HIDDEN FIST MARTIAL ARTS FOUNDATION

ABOUT OUR INSTRUCTOR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           A LIFETIME OF INTENSE TRAINING,HARDWORK & NEVER GIVING UP

 

          The Hidden Fist Foundation was setup by SIFU Michael Gooch in 2010 shortly after he acheived his 1st Dan in Shaolion Kung Fu under the Guidance

          of Chief Instructor Mike Mitchell of Hull Kung Fu winners of the queens Communitee Award.  Michael wasn't a typical martial arts student,'he was

          the 1st and only wheelchair users to ever acheive this grade at Hull Kung Fu Club.  Michael wanted to share his experience and knowledge of

          martial arts with other's who lived in his home town of scunthorpe,' Michael descided that he wanted to give something back to the communitee he

          grew up in,' so he made the choice to move back to scunthorpe and set up this new Inclusive organisation.

 

          Michael has studied martial arts since he was 7 years old alongside his three older siblings.  He began his career in (BJA)Britsh Judo

          Associatiion under the guidance of Harry Slater,' as a youngster he also practiced Taekwondo under the guidance of Master John Turner (WTF)

          World Taekwondo Fedaration,'Karate under Master Blake of (WSA) World Shodakan Association and Kickboxing for a short period,'up until the age

          of 15 whilst he lived within the family home. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'        Michael was a victim of constant bullying within school,'at home at the clubs he attended and at college this was mainly because of his short stature

         and gentle nature and so he quit his ambitions of becoming a Great Britain Judo Player or Takwondo Player when he had the chance to do so, he

         felt lost in a world that didn't care, he knew he had a skill but had been taught not to use it against other's even though he knew that he could and at

         times felt he should of used those skills. And so at 16 he left home for the1st time determined to find his way and never to be bullied again. It was at

         this time when he was homeless and on the streets that he met One of his  first main Instructor's Joe D'Angelo who saw Michael's potential and took

         him under his wing as a private student teaching him the arts of Bo-Nin-jitsu-kan and Aikido-ju-jitsu.  In Michael's own words training with Joe

         D'Angelo and his group was one of those rare occassions in his lifetime of training in martial arts that he was focused on training and not the day to

         day problems of life.  In many senses it was because of the time Michael was homeless he learnt to become strong on the inside as well as the

         outside of his body.  

 

        After many years of intense training Michael acheived his 1st Dan in Bo-Nin-jitsukan and Aikido- ju-jitsu, He became a Instructor under Joe D'Angelo

        and his Fellow Instructors....  Micheal goals were still not set and at this time he was still a everyday normal teenager who wanted to go into the

        army or air force.  Michael dreams of become a member of the armed forces s not to be however as unbeknown to him he had a diagnosed illness

        he was born with.

 

        Being still able to walk at this time Michael Left home permantly at the age of 17 and a half.   Like most he setout into the world of Adulthood to find

        his own way determined to find a decent job and make his own path in life,  Michael continued on with his training with Joe D' Angelo until his sensei

        sadly passed away in 1997.  Joe D' Angelo's school eventually disbanded in 2002.  But before his sensei sad passing Michael was Introduced to

        Grandmasters Armstrong & Hatsumi from the Armstrong Academy who took him under his wing to gain knowledge of Ryu Karate were he

        eventually gained a Honorary 3rd Dan in Ryu Karate just before he retired due to ill health from martial arts for a short period of time.

 

        Michael at this time was struggleing to find work due to ill health and took on several short term jobs as a Labourer in construction just to make

        ends meet when he was able to do so. He wanted from a good age to join the armed forces but found that neither the army, navy or air force would

        allow him to do so because of his short stature and a undiagnosed syndrome which he was dianosed with at 18 which was known as Russell Silver

        Syndrome.   He dream of supporting his country in some other way was now just a faided memory.

