This essay speaks of many varied aspects of the grading concept. Bringing to the fore a number of different topics, you will, no doubt, find some of these easy to grasp whilst others perhaps, not so easy!

During the 1970s and 80s I was a member of a local karate school where, every three months just as long as you had attended a minimum of thirty-six two-hour lessons, you were put in for a grading. You were not asked but “invited” and would never ever think to refuse!

I never questioned the grading concept. I joined the school, trained hard and when I was “invited” I did as I was “asked”.  I saw this “invitation” as an acknowledgment of my efforts – not that I was looking for or expecting one!

Many years later I saw the whole grading concept being used and abused. Not within the school I attended because my sensei was a decent and upright man – but by other schools where it was being used as an ego-boosting, money-spinning, student-keeping, parent-pleasing and oftentimes political affair.

So, for twenty years plus I was vehemently and passionately opposed to gradings!

Then, one day I was invited to grade under a group of Beijing-based Chinese kungfu masters and as I was assured that this would not be a negative experience I agreed to be attested by them. But I did need convincing! It all looked good in theory but the reality, the politics and the ego…

I was sadly and grossly disappointed!

I will not go into that experience here but you can, if you like, read of this on this website in my essay entitled “Duanwei – No way!”  Suffice to say that now I was well and truly convinced that I would never ever go the grading route again.

But that was then (2004) and this is now.

Now I see that the world has change and not for the better and so now I do see a very real need for gradings – just so long as they are effected in the correct way. My way is, I maintain, correct.

Within my Academy one may grade twice a year – every six months or so. Once at the Chinese New Year and then again six months later.

When you grade under me it may be before me by myself or it may be before me and my two senior students. Each of us hold the Black Sash and the Gold Sash in what we practice.

When you are graded you will be given a score reflected as a percentage. If you achieve 69 per cent or less then you have failed.

During your grading you will have to demonstrate between twenty and thirty separate exercises at least. Some of these will be a solo practice whilst others may be “against” one, two or three others. You will grade as part of a group.

In your grading you be assessed upon your physical skill, attitude, spirit, stamina, focus, control, concentration, balance, body language, confidence, assertion, ability, knowledge and understanding. I (we) also take note of your punctuality, your uniform, your obedience and your listen-ing/compliance skills.

As your teacher and your assessor I will know you as an individual for I watch everyone very closely at all times – even during your regular lessons under me and should I meet you outside and away from the “daoguan” (my martial arts training temple).

As a teenager back in the 70s my training took place in a dojo where everyone in the dojo trained. Very rarely did anyone watch and if they did it was not as a spectator or part of an audience to be entertained but as an individual seriously considering joining.

Casting my mind back with a memory that is still vivid I recall one of my friends asking me if, one evening, he could visit me at the dojo watch me train. I told him that it was not up to me but up to my sensei.

“But if you are allowed to watch”, I told my friend, “on no account can you talk or laugh or mess around.” (My friend was bit of a joker!) “And you should only watch”, I added, “if you are seriously thinking about joining us.”

He understood so I asked my sensei. My friend was permitted to watch. He never did join (as I had suspected) but he did honour my terms and sit in silence for the entire two hours and spoke not one single word.

I assume that this was, at that time, “standard” within all dojo around the country.

But these days I believe things are very different. Indeed, within my Academy I do allow visitors to watch. I do prefer them to be silent and if they are watching my adult class then this is generally how they behave.

As I have said, we live in a different world now compared to four decades ago and so when it comes to my “Young Dragons” and “Tiny Tigers” classes then I do allow parents to watch. In fact I actually invite and welcome parents to watch for in this way I help them out whilst they also help me out.

But in addition to this they can also learn something of value whilst be in a position to enforce what I say to their youngster(s) when they are away from the daoguan.  (I call my training area a “daoguan” which is Mandarin Chinese, effectively, for dojo.)

