne Brown 8th Dan and Mr Roger Koo, all taught by Master Choy from white belt.
Training was very hard and Mr Liu realised he didn't know anything about
how to kick properly and even punch. Master Choy was a real taskmaster
and very strict at times, Mr Liu really wanted to give it up. He was a
chronic asthmatic and all the exercises and sparring used to hinder him,
but because of all those years sparring and exercising, Mr Liu's asthma
has completely disappeared.
Mr Liu reached the rank of 6th kup (Green belt) at the end of 1981 but
his parents decided to move house and he had to give up training. The
years passed by and Mr Liu still kept in touch with Master Choy, he would
tell him how his fellow students were doing and how some of them would
get their Black belts. Mr Liu used to get a bit jealous but he didn't
return to Hillingdon TKD School until he could drive. So in May 1988 and
now 19 years old, he came back. Lots of new faces and a few old ones and
some even reaching 4th Dan. He had some catching up to do.
Mr Liu forgot how hard and cruel Master Choy was, but it was for his
own good, he taught great Taekwon-Do and was and still is a perfectionist.
Mr Liu took his next grading in June and then entered his first tournament.
In which he won nothing. In fact it wasn't until he reached his Blue belt
before he started winning trophies.
Click here to see a full list of trophies and
titles that Mr Liu has won.
Mr Liu graded for his Black belt in 1988 and passed with distinction,
since then he has take a further four more Dan gradings and now holds
the rank of 5th Dan international instructor. He took over the Bracknell
TKD school in 1992 and it has flourished ever since. He opened another
school in Addlestone in 1997. He teaches men women and children from the
ages of 7 upwards. He has trained a number of students to the coveted
Black belt.
One of Mr Liu's best achievements was to be selected to fight for Great
Britain at the prestigious Moran Bon Cup, which was held in Japan. But
the greatest feeling for Mr Liu is seeing his students do well at tournaments.
At every competition one of Mr Liu's students from Bracknell or Addlestone
wins something. Best of all was a fourteen year old boy, Aaron Gregory
from the Addlestone TKD school, who was selected to fight for England
at the 2002 Junior World Championships.
Taekwon-Do has even given Mr Liu the opportunity to do some stunt work
on a few TV programmes. The Wanderer (Sky One) featured a fight scene
with Brian Brown (FX2 and Cocktail) and a memorable gunfight with Euan
McGregor and Jane Horrocks on the set of Tales from the Crypt. He also
recently turned down an offer to play a part in Tomb Raider 2.
His last filmstar outing was in Batman Begins (2005) where he starred as a shadow ninja.
Mr Liu, coming soon to a screen near you...
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