FOUR years of hard training has finally paid off for Shad Miah as he became a 1st Dan blackbelt in Chinese Kickboxing.

Miah only started kickboxing when he was invited to a class as an alternative way of keeping fit and his years of training all came down to a gruelling grading day, which ran from 8am to 5pm.

Miah had to perform a series of tasks to the correct level of skill and precision during the day.

His programme included demonstrating a choreographed set of movements with power, accuracy and speed, followed by a significant section of free fighting at different levels of difficulty.

This was finished off by a superb display of destruction, which involved punching through 12 stacked roof tiles, side-kicking through a two-inch block of wood and finally smashing a normal house brick into two pieces with his bare hands.

Adison Bridet, his senior master instructor, said: “Shad will be an inspirational instructor. Watch this space.’’

Anyone wishing to follow in Miah’s footsteps can do so by attending classes every Wednesday at Basingstoke Sports Centre. Contact Bridet for more information on 07774 222227.