If there is a downside to parents watching then it has to be in the form of background noise and parents seeing the youngsters from the outside and not from the inside which is where I am looking.  This being the case, if one boy or girl is given a higher or lower percentage in their grading then I do sometimes receive some very mild criticism.  This is the main reason for this article.

I have even had this problem from some adult students of mine complaining about their receiving a lower mark than another daoguan student in the same grading!

In my day you would either be thrown out of the dojo for passing such a comment or, if the sensei was a little more compassionate, be told, “Just shut up and train!”

I recall my sensei telling us that for the first ten years of one’s training one was not actually entitled to an opinion. ‘If you didn’t know what you are talking about’, he would say, ‘then don’t say anything at all. Just train, observe and learn.’

Look at today’s world. It is shallow, weak, cosmetic and fake.

So how do we get away from that? The answer is simple: Train! Join THE MARSTA and train. Don’t look at the world – look at yourself. Don’t worry about others, worry about yourself. And eventually you will learn not to worry. Not about anything. For will worrying change anything? Of course not!

The Japanese live by the code, “Fate is Fate and Life is all an Illusion.” This was not just the Samurai code but the code of the everyday person. They understood (understand). They knew (know).

Don’t look out, look in. Look at yourself from the inside. Don’t try to compete with others, compete with yourself. The world is very competitive and this is not healthy for it promotes an inflated ego.

A great many world class athletes retire (or are “retired”) young and can’t handle not being  “front-page news”. So they crack! Become mentally unstable. Why? Imbalance. We don’t see that. We just don’t see them or hear of them anymore. Yet they continue to live if you can call it that.

Competing with yourself is healthy for it does not promote an inflated ego but, on the contrary, promotes humility. We live a blameful society (what we quite rightly call our “blame culture”) where it is always someone else’s fault and never our own.

At THE MARSTA you will learn to develop the strength to take whatever blame is your own doing full in the face. You will take it full in the face and get through it and be stronger for it. You will become so strong that sometimes you may even take the blame when you are not the one to be blamed.

Why? Because you can take it – or perhaps because the one that should be taking take it simply cannot.

If someone does better than in the grading, don’t be deflated but, rather, be inspired. Aspire to be like them and if you think you were as good as or better than them then think again – or just accept that it seems that you were not. Don’t think so shallow!

Feel good for yourself and for the others regardless of how well or how badly you think you did, for they are a part of you and you are a part of them – part of the same school (Academy). Fight yourself and you fight them. Fight them and you are fight yourself.

Or would you rather take the class???

If you pass your grading, be proud. If you fail your grading be humble. If you pass your grading be humble. If you fail your grading be proud. Think about this!

During one of my gradings I was double-graded. I don’t know why and I never did ask. But I was going for one belt and got the next one up. I was surprised, proud and humbled. When I went for my black belt some months later I was failed. Notice that I did not say that “I failed” – I said that “I was failed”.  There is a difference!

I do not know why I was failed – to test me, perhaps?  To see my reaction? Or perhaps I just wasn’t good enough.  I never did ask.  It was not important to me. My fellow students were sincerely shocked and gutted whilst my attitude was “Never mind.  I had double-graded before and now I hadn’t made it.  I’ll try again next time.” I took my black belt grading again six months later and passed.

I could have become upset, angry, confused and so I could have left the school and discontinued my practice. But I did not.

Kongzi (Confucius) once said – or perhaps he said it more than once! – that “Failure is the mother of success.” He also said, “If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake.”

Do not be too young or narrow-minded to understand the value, purpose and power of philosophy!

To quote Laozi (the founder of Daoism):  “Anything great is long in the making.” So do not be in a hurry!  Life passes by all-too-quickly and the daily routine is all-too-often saturated in the belief that one has to move fast, keep to deadlines and keep pace with everyone.

Training is your time. Your time to find yourself whilst getting to know yourself and understand yourself so…savour every moment – good and bad – and eventually you will eliminate good and bad for they, too, are simply illusion.

