Luke Edwards

Luke Edwards began his martial arts journey at the age of 12, training in Taekwondo for nearly three years and progressing to red stripe before an illness forced him to step away from training. Although he explored various martial arts over the years, nothing quite reignited that spark — until he was introduced to YAMA in February 2023.

After a conversation with a friend whose children trained at YAMA, Luke decided to join the adult MMA classes in Tiverton, and he has been training consistently ever since. His original motivations were to build confidence, discipline, and fitness, inspired by his love of martial arts icons such as Bruce Lee and Jet Li, and the structured, character-building elements he remembered from training as a child.

Through YAMA, Luke has developed across a wide range of disciplines, including Mixed Martial Arts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Krav Maga, Panantukan, and Silat, giving him a well-rounded and practical approach to training and teaching.

As an instructor, Luke most enjoys seeing students — particularly children — having fun while learning new skills and watching their confidence grow both on and off the mats. His favourite moments come from helping students push through challenges and realise what they are capable of achieving.

Luke is especially proud of his progression through the YAMA grading system, with his first grading and subsequent panel gradings standing out as major milestones. The panel grading process, which tests technical knowledge, physical fitness, mental resilience, and overall understanding from white belt to current grade, is something he considers truly special. He has also tested himself through competing in the cage, further developing his mental toughness and composure under pressure.

What Luke believes makes YAMA different is its strong sense of community and support. From Fight Academy to annual camps, the friendships formed across different schools and the shared commitment to supporting one another — whether through gradings or fight preparation — create a powerful “we’re all in this together” culture.

Outside of martial arts, Luke has recently trained to become an on-call firefighter, reflecting his commitment to service, responsibility, and helping others.

Looking to the future, Luke’s goal as an instructor is to continue building students’ confidence, whether that’s having the courage to speak up in a group, stand tall under pressure, or knowing they have the skills and belief to protect themselves if ever needed.