Doncaster family's martial arts success

An established club that offers a wide range of martial arts classes to the community, is chalking up wins, and next month will launch a free self defence class for women.
RATMA club juniorsRATMA club juniors
RATMA club juniors

Rose & Thistle Martial Arts, or RATMA, was founded by Brian Lister, currently a Sambo British Gold medal holder, on Queens Road, Doncaster, in 1992.. 

Working with the community, the club became well established and last summer it celebrated expansion and the opening of new premises in Hyde Park. 

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Toni Lister explained that they have classes to suit all ages and abilities:

'We offer a great range of martial arts including Muay Thai, boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Sambo, NoGi grappling.

'We also cover a selection of traditional Japanese Martial Arts with Kempo Karate, Judo, Taijutsu and Kobudo weapons work.   'We have a fitness class that runs three times a week and are launching a free self defence class for women in February,' she added. 'We welcome students here from any background, without any prejudice, and support the local community by keeping our prices low.

'We make sure that if money is an issue it won't stop members training, as we believe in what we do.'

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Club coach Ewan Lister, 20,  will be competing in upcoming shows and representing the club in the Yorkshire area in February and March this year.

He has a Lightweight Novice Amateurs MMA title belt from 2018, and won his K1 debut on Strike Series last summer.

Brian will aim for a Gold in the British Sambo Open again in February.

'He has hopes of winning gold and then representing GBR again at the Internationals later in the year, ' said Toni.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Brian, 55,  holds a Sambo International Championship Bronze medal after competing in October last year.

 Juniors from the club are pictured at their first Muay Thai interclub where they fought for the first time, after joining as students in July 2018.

Â