Registering takes two minutes. This page walks you through every step — from submitting your details to your child's first session on the mat. Everything you need to know.
Monthly, free, during school lunch break. No equipment or experience needed.
Weekly, paid, starts straight after school. Discount for lunchtime regulars.
No martial arts background required at any level. Beginners always welcomed.
Your child can try the program completely free before any decision about the after-school class is made.
Complete the short registration form on this page. You will need your child's name, year level, and school, along with your own contact details. Indicate whether you are registering for the free Martial Arts Lunchtime Club, the paid weekly after-school class, or both.
The form takes approximately two minutes to complete. No payment is required at this stage — even if you are registering interest in the after-school class.
You will receive a confirmation from AscendX once your registration has been received.
We'll follow up separately with the details you need for your child's first session — and, if you've registered interest in the after-school class, with current pricing and term dates.
On the day of the session, your child goes to the designated space on school grounds at lunchtime. They will be greeted by an AscendX instructor.
The session runs for approximately 30–40 minutes and requires nothing from your child except a willingness to try. There is no special uniform or gi needed, and no performance expectation. Every student is a beginner at the start.
There is no automatic enrolment and no obligation to continue. If your child enjoyed it, they are automatically welcome at all future Martial Arts Lunchtime Club sessions at no cost.
At this point, if your child is interested in training more regularly, you can confirm enrolment in the weekly after-school class. There is no deadline — students can join the after-school class at any point after attending the lunchtime club.
No commitment requiredStudents who have attended the Martial Arts Lunchtime Club and would like to train weekly can enrol in the after-school class at any time. Payment is made by weekly direct debit — there is no lock-in contract and no penalty for cancelling at any time.
Students who regularly attend the free Martial Arts Lunchtime Club receive a discounted weekly class rate. This discount is applied automatically when you confirm your after-school enrolment — you do not need to request it.
Every AscendX session follows a structured format for each class. Knowing what to expect helps students arrive with confidence. Below provides an example of how classes may be structured.
Students arrive and are welcomed individually by the AscendX instructor. A brief movement warm-up gets the body ready — simple activities like movement games, shaking out tension, and light jogging. The tone is relaxed and inclusive from the start. No one is singled out.
Each lunchtime club session offers a light, low-pressure taste of martial arts skills. The focus here isn't mastering technique — that's what the weekly after-school class is for — it's about having a go, tolerating discomfort, and staying calm while trying something new. The instructor demonstrates a simple movement and breaks it into steps everyone can follow.
Students may try the movement briefly with a partner. Partners are assigned by the instructor based on size, age, and experience level. All partner work is supervised directly, and the pace stays calm and low-pressure — this is about experiencing the movement together, not performing it correctly.
The session closes with a guided cool-down and reflection. The reflection will not be about whether they were good at the technique, but about how they felt when it was hard, what happened when they felt uncomfortable, or when they felt calm. The instructor offers a brief closing thought connecting today's moment of discomfort to self-awareness and resilience.
A progressive physical warm-up that increases in intensity — movement patterns, coordination drills, and mobility work. This is also the transition time for students coming directly from school: the warm-up helps students shift their mental and physical state from sitting and studying to moving and training.
A focused technical instruction block that may include grappling and striking skills, so students build proficiency in the mixed martial arts discipline across the term. The focus is a concept from the AscendX curriculum which may include positional control, safe falling and recovery, stance and footwork, guard position, punch mechanics, or basic kick technique on pads.
The instructor demonstrates, explains the purpose of the technique, and guides students through practising it with a partner under direct supervision. Striking techniques are done on appropriate equipment using focus mitts or pads.
Students apply both skills in a light, structured partner scenario — not competitive sparring, but a guided situation where they practice responding to a partner's movement. This is where technique begins to feel real. The instructor supervises directly and stops the exercise if anything falls outside the taught framework.
A guided physical transition into a final technical review. The instructor recaps the day's key technique, invites a few students to demonstrate it, and gives quick corrective feedback before the group runs through it once more. The session closes with a formal acknowledgment between partners: a respectful bow and handshake.
Requirements differ slightly between the lunchtime club and after-school class. The Martial Arts Lunchtime Club has no equipment requirements at all.
For the lunchtime club, your child's school uniform is perfectly suitable. For the after-school class, clothing they can move freely in works well for a trial class — an AscendX uniform uniform is available for those who train weekly.
If a padded floor mat is in use, students train without shoes.
Students should bring a filled water bottle. There will be a break for water during every session.
Any student with hair longer than collar length should tie it back securely before the session begins.
No specific equipment is required beyond the above. AscendX supplies all training pads, focus mitts, and demonstration equipment.
No. AscendX sessions are designed from the ground up for students with no martial arts background. The majority of students joining the Martial Arts Lunchtime Club have never trained before. All technique instruction begins at the absolute foundation level and progresses only when students are ready.
Yes — and in fact, students who are not naturally sporty or who lack confidence in group physical settings often benefit most from AscendX. The program is structured to develop competence gradually, and competence builds confidence over time.
Because every student begins at the same point and progresses individually, there is no environment in which your child is compared unfavourably to peers. The instructor's role is to ensure every student succeeds within their own capacity each session.
All partner work is directly supervised by a qualified instructor. Grappling is technique-based and taught in a controlled, step-by-step manner. Striking is always performed on pads or equipment.
All instructors hold a current Working With Children Check and First Aid and CPR certification.
There is no obligation of any kind. The Martial Arts Lunchtime Club is free, and attending it creates no commitment to the after-school class or future lunchtime club sessions. If your child chooses not to continue, simply let us know.
The discounted after-school rate applies to students who attend the school and participate in the free Martial Arts Lunchtime Club.
When you confirm enrolment in the after-school class, simply mention in the registration form or follow-up email that your child has been attending the lunchtime club. The discount will be applied to your account without you needing to request it separately.
Parents and carers are welcome to observe any after-school session. We ask that observers remain in a designated watching area and do not interrupt the session in progress — students focus better when they are not being directly watched by a familiar adult, and this helps every child in the group. The Martial Arts Lunchtime Club takes place during the school day, so direct parent observation during that session is subject to your school's visitor policy.
Within sessions, the instructor groups students by age and size for all partner work. Younger and smaller students are always paired together. For schools with a wide year range, AscendX may run separate lunchtime groups — Junior (Prep–Grade 3) and Senior (Grade 4–Grade 6) — depending on the number of students enrolled. This is confirmed during the school scheduling process.
Please note any injury, medical condition, or additional need in the registration form under the relevant field. AscendX will follow up with you directly to discuss whether and how the program can be adapted. We work with families and, where appropriate, the child's treating health professional to ensure participation is safe and suitable.
Read the full school program overview — including the research behind the program, safety credentials, and how AscendX aligns with Australian student wellbeing frameworks.