A World Champion Mindset: A Conversation with Corey Cain
Corey Cain is a 5x World Kickboxing Champion, World Taekwondo Champion, and renowned coach. But beyond the medals, Corey has dedicated his life to teaching discipline, respect, and resilience to the next generation.
As an ambassador for Beyond The Cage, Corey extends his reach beyond the gym, bringing the lessons of martial arts into schools, communities, and youth programmes. We sat down with Corey to hear his reflections on competition, resilience, and why martial arts is about far more than just fighting.
Q: When you first started martial arts, did you ever imagine becoming a world champion?
Corey: Not at all. I just got into it because a mate brought me along in 1998. At first, I thought: “No way am I doing this, getting punched in the face?” But once I joined, I was hooked. Training was tough, and pretty soon I was thrown into my first competition. I didn’t win, but it lit something inside me.
Q: What did competition teach you?
Corey: Competition teaches you about yourself. It’s not about dreaming of being a world champion straight away. It’s about small steps, beating the person ahead of you in the club, then the next one in your division. You learn the most when you lose. Years of grinding, losing, and coming back builds resilience. That’s what makes you strong.
Q: You talk a lot about failure being part of the journey. Why is that so important?
Corey: Failure is where the growth happens. On Instagram, you see people only showing their best, the perfect kick or knockout. But what you don’t see are the thousands of failed reps behind that moment. Those mistakes are what get you better. If you’ve never lost, you don’t know how to handle the real tests when they come.
Q: Beyond the fighting, what do martial arts give to people?
Corey: Discipline, community, and belonging. In our classes, you’ll see kids, teenagers, adults, older people, all training together. Everyone respects each other. And the ones who stick around for years, they grow in discipline and resilience. It becomes part of who you are, not just what you do.
Q: How does progression in martial arts translate into life outside the gym?
Corey: At first, a skill can seem impossible. But you break it down, work on each part, and one day it clicks. That moment shows you that what felt unachievable can become possible. It gives you belief that with persistence, you can overcome challenges anywhere, not just in sport.
Q: Why is it important for you to share these lessons?
Corey: Because martial arts gave me discipline, resilience, and confidence, things every young person needs. Not everyone wants to fight, but the principles apply everywhere. If I can inspire even one young person to believe they can overcome setbacks and push themselves further, then I’ve done my job.
Learn more about Corey on our featured ambassador page here: https://beyondthecage.co.uk/ambassadors/corey-cain
Discover how you can train with Corey at Genesis Martial Arts here.