It is true, that one can gauge one’s effectiveness – one’s level of skill – by putting your skills to use when under some degree of pressure. Some achieve this by free-fighting but then nine times out of ten one’s skill goes out the nearest window and the fight is reduced to luck or techniques that are not a part of the actual discipline but, instead, are apart from the actual discipline. What a waste of time! Entertaining for the audience but more and mere illusion for the fighter.

Within my Academy there is no sparring. Why? Because sparring suggests an exchange and trade of blows (fighting) and there is no fighting in my discipline. Only winning. Efficient, assertive and controlled winning. At my academy we practice CONstructively not DEstructively.

(As an aside, if I thought for one moment that our national health system was equipped knowledge-wise and ability-wise to deal with injuries sustained from martial arts practice then perhaps I would think differently, but personal experience tells me otherwise!)

Within my Academy the testing ground for your skill, technique and level of ability is the grading. This. if nowhere else, is where we introduce and utilize the pressure concept.

But look a little deeper and you will see that the grading concept is also and actually within each and every lesson you attend – and each and every day of your life…until your lessons and your life inevitably merge.

This is then the meaning of Martial Arts as a Way of life. Of life, to life, in life and for life.

So one may look upon each training session and each day as being a conceptual grading. In this way you may wish to call it one’s very own CPD – to use a modern-day abbreviation. (CPD stands for “Continuous Professional Development” and this is becoming standard procedure within many big companies, the NHS being one example.)

When I was at High School a concept entitled “Continuous Assessment” (CA) was introduced whereby a strict monitoring of one’s three-year coursework would be a part of your final exam result.

This made perfect sense to me – what I could not understand was why it had taken “the system” so long to think of it!  I had already been shouting “Continuous Assessment” for a number of years!

In some martial arts clubs an assessor is brought in to conduct the grading. This is often if not always someone senior to the teacher, instructor or coach – someone that does not actually know the students being graded.

I do understand this up to a point but choose not to go this way with my gradings. This, then, means that one has to trust me not to fall into one or more of several potential traps namely incompetence, favouritism and bullying.

More recently I have been informed of another China-based grading system which is laughable in its childish attitude. Based upon a point-accumulation system (rather like the one whereby Australian Immigration decide whether or not you are worthy of living in their country) it is clearly designed for sheep and not for individuals. (It is not cheap either!) At THE MARSTA I am only concerned with teaching and promoting individuals and individualism.

When you grade at THE MARSTA you may well be grading along with others that are going for a higher and a lower grade than yourself. If this is the case then you will be able to see just what it is that seniors have to demonstrate, achieve and become whilst, at the same time, be reminded as to what is was that you once had to do and how it felt to have do it as a lower grade. You will also begin to see just how far you have to go whilst realizing just how far (little!) you have so far travelled.

As I am teaching a number of private students, gradings provide you with an opportunity to “see a strange face” whilst making new friends. This helps in creating unity within the Academy as one’s circle of friends increases and expands.

To quote Kongzi once again: “Have no friends not equal to yourself.” Like attracts like. Understand this well! This dos not mean only talk to those of your own sash level. Rather, it means appreciate that you and the other students are a part of one big extended Kung Fu family.

In closing…

Do not be fooled by this lengthy essay. It may be long but is in no way complete.

This essay simply serves to highlight a few main points whilst providing food for thought. I trust that it has been of use to you.

Philosophy plays a key-role in teachings at THE MARSTA. You can find more on this upon this website by clicking on “THE MARSTA PHILOSOPHY”.

From Sunday January 22nd 2012 until Monday January 23rd 2012 (11pm – 1am) myself and ten of my SANSHANGONG Kungfu students celebrated the lunar new year by way of the Okinawan tradition of “Toshi Goshi Geiko”. This unique celebration the Okinawans call “Nikanen Undo” (thank you for that, John!).

