Dan’s Blog on STMA (Shaolin Tigers Martial Arts) Academy Reading
Hi everyone, my name is Dan Eden, and this is my blog to tell you about my lifelong journey in martial arts and make you aware of our new exciting upcoming STMA Academy Reading Scours Lane branch which is due to open in the coming months.
What is STMA Academy Reading?
- STMA (Shaolin Tigers Martial Arts) Academy Reading Scours Lane will be one of the largest Martial Arts Academies in the UK when it opens in November. It will be over 2,250 square foot with an upstairs area which houses Reading’s only MMA cage. It also has a downstairs area with a reception/club shop/large ring/matted area including specialist training equipment and multiple punch bags.
- We are part of the overall STMA Group (see shaolintigers.co.uk) but the new separate Reading, Scours Lane branch. STMA was founded by our Chief Instructor Frank Bowen-Aquilina. We have been established since 1984 and have trained multiple world champions over five decades.
- Whether your goal is to learn self-defence techniques, improve cardio/fitness, enhance your kickboxing or boxing skills or you simply want to relive some stress, we can help.
What is the main objective of STMA Academy Reading?
- 1) Shaolin Tigers Martial Arts Academy Reading is a fun, friendly and safe environment to train martial arts (including Kickboxing, Muay Thai/Jujitsu & MMA).
We help the community with both junior & adult martial arts classes on every day of the week catering for all levels from beginner to advanced. Shaolin Tigers help keep kids off the street and boost self-defence/self-awareness & self-confidence as well as both Mental/Physical issues.
- 2) We will provide a solid base for our main STMA group and all other STMA branches across Berkshire &Hampshire (including Wokingham/Crowthorne/Bramley/Newbury) to use for regular Course & Gradings/Interclub Shows & Seminars.
- 3) We are givingReading what it deserves and providing theonlyMMA Cage/large Martial Arts Academycomplex in the city to help the next generation of MMA or Muay Thai fighters with dreams of reaching the UFC or One Championships.
What STMA Academy is not.
Just to be clearI amnot setting up thisnew Martial Arts Academy to makelarge amounts of profit. Iam fortunate enough to have a good job in a large global tech company, so I ampretty financially secure. Iam purely doing this as my dream and the love of Martial Arts. Yes, every business must breakeven/make profit in order survive however I intend to re-investallthe profits to keep making the academy better.
I grew up in the area and I want to try and help the community by keeping kids off the streets, training the next generation of champions/Olympians (now that Muay Thai and Kickboxing are officially Olympic sports). I am putting everything into this place including a large amount of my own personal money. I have not had any help from local government schemes to date (although if anyone is reading this from the local council, I would love to talk to you about how you can help this initiative).
Go big or Go Home!
I have been to Thailand multiple times over the last twenty years attending numerous tough/rigorous training camps to help improve my cardio/technique in the lead up to big fights.I have stood in awe at some huge gyms, such as Tiger Muay Thai & MMA Training Camp Phuket(see https://www.tigermuaythai.com/) and Elite Fight Club Bangkok (see https://www.elitefightclub.com/bangkok). I couldn’t believe how large the gyms were, how professional/well organised they were with expert trainers producing very high-qualityfighters.
I always thought to myself, one dayI will have my own Gym/Martial Arts Academy like thisin my hometownto help train the next generation of fighters/Olympic Champions. I don’t believe in doing things half-heartedly. As the Americans say, “Go Big or Go Home!”. I intend to replicate the set ups I have seen over in Thailand by building one of the largest Martial Arts Academies with expert trainers right here in my hometown of Reading.
Dan at Tiger Muay Thai & MMA Training Camp, Phuket Thailand
Dan round kicking Kru Ali on the pads
Dan doing a jumping knee with Kru Ali on the pads
Dan ready to fight at the end of a tough training camp.
