David Carmichael established Tan'Gun Taekwondo Academy in March 2006

My first experience of any kind of martial arts involved being literally dragged along to the local Karate club at the age of 9 by my dad who was sick of hearing about me getting bullied at school. To be honest I was such a wimp that I was instantly intimidated by hearing the loud grunts and screams coming from the class. My first reaction? I burst into tears! But I soon took to it, and even began to enjoy it. I look back at that moment and smile to myself now. My Karate instructor (the late Pauline Bindra), her husband (Lee Bindra) and family were and are still a massive inspiration to me particularly in my formative years, and I owe an awful lot to them.

Now a full time instructor, I started my working career with no intention of teaching any kind of martial art. In fact I actually trained as an actor and went on to achieve some kind of modest success working heavily in theatre and physical work and in TV on The Bill and appearing in several adverts on MTV and BBC On Digital. What made me change? Well contrasting lifestyles really. I couldn't train in the evenings and expect to work! So I took a break from it all, got a regular job and went on to gain my black belt and found that I actually enjoyed teaching. It gave and still gives me a certain sense of achievement and satisfaction, and my experience in the theatre has certainly helped with a huge element of teaching. Maybe some day I'll tread the boards again.