NMAA Founder
History of Nutaofit Martial Arts Academy
Over the last forty years, Nutaofit Martial Arts Academy (NMAA) has undergone a number of changes and transformations. Its founder Kwan Jang Nim Geoff Hutchinson established the first club teaching Taekwondo in Melbourne South East.
NuTaoFit has its origins from a balanced approach in what ever we do, i.e.
Nu – Nutritional, Tao – Way or path for life, Fit – Physical and mental fitness
NuTaoFit means learning a way or our way of martial arts and was formed in 1985 by our founder:
Kwan Jang Nim Geoff Hutchinson (1957 – 2016)
9th Dan Black Belt NMAA,
Victorian Representative IAFF,
Ranked 4th Dan,
Ranked 3rd Dan ATA Australasian,
TaeKwon Do Academy,
Member of the Guild of Australian Black Belts
Our Club badge reflects the style’s desire to achieve balance in the use of hands/ feet/ holds/ locks/ sweeps/ throws, etc.
This is why the Yin/ Yang symbol appears on the badge.
NMAA Vision
To educate all students in the art of self defence, enabling them to adequately defend themselves in times of need,
- Creating a safe environment to allow students to test themselves within,
- Knowledge in belonging to a group or club and using this to excel within the group,
- Creating good health and confidence through a series of exercise routines to better enjoy their quality of life,
- Learning to cope with day to day pressures through concentration exercises to maintain a
contented well being, - To make available ‘OUR VISION’ to as many people as possible in the community through constant expansion of the club.
Geoff created his own programs and taught a number of different styles for Taekwondo, Shoot Fighting, Kickboxing, Self Defence, Taichi, Qigong, Yoga and Reiki. In addition he created his own style that was named as TaekwonJitsu, by a visiting grandmaster Rick Moneymaker from The Dragon Society, USA.
NMAA has over this time trained hundreds of blackbelts from 1st to 8th Degree, as well as a number of people to Master and Master Teacher levels in Reiki, who are still continuing to practice his healing art.
Geoff developed and taught for NMAA students programs in self defence for body guards, security, police and a range of defence personnel for deployment in conflict areas around the world. In addition to supporting those in need through emergency services, e.g. nurses, domestic violence and bullying victims.
NMAA is based on the principles of the old masters of teaching martial arts and life principles to our students, and as a result have supported people in need at a range of levels in the community through regular and healer sessions, counselling at a number of aged care homes for those residents that had no family; as well as doing counselling for troubled youths, adults and couples
Our graduates have provided personal protection for families experience domestic violence; and established and supported a number of youths in further education through University over a number of years with a scholarship program.
Geoff was constantly looking to gain more knowledge in education, science, martial arts, medicine and ontology to further expand his knowledge and teaching that he could pass onto students; which has also been followed by Chung Sah Nim Paul Mracek who has been the Chief Master Instructor from 2016. With both Geoff and Paul completing courses in Neuro Linguistic Programming, Jinshin Jitsu, Tui Na, Shiatzu, Reiki, Acupressure and Bowen Therapy.
Geoff started or assisted in establishing a number of clubs over the years and we have clubs still running at Dingley Village, Bentleigh East, Mordialloc and Footscray; with past locations being Ballarat, Mulgrave, Parkdale, Oakleigh and Woori Yallock.
Our current headquarters for NMAA is located in Melbourne, Australia:
UNIT 2, 15 SULLIVAN STREET, MOORABBIN
Classes are held on everyday of the week, i.e. from Monday through to Sunday, to meet the wants and.needs of all students.
Geoff wanted the culture of his school to embody the notion that a committed team working together would accomplish more than a single individual ever could. Part of that meant constantly revising the syllabus to provide the learnings from a range of styles that incorporate the fundamental principles that encompasses martial arts.
Over the years, he with his other senior black belts Peter, Graham, David and Paul, Geoff created a culture where questioning the answers trumps trying to answer the questions. What does he teach? Individuals. Not styles, or systems, methods or techniques. He does not teach people, he simply guides them on a journey all their own. In his later years he preferred to be known as “teacher” or more accurately a “guide.” So by referring to him as Kwan Jang Nim or Sabumnim, all one does is recognize that he knows just a little bit more than them in the particular field of martial arts. When it comes to another field, his student might very well become the Sabumnim.
Since 1985, literally thousands of students have walked through the NMAA doors, hundred have earned their black belt, some have become instructors, but only a few have become true students. And while NMAA continues to change for the better almost daily, all students and instructors past, present, and future are woven into the fabric of the Academy whose rich history and we hope has an even more prosperous future ahead of it as we look to expand with additional material to our syllabus that is relevant todays student.
Our current logo reflects the changing nature of our Academy combining still the Yin-Yang symbol with the wisdom and power of the dragon.
In Memory Of NMAA Founder – In gratitude for your life long teachings…