Dan at the Elite Fight Club Bangkok at a Training Camp
Dan at the Elite Fight Club Bangkok where the world famous KruGae is the instructor.
Dan’s brother on left (Marc Eden) /the two Kru’s in middle /Dan Eden on the far right at the Udomsok Muay Thai Gym in Bangkok, Thailand.
Dan Eden training in at Luktupfah Muay Thai Camp in Suckhumvit, Bangkok
My Background
Dan’s Professional Career
I worked hard to get myself an education. Working five nights per week at McDonalds to help support myself whilst at university. I have now been working in the IT industry for the past twenty plus years showing the same hard work/professionalism in my day job as I have in my Martial Arts career. I am currently a Product Specialist/UK Sales Leadfor one of the world’s largest IT Tech companies whose turnover is over $94Bn globally. I have worked for my current company for fifteen years working hard to move up the. I constantly try to learn/adapt and improve to achieve my goals.
Dan’s early Martial Arts Career
Dan (aged 13) doing a Round Kick at the Meadway Sports Centre, Tilehurst, Reading.
I was born in Reading. I come from a working-class background and havebeen doing Martial Arts since I wasthree years old (or as long as I can remember anyway). Istarted doing Karate (Shotokan style) with myfather (who was a black belt instructor when I was born). My Dad took me to the local dojos and the top dojos run by the Japanese (Sensi Enodia 8th Dan Black Belt Instructor) in London. I reached brown belt in Karate and competed in many junior competitions representing The Meadway& Apollo clubs in Reading, winning several tournament trophies/medals.
Dan’s Dad (Sensi Martin Eden) in his younger days doing a round kick (left) and snap punch to the body (right).
Dan’s Martial Arts Journey
I joined Shaolin Tigers back in 1998 at the age of seventeen when a friend asked me to come along to the Car Wash Gym in Kennet Street in Reading. I always remember the smell of deep heat and oil (as it was above a mechanics downstairs) and the loud sound of kicks and punches thumping against the pads.
I was trained our Chief Instructor SifuFrank Bowen-Aquilina(6th Dan Black Belt Instructor) who I immediately connected with. Sifu Frank helped adapt myKarate style to our Shaolin Tigers Thai-Kick-Jitsu style and over the years helped nurture me as a fighter/Martial Artistand as a person so that I could reach my full potential.
At the time we had multiple domestic & World Champions in the gym who Sifu Frank trained including the likes of Andre McIntyre who was a two-time World Champion winning both ISKA & WKA World Muay Thai Titles.
Our main fighters at the time wereNigel Thomson/Mark Thomson/Mark Bennett/Ian Whitehouse/Damien Hamilton (5x K1 Kickboxing World Champion)&Joe Scrivener (Middleweight World Champion);who later moved to Czech Republic to set up a STMA branch. There was also the late Chris ‘The Sledgehammer’ Ballard who went on to become a World Super Heavyweight Cage Fighting Champion. Chris was a great talent, and he could have easily moved to America to fight in the UFC which is exactly what James McSweeney did. James trained at the KennetStreet gym in the late 90s before he moved to the US and won the Ultimate Fighter TV Show.
We used to do endless rounds of sparring and for me the main objective in those days was just to survive and try to learn.I listened, trained extremely hard and learned fast amongst all the great talent we had there. I then went on to fight regular as often as I could and move up the belts in our grading system.
Dan’s Fight Pics
Dan Eden KO’ing his opponent at Chesham Leisure Centre, March 2001
Far Right Nigel Thompson 1st Men’s 85-90KG WUMA European Kickboxing Championship /Middle Sifu Frank / Far rightDan Eden2nd place Men’s 70-75Kg -Middleweight – Cheltenham – 11th Oct 2007
Dan Eden v Esmond Francis York Hall, Bethnal Green, London 2009.
Dan round kicking Esmond Francis at the York Hall 2009.
The Victor – Dan Eden winning after beating Esmond Francis at the York Hall, May 2009.