 

        Micheal had always wanted to teach in some capicity the way martial arts ever since he was a child, 'but never truly beleived this because of his bad

        experiences in martial arts as a child but than it was when he trained with Joe D' Angelo's School and went back to Judo at his sisters club that he

        began to fel that way again.  But just as he was to pick himself back up Michael world pulled him down again when he began to fall ill again when he

        was 22 years of age, 'in many senses Michael had always known he was sick both as a child and young adult,  And although his parents taught him

        that no matter what he had to keep going in life as no-one would pick him up when he fell down,' Michael couldn't help feeling that somehow nothing

        would ever workout the way he wanted to no-matter how hard he tried,' but still he refused to give up completly on doing what he wanted to do so he

        figured he rest awhile and see if things would improve.  At 22 he retired dfrom the Judo circuit in the hopes he would one day return to acheive his

       1st Dan in a Sport he had loved his entire childhood.  

 

       Eventually though Michael find himself unable to work due to his undiagnosed condition and found himself having to rely on the goverment to

       survive. No longer able to train in Martial Arts he loved MIchael found himself at a loss moving from place to place never quite being able to settle in

       one place for more than a few months at a time.  Just before his 25th Birthday Michael through a chance meeting with a Genetic specialist was finally

       given a diagnoses to his mystery illness.  Diagnosed with a rare gentic disorder known as ATS "Andersen's Tawail Syndrome" Micheal finally got the

       answers to a 18 year old question as to why he kept becoming so sick for all of the years previously.

 

      Micheal's world did eventually get better from this point on as he was given the necesscary help he needed to cope with this new dissability and  even

      though he knew it had put him in a wheelchair for the remainder of his life.  Michael made the choice not to give up on doing what he wanted to do

      and returned to the martial arts he grew up learning and loved. In many senses when he became a wheelchair user it gave him more of a reason not

      to give in to his dissabilities and made him more determined not to give up. 

 

     Michael returned to the martial arts circuit in 2006 to restart his martial arts career with Mike Mitchell's Club in Hull.  It was a long hard road to get

     back to the level of phyical strength he needed to get to which would allow him to acheive his goals of one day becoming a instructor again, at times

     he thought he couldn't and shouldn't do it has his recovery time took longer each time he suffer from a potassium attack.  But he was determined not

     to give up and it was worth it.  He eventually gained his Assistant Intructor qualifiction and went onto gain his Full Instructor qualification in Shaolin

     Kung Fu (Shaolin Chuan Fa) Which means when translated  "Small Forest Temple Way of Boxing". 

 

     All whilst in his wheelchair and under going testing upon his heart and muscles to see if he could be helped in any way regain his ability to walk, but

     this was not to be.  It has been 14 years since Michael was 1st Diagnosed with ATS.  Michael has never let his illness stop him from acheiveing his goal

     of becoming a martial arts Instructor.  He decided along time ago that if he ever did acheive this lifelong goal he would make it possible for all children

     to train in a safe enviroment without fear of being bullied by fellow students or anyone else.  This is a goal he has always aimed for and now he as

     succeeded in this task.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael has now acheived his 2nd Dan in Shaolin Kung Fu and is training for his 3rd Dan. 

 

 

AWARDS RECEIVED BY MICHEAL GOOCH

 

In 2011 he was awarded his Grandmaster and Head of the GOOCH IMMA SYSTEM by his fomer Grandmasters from the Armstrong Academy.

He was also Awarded a 3rd Dan in Nimbo-Aikido-jujitsu by the World Budo Federation International  (WBF) 

In 2012 Michael was awarded a Grandmasters Dipolma for years of service in Multi Mixed Martial Arts Styles by the World Budo Federation International (WBF)

He was also awarded his 3rd Dan in Taekada Karate by Grandmaster Nick Scott (DMMA) and his Disability Martial Arts Instructor Qualification by Grandmaster Nick Scott of the Disability Martial Arts Association (DMAA)

In 2013 Michael was nominated and awarded Runner Up for the Community Champion Awards in the category of “Personal Courage” by North Lincolnshire Council.

In 2014 Michael was also nominated and awarded Runner Up for the Sporting Champions Award in the category of “Sporting Inspiration” by Hull Daily Mail.

In 2015 Michael was appointed as the Official Ambassador of Britain for the Iron Tiger and Golden Dragon Fighting Societies by Grandmaster Bob Yoder.  

 

     Michael continues his Charity work in his local community as a Volunteer Instructor and the Founder of Hidden Fist Martial Arts Foundation,

     training students of all ages and abilities at Listy's Health Gym in Scunthorpe.