https://elitekickboxingacademy.co.uk/

Kizzi ELK, Andover (2026)

16/08/2026

I've been thinking recently about what Elite Ladies Kickboxing actually means to me, and I think I've finally found the words for something I've probably believed since I started teaching.

You don't have to change your body to earn your place in sport.

You don't have to get fitter first, lose weight first, become more confident first, or somehow become the sort of person you imagine belongs in a sports hall. You don't need to have been sporty at school, and you certainly don't need to know what you're doing when you first walk through the door.

You can just come as you are.

And then we see what you're capable of.

Some of my favourite moments in class aren't the big things. They're the little moments when someone who was convinced they couldn't do something suddenly does it. The woman who didn't think she was strong enough. The woman who was terrified of getting it wrong. The woman who told me she wasn't "sporty". The woman who hadn't exercised in years.

And then, a few weeks or months later, she's throwing combinations, smashing pads, getting stronger, earning belts and cheering on the woman next to her.

That's what I love about kickboxing. Not because I want to turn women into athletes, but because I want more women to experience that feeling of discovering that their bodies are capable of things they never gave themselves credit for.

I don't think women need to earn their place in sport.

I think sport needs to make more space for women to come exactly as they are.

That's ELK. 💜🥊

And if you've been thinking about trying kickboxing but you've been finding yourself coming up with all the usual reasons why you shouldn't, I want you to know that you're very welcome to come and give us a try.

You don't need to be fit. You don't need to be confident. You don't need to know anything about kickboxing.

Just come as you are. We'll take it from there. 💜

09/08/2026

🥊 LOOK AT THESE LADIES! 💜

There are few things I love more than seeing our ladies earn a new belt.

Not just because a new belt means they've learned new techniques and put in the work to get there, but because I know what sits behind every single one.

The nerves before their first class.

The sessions they nearly didn't come to.

The techniques that took a little longer to click.

The weeks when life was busy and training wasn't easy.

And then there's this moment.

Standing there with a brand new belt, surrounded by women who are cheering you on, and realising just how far you've come.

These ladies absolutely smashed their grading and I couldn't be prouder of every single one of them. 🥹💜

Congratulations ladies! You earned every bit of this. 🥊💪

And if you're reading this thinking "I'd love to do something like that, but I'm not sure I'm brave enough to start..."

Just remember: every one of these women had a first class once too.

04/08/2026

Over the last few months I've had some really lovely conversations with a whole range of women.

Some wanted to get fitter.

Some were looking for more confidence.

Some had recently moved to the area and wanted to meet people.

Some were going through a difficult time and simply needed something positive to focus on each week.

Very few of them actually started by talking about kickboxing.

And I think that's because joining a class is rarely just about learning a new skill.

It's about finding something that's yours.

An hour where you're not someone's employee, mum, partner or carer. An hour where you can switch off, have a laugh and do something just for yourself.

If you've been following these posts for a while and wondering whether Elite Ladies Kickboxing might be for you, I'd genuinely love to invite you to come and try a class.

I'm currently offering free trial classes throughout August for ladies who'd like to see what we're all about. You don't need any experience, you don't need to be fit, and you definitely don't need your own equipment.

I'll be there to welcome you, answer any questions and make sure you feel comfortable from the moment you arrive.

If you'd like to know more, just leave a comment or send me a message. I'd love to have a chat.

Maybe this is the week you decide to do something for you. 💜

19/07/2026

Can I tell you a little bit about why I do what I do? 💜

If you'd met me a few years ago, I don't think you'd ever have imagined I'd end up teaching kickboxing.

The truth is, I never really felt like I belonged in sport. I certainly didn't think I'd belong in a combat sport.

When I first joined ELK, I'd just moved house, I didn't know many people, and if I'm honest, I was lonely. I wasn't looking for a new hobby nearly as much as I was looking for connection. I wanted to meet people, to find something that was mine, and to feel like I belonged somewhere.

Walking through the doors for that first class was daunting, for sure. I imagined I'd be the least fit person there and that I'd spend the whole hour feeling out of place. Instead, I was welcomed exactly as I was.