Dan Edenon the far right (Gold ISKA World Kickboxing Championships Mens 71-76 Kg) Sifu Frank Middle /Far Left Dan Facey (Bronze Mens 89-91Kg) May 2010
Dan Eden (with the WUMA British Kickboxing Open Winning Trophy December 2010) together with many other winning Shaolin Tiger Fighters
Dan Eden with 1st Place Winner – WAKO British Open – Bristol Open 2010
Dan Eden with WUMA World Cup Kickboxing Championship – October 2011
Dan Eden with his Gold Medals 2015
Dan Eden entering the cage with Sifu Frank
Dan Eden with a spinning heal kick against Scott Morland Rivermead, Reading March 2017
Dan Eden v Scot Morland Rivermead, Reading March 2017
Dan Eden round kicking Scott Morland Rivermead, Reading March 2017
Dan Edenv Scott Morland Rivermead, Reading March 2017
Dan Fight Promo Videos
Dan Eden v Shaun Smith 2012 = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFlJdVusYPI&t=322s
Dan Eden K1 Kickboxing Fight Promo Video 2016 = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-8HyJrX1gg&t=3s
Dan Eden Training for Scott Morland K1 Cage Fight 2017 = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkHIlxAzA0Q&t=205s
Frank Bowen-Aquilina
I first met SifuFrank Bowen-Aquilina (Chief Instructor /6th Dan Black Belt Thai-Kick-Jitsu Instructor) in 1998 when he was in his late 40s. Si-fu Frank is the founder of STMA (Shaolin Tigers Martial Arts). I have the upmost respect for Sifu Frank and always look up to him as a trainer/coach and role model for the past twenty-threeyears or so.
SifuFrank started training in his teens mainly practicing Boxing/Judo as well as Greco-Roman Wrestling. Over a period of some fifty-three years, he has also studied various forms of Shaolin Kung Fu/Japanese Jujitsu/JKD/Escrima/Muay Thai/K1 Kickboxing.
Frank spent his earlier years training in body building and power lifting. He came 2nd in the Mr. London competition. Losing to Bertil Fox who later went on to win Mr. Olympia. Frank trained at the Wag Bennett Gym in Stratford where Arnold Schwarzenegger lived and trained at the time.
Frank competed regularly on the open fight circuit over many years culminating winning the 1985 British Martial Arts Championship in the Heavyweight division. This was the forerunner of Mixed Martial Arts in the UK as it involved striking/throwing and grappling/groundwork. He also trained in multiple World Champions over five decades in Kickboxing/Muay Thai and Cage Fighting.
Frank is now in his 70s and I still see him nearly every day. He is still passing on his exert knowledge to the next generation of coaches and fighters.
Dan Eden &Frank Bowen-Aquilina after Dan beat Esmond Francis at the York Hall, London 2009
(Above) Dan Eden&SifuFrank Bowen-Aquilina after Dan won the WUMA British Title in December 2010
I am currently training for my 4th Dan Black Belt which I hope to achieve soon. I have been training regularly helping to teach both juniors/adults in Muay Thai/K1 Kickboxing & White-Collar Boxing. I have also spent years training in Jujitsu/MMA which is part our overall Thai-Kick -Jitsu syllabus.
Becoming a Champion!
I know what it takes to become a World Champion. Everyone says they want to be one when they start their career, but few people manage to achieve it. You must be 100% dedicated and make a lot of sacrifices to get there. It requires a total change in lifestyle and literally hundreds if not thousands of hours of repetitive training.
