Martin muscles in on Brussels martial arts

Black belt Martin Dixon will be training members of Belgium's police and armed forces in the art. But he will not be sharing his knowledge with just the Belgians, he has been invited to Denmark, Germany, Spain and even South Africa to teach.

Martin will be jetting out to the home country of martial arts screen star Van Damme - nicknamed the Muscles from Brussels - in April.

The 47-year-old said: "I will be teaching a group of police officers and members of the armed forces specialist techniques to restrain and immobilise people. They are the sort of techniques that can be immediately put to use in the field and will prove very practical.

"I have trained the police before in Belgium and that was about 18 years ago. I plan to take up the invitations from Denmark and Spain, where I will be teaching other Ju Jitsu groups. "Unfortunately, due to commitments this year, including the British championships, I will have to postpone visiting South Africa and Germany."

He was invited to Belgium by the country's Ju Jitsu association, which has links with the police and armed forces.

Martin, who is an osteopath in Avenue Parade, Accrington, has been doing Ju Jitsu for 35 years. His expertise and skill has earned him a black belt seventh Dan, as well as a reputation as one of the world's leading exponents of the martial art.

He has been invited on the teaching trips through his involvement in training some of the sport's national and international stars.

Martin does not get paid for his expert training sessions and merely gets his expenses covered by the different country's association.

During his visits to the Continent, Martin will be attempting to lay down the foundations for a European governing body for the sport.

He added that he hoped the formation of such a body would lead to official European championships.

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