Two years later, I'm now lucky enough to be teaching classes myself. That still feels a little surreal sometimes.

But here's what hasn't changed.

I'm still me.
I'm still not the person you'd walk past in Tesco and immediately think, "She's definitely a kickboxer."

And do you know what?

None of that has ever mattered.

Nobody has ever expected me to look a certain way or be a certain type of person to belong here. I didn't have to become someone else before I was accepted. I just had to be willing to walk through the door.

I think that's why I care so much about creating a welcoming class. I know what it feels like to wonder if you'll fit in. I know what it's like to hope you'll find your people.

So if you've ever looked at one of my posts and thought, "That sounds lovely, but it's probably not for someone like me..."

I just wanted to tell you something.

I used to think exactly the same.

💜

12/07/2026

Sunday thoughts:

Maybe you've never hated exercise.
Maybe you've just never found exercise that loved you back.

Not every woman enjoys the gym.
Not every woman wants to spend an hour staring at a treadmill.
Not every woman is motivated by calories, scales or step counts.

And that's okay.

Because movement isn't supposed to feel like punishment.
It's supposed to make you feel more like... you.

One of my favourite things about our classes is that women arrive after a long day at work looking exhausted, and leave an hour later smiling, laughing and already talking about next week.

Yes, you'll learn kickboxing.
You'll surprise yourself with what you're capable of.
You'll get stronger.
But you'll also find yourself in a room full of women who cheer each other on, celebrate every little win and remind each other that nobody has to be perfect to belong.

If you've tried gyms...
If you've started and stopped more times than you can count...
If you've convinced yourself that "exercise just isn't for me"...

Maybe the problem was never you.
Maybe you just hadn't found your people yet. 💜

04/07/2026

Can I tell you something that might surprise you?

The women who look the most confident in our class...

Were once the women who were most nervous about walking through the door.

They worried they'd be the least fit.

They worried everyone would already know each other.

They worried they'd make a fool of themselves.

They nearly talked themselves out of coming.

And now?

They're the ones laughing the loudest.

Encouraging the newest members.

Celebrating every belt earned.

Looking completely at home.

Here's the thing:

Confidence doesn't come before you start.

It comes because you started.

💜 If you've been quietly following along for a while and wondering whether this might be for you...

Maybe this is your reminder that you don't have to feel ready.

You just have to be willing to take the first step.

We'd love to welcome you when you are. 💜

28/06/2026

Spent the morning at Readings Biggest Sunday Bootsale with some of the fabulous ELK ladies. Giving little taster sessions to the juniors and working hard on convincing other women they they have nothing to lose and so much to gain by giving kickboxing a go!

28/06/2026

Can I remind you of something today?

You don't have to earn an hour for yourself.

You don't have to finish every chore.
Reply to every email.
Catch up on all the washing.
Or feel guilty for taking time that belongs to you.

Somewhere along the way, so many women started believing that everyone else comes first.

I've watched women walk into our classes carrying the weight of work, family, caring responsibilities and life in general.

Then, for one hour...

They laugh.
They move.
They switch off.
They remember who they are outside of everything they have to do.

The kickboxing is brilliant.

But giving yourself permission to have one hour that's just yours?

That's the bit that changes people.

💜

20/06/2026

Can we all agree that making friends as an adult is weirdly difficult?

When we're children, friendships just sort of happen.

As adults?

Everyone's busy.
Life gets in the way.
And before you know it, weeks can go by without doing something that's just for you or meeting new people.

One of my favourite things about our classes isn't actually the kickboxing.

It's watching women walk through the door not knowing a single person and gradually become part of something.

Training partners become friends.
People start arriving early for a chat.
They stay afterwards talking.
They encourage each other, celebrate each other and genuinely want to see each other succeed.

In a world that can feel quite disconnected sometimes, there's something really special about finding your people. 💜

And I feel incredibly lucky that our classes are full of women doing exactly that.

Kizzi ELK

16/08/2026

09/08/2026

04/08/2026

19/07/2026

12/07/2026

04/07/2026

28/06/2026

28/06/2026

20/06/2026

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