David Nicholl’s is a Executive Member of the BCCMA committee with the role of Competitions.
David’s election to the governing body of the BCCMA (British Council for Chinese Martial Arts*) is a natural progression of a life devoted to martial arts. Here, he hopes he can help more people to get involved in Chinese martial arts by: supporting the various BCCMA clubs, offering opportunities for all styles and by enriching the experience for its instructors and members – from juniors, through to competitive Sanda fighters and on to veterans pursuing the vast array of wellbeing based Chinese arts.
In 2013, with a number of like-minded Senior Black Belts, David became a founding member of San Shou Kuan (SSK); aiming to further study pragmatic aspects of traditional Chinese Kick-Boxing and compete in Sanda and other competitive environments (some instructors also teach other styles to a senior level). SSK promotes learning from governing body courses, recognises a value in its members participating in emerging martial arts and even coaching skills from other sports.

Prior to SSK, David began his formal class training in martial arts in Wales until a Rolls Royce apprenticeship led to relocation enabling further training directly under Grand Master C.K. Chang for 28 years. Under whose expert guidance he achieved a 5th Degree Black Belt in traditional Northern Style Shaolin Kung Fu and full-contact Kick-Boxing, gaining valuable competition experience in the ring and as a corner man, collecting a number of national trophies. He also formed part of a grading team sent to The Caribbean for senior gradings and was invited back to help spar at a record number of Black Belt gradings based in the UK.
In addition to Kick-Boxing, David studied Western Boxing for a number of years and for a brief time lived and travelled around Thailand, studying Thai Boxing.
Complementing these practical aspects, David also has a solid theoretical foundation with a masters degree in Sports & Exercise Science.