AXA ITF Taekwon-Do: Anguilla's 25-Year Martial Arts Home
A Valley-based dojang where Anguilla's champions are forged.
Why Go
Behind the resorts and beach bars, Anguilla has quietly built one of the Eastern Caribbean's most decorated Taekwon-Do programs ΓÇö and AXA ITF is its beating heart.
The Experience
Founded and led by 5th Dan Chief Instructor Gregory A. Permuy, AXA ITF Taekwon-Do has been shaping Anguillian kids and adults for 25 years and counting. Classes drill the five ITF tenets ΓÇö courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit ΓÇö inside a working dojang in The Valley, mixing traditional patterns (tul), sparring, and self-defense. Visitors are often surprised to find a small-island club that regularly ships athletes off to international tournaments like the USTC Red Tiger Cup in Philadelphia, where the team most recently hauled home 15 medals including nine golds. It's less a 'lounge' and more a cultural institution ΓÇö a place where you can watch a class, chat with instructors, or (if you're staying a while) drop into a session.
What to Try
Sit in on an evening children's or adult class to see ITF patterns and step-sparring up close; ask about visitor drop-in sessions if you hold rank in ITF or WT Taekwon-Do; time a visit around one of their in-house gradings or the annual anniversary demonstration if you're on-island in the right week.
Insider Tip
If you're a traveling martial artist, email ahead through their Facebook page (AXAITFTKD) ΓÇö Master Permuy has hosted visiting practitioners and international masters (including Master Gato-Gato) before, and a courteous heads-up usually earns you a warm welcome and a spot on the mat.
The Practical Stuff
Location: The Valley, Anguilla (P.O. Box 971, AI-2640). Contact via their Facebook page (AXA ITF TAEKWON-DO, ANGUILLA) for current class schedule, ages, and fees ΓÇö times shift with the school-year calendar. Bring your dobok if you plan to train; otherwise athletic wear and bare feet are fine for observing. Not a food-and-drink venue despite the category label ΓÇö this is a martial arts association.
Pair It With
- 12th Avenue Entertainment — A short walk away in The Valley ΓÇö swing by after class to see what's on for the evening.
- The Valley (Anguilla's capital) — Combine your dojang visit with a wander through Anguilla's small but characterful capital for local food and government-quarter architecture.
- Shoal Bay East — Reward the kids (or yourself) with a post-training afternoon on one of the Caribbean's most famous white-sand beaches, a short drive north.