4th dan sensei forges her own path with Witpoortjie kickboxing gym

As a young teenager with a Jean-Claude van Damme poster on her wall, Adri van Wyk’s love of kickboxing began.

Within one year the 15-year-old would pick up her first medal at Jungle War in 1995. Now a mother of two, the seasoned kickboxer is opening her doors to share her wealth of knowledge to all who wish to learn the art of controlled aggression. Upgraded to a 4th Dan black belt in December, Adri’s new gym goes by the name RCFA Dingoes.

While she may have been hosting women’s fitness classes for the past 10 years, she was recently approached by a fellow mother to help train her children, inspiring the move toward independence. Now with four junior kickboxers, two seniors and 12 women doing the fitness classes, the next phase of Adri’s kickboxing adventure is in gear. Affiliated to Kickboxing South Africa, the gym caters for all ages and skill levels, focusing on ring-contact techniques.

The foundation of any martial arts teaching is rooted in self-defence, something Adri is passionate about instilling. “We have a massive problem with violence against women in this county and I don’t tolerate bullies,” she stated. “We only hit bad guys,” said Adri’s young daughter with a smile, chipping in with a phrase her mother has taught her well.

Adri last competed in 2019, and while the 42-year-old has not ruled out competitions in the future, she has moved into a more administrative space. At the upcoming Jungle War event this month she will feature as both referee and judge. Already with her eye on the fifth notch to her black belt, Sensei Adri is beginning to come full circle from apprentice to master.