People always see you perform in the ring/cage but don’t see what goes on behind the scenes. I used to train three times a day whilst still working 50 hours per week. I used to wake up at 5am and strap leg weights round my ankles and then grab the hand weights to go running ten miles per day five times per week. Then I would train in my work gym at lunchtimes then go straight to our Boxing/Thai-boxing gym every single night working hard to improve my cardio/technique and put in round after round of sparring. I would weigh myself every day and make sure I was eating healthy with as much veg and protein as I could eat. I would wright down the things I needed to work on every evening to make sure I was constantly improving. Going above and beyond to try and become a champion. Over the last 27 years I have managed to win the following:
- KUGB Southern Area Karate (Junior) Championships – Loddon Valley Leisure Centre, Reading – 1994
- Open National Karate (Junior) Championships – Crystal Palace, London 1995
- KUGB – National Karate (Junior) Championships – Birmingham, NEC – May 1996
- WUMA European Kickboxing Championship, 2nd place Men’s 70-75Kg -Middleweight – Cheltenham – 11th Oct 2007
- Gold Medal (1st Place) ISKA World Kickboxing Championships (Men’s 71-76kilos) – London Excel 29th May 2010
- Gold Medal (1st Place) – WAKO Bristol Open (Bristol Blue Glass Boxing Glove trophy) – Men’s 75kg June – Bristol – 2010
- WUMA British Open (1st Place) Men’s Advanced >85 Kilos Kickboxing Tournament – Cheltenham- December 2010
- Silver Medal (2nd Place) KWON WKA English Kickboxing Open – Birmingham – 19th June 2011 – Men’s Advanced 75-85 kilos
- WUMA World Kickboxing Title (Winning Trophy) – Cheltenham- Men’s 76kg October 16th 2011
- Gold Medal at the Kenshiro Muay-Thai Interclub – 80Kg Brighton – 13th Sep 2015
- Contended for the Light Heavyweight PowerBox Promotions British White-Collar boxing Title – 80Kg – Uxbridge – 23rd March 2019
- Plus multiple interclub/competitive tournament and normal bouts (at venues such as the York Hall + Excel Arena, London/Guild Hall, Portsmouth/&Rivermead in his home town Reading).
Dan’s Fight collage pic
Dan with his trophy cabinet
Why it’s important to have a Martial Arts Academy with an MMA Cage in Reading
Losing the fighting Fit Gym
Ten years ago, weused to have an amazing gym called the ‘Fighting Fit Gym’ in Richfield Avenue in Caversham, Reading. I used to train there every weeknight straight after work then go to Pinewood Boxing Gym in Crowthorne at the weekends. I loved the Fighting Fit Gym as it had a large ring with all the bags/mats/specialist training equipment you could need. We used to do regular Interclub Shows there which I always fought on. Then the Post Office Club sold the property, and we were forced to move out with only a few weeks’ notice.
Since then, our main STMA group has continued in Crowthorne at Pinewood Boxing Club as well as Wokingham & Emmbrook Boxing Gym and more recently back at St. Crispin’s Sports Centre and Edgebarrow Sports Centre. However I feel like we really need to have a strong club base in Reading because that is where our club originated from and it’s also my hometown. Not only that Reading deserves to have a large Martial Arts Academy with an MMA Cage to train in. Nowhere has this in the town and it’s something I feel we are massively missing out on.
Dan kicking the long bag at the Fighting Fit Gym in 2011.
The Next Chapter…
Now aged fortyI am ready to take on the next chapter in my martial arts career moving into more of a coaching role. I have heavily invested in our new STMA Academy Reading Scours Lane branch. I want to help pass on my years of knowledge to the next generation of local fighters and help them develop their skills to achieve their dreams. I also want to help the communityand keep kids/young adults off the street/boost self-defence/self-awareness & self-confidence as well as both Mental/Physical issues. I know what it takes to be a champion and I want to help nurture the next generation of future champions.
Dan and Alex on the Thai pads
Dan & Jed on the low kick pad.
If you would like any more information on our new Martial Arts Academy then please feel free to reach out to our Team on the below:
Contact STMA Academy Reading
Address:
STMA (Shaolin Tigers Martial Arts) Academy Reading
Scours Lane,Reading, BerkshireRG30 6AY
