National Martial Arts Committee of Great Britain

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Establishing the NMAC:

• In 2011 the current NMAC Director, Chris Hemstock was asked to put together a Stand-up Fighting, Striking (AKA Kickboxing / Taekwondo / Karate) Martial Arts Team, by the Chairman of the United Kingdom all Styles Karate Organisation (UKASKO), Roy Stanhope. The Team was to represent Great Britain at the European Martial Arts Games (EMAG), being held in the Gloucestershire Town of Cheltenham. The EMAG is part of the World Martial Arts Games Committee (WMAGC) platform. This saw the birth of the Great Brtain Martial Arts Team (GBMAT)

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• At the time Chris, along with Ian Soame and Dave Robb, were running the long established Martial Arts Club, Saracen Martial Arts (SMA). Chris continued to head the GBMAT attending the World Martial Arts Games (WMAG) in Bregenz, Austria in 2012 & 13, while still running his full time martial arts classes under the umbrella of SMA across South Norfolk.

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• 2014 saw Chris pull together another GBMAT and head to Vancouver, Canada to compete at the first TAFISA (The Association For International Sport for All) World Martial Arts Games. TAFISA are recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), making the medals won very prestigious indeed.

• In 2015 Chris was asked to Host the WMAG in the UK. The Games were held in Norwich, with Teams attending from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic, Australia, Spain, Mexico and Azerbaijan. The GB Team was 170 Athletes strong, the Games were a great success. KWON agreed to partnership with a Sponsorship deal. 
• This year Chris also attended the 24th TAFISA World Congress in Budapest, Hungary, as a delegate for the WMAGC. 

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• After many happy years working together with Ian and Dave, Chris parted ways with SMA in May 2016, and turned his focus towards developing the NMAC as we know it today.

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• Chris has continued leading the GBMAT, travelling to South Africa 2016, USA 2017, Liechtenstein 2018 and once again hosted the Games in the UK, London this time in 2019. As we type this, the 2023 GBMAT has just been announced to compete at the US World Games, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Developing the NMAC:  

2017

• Saw Chris Hemstock complete a Kenjutsu training program in Liechtenstein and awarded the rank of 3rd Dan Black Belt under the watchful eyes of Nihon Bushido Kodo Kai Examiners Sōke Yasuhiro Irie (JAP) and  Hanshi Metin Kayar (LIE) and Kun-Tai-Ko International Association of Budo  Hanshi Freddy Kleinschwärzer (GER).
• Chris Lead the GBMAT to compete at the 2017 World Martial Arts Games in the USA.
• Travelled to Seoul, Korea to attend the 25th TAFISA World Congress as an ambassador for the WMAGC. Chris was introduced to Grand Master Bong Hyun Jung and Master Samuel Kim who is now involved with the NMAC Black Belt Program.
• A meeting with the President of the United World Martial Arts Federation (UWMAF) - Imtiaz Abdulla in Dublin, Ireland. Formulating plans for the African Martial Arts Games in 2018.

Developing the NMAC:   

2019

• The London International Martial Arts Hall of Fame saw Harriet Peck 5th Degree Black Belt become an Inductee.
• A trip to Mexico after the Lima Lama Federation of Mexico invited Chris to the Lima Lama Mexican National Championships in Acapulco.
• NMAC & GBMAT Hosted the World Martial Arts Games in London.  

2020

• Joint Founder, along with Emma Elmes, of the International On-Line Martial Arts Competitions (IOMAC) 
• Harry Smith 2nd Degree Black Belt was our first Athlete that was accepted for trials at GB Taekwondo. 
• Peter Fawbert invited Chris as the NMAC Guest Examiner at a Shindo Wadokai Karate Association (SWKA) Club Grading in Mountain Ash, Wales.