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Day 1 – ProKick Super Seven Black Belt Grading
December 15, 2025
Day one of the ProKick Black Belt Grading began at 6:30am on Monday, 15th December, with seven ProKick graduates stepping onto the path that would test them physically, mentally, and emotionally. The morning opened with a brief but powerful address from Head Coach and Founder Billy Murray, outlining the importance of the week ahead and reinforcing the standards, discipline, and expectations of The ProKick Way. The ground rules were set clearly — this was a week that would demand total commitment.
Day 1 of ProKick Black Belt Grading saw seven candidates, including the youngest, Leo Smith, showcase years of dedication and hard work to earn their place on the grading floor.
Day 1 – ProKick Black Belt Grading
The Seven — Jay Snoddon, Mark Cairnduff, Max Murray, Reuben Graham, Ethan Rodgers, Gerard McCartan, and the youngest candidate, Leo Smith — have all demonstrated years of discipline, hard work, and perseverance to earn the right to stand on this grading floor.
Each candidate then stepped in front of the camera to speak about themselves: their journey at ProKick, the years invested in training, why they chose to attempt this grading, and what earning a black belt truly meant to them. Honest, personal, and revealing — a reminder that a black belt is earned long before it is worn.
The first technical session focused entirely on all variations of kicking, testing balance, precision, conditioning, and understanding of core fundamentals.
The team returned to the gym before 6:00pm for the evening block.
- Class one: A recap of lower-level syllabus, reinforcing the importance of fundamentals at every level.
- Class two: Basic technique under pressure. The class was divided into six groups, with each candidate rotating through every group. This pushed them well outside their comfort zones, assessing their ability to adapt, communicate, and instruct effectively under pressure.
- Final class (8:00pm): A demanding circuit session designed to push them to their limits, followed by a full recap of the day’s work.
A long, intense opening day — setting the tone for the week ahead.
Day Two – Tuesday, 16th December:
The candidates will be challenged across three separate classes, with further assessments to come.
More to follow… 👊
Billy Murray
