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Jiu Jitsu father and son from Laurencekirk on dealing with bullies and respecting their deadly craft

Peter and Dexter Richardson talk about mixed emotions when competing, putting down bullies and how overconfidence can kill.

Father and son Peter (right) and Dexter Richardson both compete in Jiu Jitsu.
Father and son Peter (right) and Dexter Richardson both compete in Jiu Jitsu. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

There have been a few times when bullies have underestimated 11-year-old Dexter Richardson from Laurencekirk.

But after they have been swept to the floor and sat on, they tend not to make that mistake again.

Especially if it happened in the middle of the school cafeteria.

Dexter Richardson at Aberdeen Martial Arts Academy.
Dexter Richardson has been doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since he was five years old. Images: Kami Thomson/ DC Thomson.

Telling the story while sitting in the Aberdeen Martial Arts Academy gym in Cove, his dad and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu professor, Peter Richardson, smiled and said: “He only reacts like that if required.

“Dexter’s been told by me and his mum we’ll never get him in trouble for sticking up for himself.

“If you go and hit people without that, that’s a different story but he’s not that kind of kid. He’s got good morals.”

Dexter and Peter Richardson from Laurencekirk
Peter Richardson and his son Dexter. Images: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

Thankfully Dexter, who has six years of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai Boxing training under his belt, does not usually use his skills outside of the mat and is already placing in world championships.

His dad Peter admitted: “He was basically born and then started training.

“Fortunately he likes it.”

Peter Richardson, mum Paula, Dexter and Amber.
Peter Richardson with his wife Paula, daughter Amber and son Dexter.

Why martial arts?

It seems that dedication runs in the Richardson family’s DNA.

Dexter’s mum Paula used to compete in Highland Dancing at the World Championships and it seems his younger sister Amber, aged seven, is following suit.

While Dexter is taking after his dad who still competes in Jiu Jitsu having started training when he was 15 years old.

Peter who is now a 4th degree black belt explained how it was arguments with his older brother Leigh growing up in Inverbervie which got them into it.

Leigh Richardson, left, and his brother Peter have launched Kimura CrossFit in Charleston Road North.
Leigh Richardson, left, and his brother Peter run Kimura CrossFit and the academy together on Charleston Road North.

When any bickering kicked off and they started fighting, their dad would bring out a few pairs of boxing gloves and send them to the garden to hash it out.

Peter laughed and said: “My dad was happy as things in the house didn’t get broken and then it sort of progressed into Cumberland wrestling.

“So that’s how I really got into it.”

His brother also had a big interest in Bruce Lee and when he joined a local karate gym, Leigh would use Peter as an “experimental punch bag”.

Peter Richardson
Peter Richardson has over 30 years of training in martial arts.

“So that was interesting,” Peter added.

“And then as I got older, we were doing more and more martial arts, and I started getting a little taste for it.

“I came to this academy in a different location when I was 15. I’m 50 now so it was a long time ago. Basically, I’ve been training ever since.”

With the right technique, you can take on someone twice your size

The father and son share a love of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in particular.

Peter wanted to train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu after watching fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

“I’m a very practical martial artist,” he said. “I’m not somebody who likes to do all the flowery movements. I like the stuff that works.

Peter Richardson and Dexter.
Peter Richardson and Dexter share a love of Jiu Jitsu.

“For example, boxing, Muay Thai boxing, judo, wrestling, Jiu Jitsu, all works because it’s done against somebody.

“It’s 100% contested in a safe environment so nobody gets hurt. That’s what I like about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.”

Years later Peter and his brother Leigh are running the Aberdeen Martial Arts Academy and Kimura CrossFit together in Cove.

Explaining it is very much about technique, Peter said there is a young lady, Beata, in his class who is only 49kg and can “monster” guys twice her size.

Dexter Richardson and Beata Tetkowska during a Jiu Jitsu session
Dexter Richardson and Beata Tetkowska during a Jiu Jitsu session. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

“She’s a really good example of how somebody small can beat somebody big.

“I’ve had so many people over the years coming to the gym, big, huge bodybuilders and she’ll just choke them out.

“There’s two things that happen. They either go ‘This is amazing I’ve just been schooled by a little woman’ or their egos too big and they go ‘I could smash her really’ and they never come back.

