Inverkeithing martial arts ace Stuart in line for national award

Stuart Rider (43), of Preston Crescent, is a 4th Dan black belt and master of self-defence. Over the years, he has trained in various martial arts and now teaches his own system, the Rider Martial Arts Cross Training System, which is his own interpretation of the different methods he has studied.

Now, after years of hard work and dedication, Stuart has been nominated to receive a Hall of Fame award by Martial Arts Illustrated, the UK’s leading martial arts magazine. He has been invited to a prestigious ceremony in Falkirk on November 8 as an honour and testament to his work.

“When I got the letter it was totally out of the blue,” said Stuart. “It’s a pretty big deal! They’ve been running the Hall of Fame awards for the past couple of years but it’s always been in England. This is the first time it’s been in Scotland. I’m pretty made up.

“It does make you think your efforts are, I wouldn’t say worthwhile because that’s not what I do it for, but it is good to be recognised. It’s also a good chance to meet other people in the industry who I’ve looked up to over the years and swap stories.”

After starting martial arts at a young age, Stuart spent much of his life both training and teaching and loves feeling like he is making a difference.

“I watched martial arts films growing up and then started at school and just kept at it,” he said. “I wasn’t into football or cricket but martial arts was an area that I always had an interest in.

“Over time, self-defence really interested me. It was an area I was drawn to. It’s not just about the training, I’ve met some great people and it has allowed me to travel all over the UK to teach as well as India. I’ve met people from all over the world.

“Being able to pass that on and teach not only allows for an understanding about what I’m doing, but it’s also passing something beneficial on to people. Especially in today’s society, I think people should have at least a rudimentary understanding of self-defence, regardless of age or physical abilities. It also improves people’s levels of awareness and self-confidence. It’s not just about helping in physical situations, it can also increase happiness on a day-to-day basis and help with mental heath as well.”

Last year, Stuart taught self-defence classes to women and children in Mumbai as part of the charity Action Breaks Silence.

“It was very rewarding to go over there and help them,” he said. “I was working with a whole range of people. There were about 3,000 girls and women over two to three weeks. Some came from private schools and some came from the areas like the slums you see on TV. You don’t understand the depth of poverty they live in, with rats and open sewers. But the level of appreciation they gave – to see how happy they were just spending time with them, not ignoring them, getting them to learn something – was rewarding.”

Stuart is also pleased to have a “very loyal core” of students and currently teaches classes in Dunfermline and Inverkeithing, focusing on self-defence, kickboxing, grappling, weapons – including stick-fighting – fitness and more.

Anybody wanting to try out a class is welcome to come along on Mondays at Woodmill High School from 7pm, Thursdays at Elite Martial Arts & Fitness Studio, Walmer Drive from 7pm and Sundays at 10am at The Scout Hut, Inverkeithing. The first lesson is free and classes are open to men and women aged 14 and over.

For more information, visit www.ridermartialarts.co.uk