Yamba Diamond Martial Arts, located in the coastal town of Yamba, is a martial arts club and fitness centre dedicated to providing top-quality training and instruction. Led by Chief Instructor Brett Austin, who brings a wealth of real-world experience, the club offers a range of martial arts disciplines, promoting self-confidence, self-defence, and overall fitness.
Brett Austin's journey in martial arts began in 1984, and his passion for the discipline led him to join the Regular Army in 1989 as a Combat Engineer. Throughout his military service, Brett continued his martial arts training, earning his Black belt in GoJu Ryu. He also had the opportunity to train in boxing, mixed martial arts, and combative arts during his frequent postings. After serving in East Timor, Brett returned to Brisbane and operated a full-time Close Quarter Combat training centre, further developing his skills under the guidance of founder and chief instructor Hanshi Rob Gear.
In 2009, due to ongoing medical issues, Brett took a break from training to focus on recovery. However, in 2014, after overcoming a major car accident that resulted in a broken neck, he felt the need to reconnect with martial arts. Master Phil Monaghan invited Brett to a training session, and since then, his martial arts journey has continued to evolve, leading to the establishment of Yamba Diamond Martial Arts in October 2016. For Brett, martial arts have always been about self-defence, self-discovery, and survival.
Yamba Diamond Martial Arts offers a variety of classes, including kickboxing, hapkido, hosinsul, tukkong musool, close quarter combat, Filipino martial arts, and kapap. The club is rooted in the philosophy of “Train for tomorrow today,” emphasising the importance of preparing oneself for future challenges.
The club boasts a modern studio equipped with a 3 cm rubber-floored training area, providing a safe and comfortable environment for members to train. In addition, Yamba Diamond Martial Arts is committed to maintaining a COVID-free environment, ensuring peace of mind for all participants. The facility includes a creche that offers supervised sessions, allowing parents and guardians to train worry-free.
YDMA is dedicated to serving the Yamba community, providing a safe and ego-free environment for all family members to practise health and well-being. The club offers age-specific classes for children, focusing on their developmental needs. Combat Wombats, for ages 5 to 7, focus on basic gymnastics skills, balance, coordination, and gross motor skill function. Combat Kids Beginners, for ages 7 to 10, provide a platform for physical and emotional growth, with an emphasis on core stability.
Combat Kids Intermediate, for ages 10 to 15 or Blue belt and above, introduces advanced skills and scenario-based training.
For adults of all ages and physical capacities, Yamba Diamond Martial Arts offers self-defence classes in HOSINSUL, HAPKIDO, and Close Quarter Combat (CQC). Hosinsul, known as “Applied Self Defence,” aims to develop natural instincts to ensure personal safety in any environment. Hapkido, a highly effective mixed martial art, teaches a wide range of locks, breaks, restraints, throws, and strikes. Close Quarter Combat, a non-competitive and battle-proven self-protection system, is taught to police, corrective services, military, and frontline personnel.
As a mindset, methodology, and philosophy, CQC can be adapted to any martial or combative system.
At Yamba Diamond Martial Arts, individuals can expect a welcoming and supportive community, professional and qualified instruction, and a commitment to personal growth and self-defence. Whether an aspiring martial artist, a fitness enthusiast, or someone seeking self-confidence, Yamba Diamond Martial Arts is the ideal place to train body and mind.