“It’s great to watch.”

Taking down bullies in the school dining hall

Dexter has his own experiences with this.

During the time the family lived in Houston for a few years before 2021, there was a group of young people who tried to pick on Dexter and his friend.

“I was quite small,” Dexter said. “And then there was this big guy who came up to me and wanted to fight me so I just swept him on the ground.”

Dexter Richardson trains in Jiu Jitsu, Aberdeen.
Dexter has taken down a few bullies.

His dad added: “Dexter didn’t even tell us about it, it was his friend.

“About three weeks after it happened, I was walking Dexter to school and these three older kids on bikes shouted ‘Hey Dexter’.

“I’m going ‘Who’s that?’ And Dexter was like ‘Oh those were the kids that were trying to bully me.'”

The same thing happened again when the family moved back to the UK when a Primary 7 boy wouldn’t give his Pokemon cards back.

Peter Richardson and his son Dexter.
Peter Richardson said he and his wife always encourage Dexter to stick up for himself. Image: Peter Richardson

Peter said: “So Dexter basically did the same sweep and sat this guy right on his a**. He was a big guy, double his height, and he just got a red face and really embarrassed.

Dexter pitched in: “Because it was in the dinner hall and everyone was watching.”

His dad went on: “He never bothered you after that.”

Do your Jiu Jitsu skills make you feel invincible?

The skills taught in Jiu Jitsu are nothing to take lightly, particularly the chokes and strangles. Something which I learnt when I went to a session in Banchory last year.

Peter explained: “The kids are always told keep it for the gym. If you need to use it, use it but don’t play around with it.

“It’s dangerous, especially the choking and strangles are a serious skill to have and you’ve got to respect it.”

Peter has been involved with martial arts and self-protection training for more than 30 years meaning he has a serious arsenal of skills at his disposal.

Peter Richardson at the academy in Cove, Aberdeen where he coaches in Jiu Jitsu.
Peter said it is important not to be overconfident.

But he admitted although it can help in some situations, it does not mean you are invincible – especially with the rise in knife crime.

“I’ve seen some of my friends being stabbed, being knocked out in the ring and outside the ring,” he said.

“It is a skill and it’s definitely something that does make you feel confident. However, you shouldn’t get overly confident, because that’s where you’re going to be put at a disadvantage.

“If you bring weapons, it’s a different game.”

“The people who are going to stab you, they don’t show you. So it’s really hard to combat against it. That is what the scary thing is.”

Dexter winning a competition
Dexter winning a fight.

Mixed emotions when watching Dexter compete

Knowing how dangerous Jiu Jitsu can be when Peter was asked if he finds it hard to watch his son compete, he said: “It’s very, very hard for me.

“It’s way more pressure than when I compete myself because I’m in control that day I’m zoned in and when I watch my students, especially Dexter, I’m really nervous.

“I know what he’s capable of so if he’s not doing so well it’s frustrating so I try and keep my emotions in check which I find really hard sometimes.

Peter and Dexter Richardson who train in Cove, Aberdeen after Dexter competed in Jiu Jitsu.
Dexter’s dad said he struggles to keep his emotions under control when watching Dexter compete sometimes.

“Sometimes I take my brother down with me or my best friend Paul because they’re a balance for my bad emotions.”

Dexter on the other hand, said he is normally too in the zone to notice this.

Having competed since he was six years old, Dexter said he still gets nervous but added: “For me, it’s just natural.”

What’s next?

With Dexter’s many sporting activities which include rugby, swimming and CrossFit, the 11-year-old admitted he was not sure what he wanted to take to the next level.

But he did say Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was his favourite currently.

His dad said Dexter could easily take it to world class level.

Dexter Richardson with his two medals in front of the BJJ class.
Dexter came home with a gold and bronze medal last year. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

In the Dublin Kids International Open and European Kids IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship last year, Dexter came home with a gold and bronze medal.

This year he added another bronze and silver to his collection at the World Championships in Birmingham and the European Championships a few months later.

“I’m not saying this because he’s my son but I think he has the talent to take it to a good world class level,” said Peter.

“And I keep saying to him that is something he should do, even if he doesn’t do it when he hits 20.”

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