The Warrior Academy, the UAE’s largest martial arts organisation, has announced its first opening in Abu Dhabi, following a phenomenal 4 years of growth.
The award-winning academy, which is currently attended by over 1,000 children a week in its Al-Quoz location in Dubai, prides itself on harnessing the power of ancient martial arts as an effective tool to support children with their character development. This unique approach, coined ‘The Warrior Method’, focuses on the three ‘C’s’ – Confidence, Conduct and Concentration, which is delivered by a team of world-class professionals, consisting of national, European and world champions, personal trainers to prominent families in the UAE and best-selling authors in character development.
Over 30,000 children across three continents have benefitted from attending the Warrior Academy, which started in the United Kingdom in 2011 and has so far produced over 50 national champions. Following a year of attending the academy, 82% of children report an increase in confidence (www.breakthrougharea.com), playing testament to the transformational power of the mentorship and martial arts tools the dojo provides.
Founded by serial entrepreneur Sebastian Bates, a two-times best-selling author, extreme sports athlete and philanthropist, the Warrior Academy was inspired by his own personal challenges, which include experiencing a near-fatal parachuting accident back in 2014 where Sebastian was told he would never walk again. As a result, Sebastian is on a mission to inspire a generation of young people to make a difference, with plans afoot to expand the operation across a further nine cities in the GCC over the next three years.
Commenting on the opening; His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said: “Abu Dhabi has always embraced the growth of Education and Sport and we are proud to continue to do so. It is important to nurture children’s development to become well-rounded citizens of the future, and the Warrior Academy creates a world class platform through martial arts that is set to inspire thousands of children to achieve their goals around the world. I’m honoured to be here today to mark the opening of the only specialist character development Centre in Abu Dhabi.”
Echoing these comments, Sebastian Bates, Founder of the Warrior Academy, said: “We are thrilled to bring the Warrior Academy to Abu Dhabi. We had so many parents reaching out to us to encourage us to open in Abu Dhabi, and so this was a natural step forward for us to be able to bring the organisation to the capital.
“We’re incredibly proud of the impact the Warrior Academy is having on children’s lives. This is much more than a martial arts academy. Through our small class approach and the methods taught, we’re able to rapidly increase a child’s confidence, conduct and concentration, so that they develop a Black Belt mindset, and go on to live a happy and compelling life as an adult.”
At the Warrior Academy, the instructors practice Taekwondo, a popular martial art that originated in Korea, which has become a global phenomenon. However, Taekwondo is much more than just a physical sport, it can also have a significant impact on a child’s character development, helping them to build confidence, discipline, and focus. It also promotes physical coordination and strength, and can help children overcome fears and build self-esteem.
Sebastian, himself a former international professional fighter, having studied six styles of martial arts for 25 years, is also passionate about putting an end to the cycle of bullying, following his own experiences as a child also contributing to his desire to channel the practice of martial arts to help young people through the Warrior Academy.
Sebastian added: “Bullying is not a single event, but a transition. It’s a transition that carries with it the potential for huge growth with the right mentoring. It is through this approach, that I hope the Warrior Academy will continue to help children, and we could not be more excited to be welcoming students to our dojo in Abu Dhabi.”
The Warrior Academy Abu Dhabi officially opens its doors on Saturday 27th May 2023, and is centrally located in Al Wahda Mall, providing a thriving hub and easy-to-access base for children in the capital to attend.
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