Hamish Pentleton

Instructor

Training Since: 2020

Teaching Since: 2024

Technique of Choice: Elbow

Weapon of Choice: Daggers

Hamish Pentleton’s Arakan journey began in June 2020, following a series of close calls while traveling abroad. Realizing the need for self-defence in an unpredictable world, he started training to equip himself with the skills to protect himself and others.

For Hamish, Arakan is more than self-defence; it’s a transformative tool that has enhanced both his physical abilities and mental resilience, helping him navigate life’s challenges with confidence. He is motivated by the vibrant community around him, which encourages personal growth and pushes him to reach his limits.

As an instructor, Hamish is passionate about sharing Arakan’s life-changing impact, aiming to help others improve their lives both on and off the mat. Outside of training, he enjoys live music, camping, and good food. His goals include achieving an orange belt and continually developing as both a student and instructor.

Student Testimonials

I was very lucky to have Hamish for his 8 weeks instructor lessons training. My feedback on Hamish is based on those lessons and include: Managing time and gave clear easy to follow explanations and demonstrations Incorporated energy creation techniques and high motivation. Good eye for technical detail. We connected brilliantly with each other. Builds on the techniques well during the lesson and keeps to the core emphasis. Is calm, expressive and fun engaging personality. Created a positive, supportive, composed atmosphere. Emphasised safety during training (i.e. for my knees). Expresses Arakan's and his values. Schedule aligned with my availability. I had a clear understanding of Hamish's experience and training background. Really looked fwd to the lessons

Overall: I found Hamish to be very dedicated, focused, disciplined, responsible, confident, hard worker, respectful, a good mental strength and I see a bright long future ahead of him as he learns and progresses through Arakan. My post lesson indicators were exceeded and include: energised/pumped for many hours after lesson; felt exhausted during lesson; high level of excitement after; wanting more; surprised myself on abilities, allowed to "fail" and improve.

Wayne Brummer 


Hamish has been a pleasure to engage and train with. His approach is effective and his actual training has been clear, concise and to add inspiring for a beginner like myself. I would have no problem recommending him to people who want to learn Arakan. He means well with my needs and capabilities considered - also has special insight for his age. Thanking Rob, Pat and Hamish for these amazing opportunities with him. ?? very grateful.
kindest Regards,

Martin Alfoldi 

I trained with Hamish for around about 11 weeks. During that time Hamish really spent the time to get to know me and my limits with the martial arts space and push these boundaries. Hamish never made me feel silly for asking questions. Hamish always showed up 100% every session and made me feel safe and heard. Really thankful for the time I got to spend with Hamish and believe he will be very successful within the training space and help others reach their goals 

Aaron Highland 

I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to train with Hamish complimentary for 8 weeks. In that time he pushed me outside my comfort zone and encouraged me to challenge myself both mentally and physically. I really love Hamish’s passion for Arakan and i think it shows within his teaching style. He was able to adapt the lesson to suit me whilst also making them informative and fun. 

Brianna Budge

For the course of 10 Weeks I’ve had the honour of training with Hamish. Through this it has allowed me to have more consistency with my training, since I also have a group and private. His methods allowed me to improve on my techniques that I have learnt throughout my journey. Training with Hamish has been amazing and has taught me that I can always go past what I think the limit to my ability is. Through this I also have learnt the importance of getting important levels of sleep, food and water. It’s about enduring through the pain to reach past the limit to become stronger and better.

Jesse Galer 


I would wholeheartedly recommend Hamish. Over the past several months, my son has had the privilege of training under Hamish’s guidance, and the transformation we have witnessed has been remarkable. Hamish is not only skilled in Arakan, but he also possesses a deep understanding of the challenges young people face, such as bullying. Through his thoughtful and supportive teaching approach, he has significantly helped my son not only in self-defense techniques but also in building self-esteem and confidence. Hamish’s ability to connect with his students and inspire them is truly exceptional. Under his mentorship, my son has become more assertive and resilient, both physically and emotionally. Hamish emphasises respect, discipline, and perseverance, values that have been instrumental in helping my son overcome his challenges with bullying. I sincerely believe that Hamish's influence has been transformative for my son, and I am grateful for his dedication and empathy. Any student would be lucky to have him as their instructor.
Thank you Hamish for everything you have done for our family and the kindness you have shown. 

Kim Taylor