During this two-hour training period Jim (one of my Black Sash/Gold Sash students), Drew, Richard (who, like Jim, came to China with me two years ago), Jon, Sarah, Ellis, Caroline (one of my private students), Kyle, Olly, Harry (who learns Tai Chi from me) and myself enjoyed some good challenging training as we took our discipline from one year to the next.

At 11pm sharp I opened this two-hours training session by greeting my students “Xin Nian Kwei Le!” and then gave a brief introductory talk as to what Toshigoshigeiko is and how the classical Chinese martial arts is not a just a mere portion of the Chinese culture but the very culture, itself.

During this speech I also thanked them for making the effort in coming along. With work or school the next morning it would have been all too easy just to have stayed at home in the warm – if not in bed – but no, these students were here not only to support me and themselves but also out of respect and acknowledgment of the physical culture that they practice under me.

Before I continue I would like to thank Kyle’s mum for allowing her teenage son in participate; Olly’s mum, Cat, for very kindly giving us a number of Chinese lanterns (more of that later); Olly’s dad, Richard, who very kindly drove Olly in all the way from Yarmouth and then sat reading for two hours whilst Olly trained with us; and Mr. Matyjaszek for allowing his son – not even of teenage years yet! – to come along and join with us.

Having addressed my students our session began with three minutes of kneeling meditation before getting down to some austere physical martial arts.

First we practiced a kungfu exercise called Qikun (this we then repeated a good dozen or so times and with various seniors students taking the lead) and then some training which looks very much like Hung Gar style kungfu. Then, the same exercise but wearing twelve iron rings. For most of these students this was a new experience; they had seen these rings in our “daoguan” (training temple) but never actually used them until now.

Next on the agenda was our “Crying Crane” exercise (Minghequan Sanzhan, in Mandarin Chinese) and then an exercise I had learned at the beginning of my martial arts journey – some thirty-five years earlier – called Sanchin. This is a three-minute meditation routine (which normally us four to five minutes which we then repeated twice.

As our Sanchin practice came to a close the time was now 11:58.

Asking my students to form one line I then staggered that line before asking everyone to adopt a kneeling posture (seizan). “When I shout go”, I instructed my students, “everyone jump up, step back one step and shout – as loud as you can! – Gong Hei Fa Choi.” I continued, “I will time it so that the word “Gong” is right on the stroke of twelve…so please don’t get your timing wrong. There will be no second chance – not until this time next year, anyway.”

I then had my students practice saying “Gong Hei Fa Choi” a few times.

Then it was 11:58:58.

“GO!” I shouted.

Everyone jumped, everyone shouted and everyone achieved perfect timing! Mission accomplished! And so loud they were, too! What a buzz there was hanging in the air.
“Well done everyone”, I said with big satisfied smile on my face. “Now…lantern time.”

Two years earlier I had taken a number of my students across to China for a two-week research/training adventure. We had arrived at the tail-end of the two-week Chinese New Year celebration period – a time when the Chinese launch a countless number of paper lanterns fuelled by flame.

As I have said, Olly’s mum had very kindly donated a number of these lanterns to our Toshigoshigeiko and so now we all moved outside – into the cool and quiet New Year’s morning air -where we launched a number of these lanterns.

Lighting these lanterns, standing barefoot upon the cold tarmac floor (not that I knew it to be cold!) we all got involved with the holding, the lighting and the launching of these lovely lanterns. Watching them take to the black velvety sky of night brought back vivid memories of that night in Quanzhou two years earlier when Jim, Richard, my other students and I had seen that lantern-filled sky in southern China.

Moving back inside our daoguan we then sat down to some traditional Chinese New Year food – cold sweet tangerines. We also had some “lucky chocolate” along with some drinks – Japanese beer, Ginger Wine minus the alcohol, and some fizzy drinks.

The beer had been “left over” from last year’s Christmas party and so here I was surviving yet another celebration and to see another special occasion!

As we as there eating and drinking I opened a “Question And Answer” session whereby my students were invited to ask any question they liked. The old way of kungfu training was that asking questions was often forbidden in class – that is if, indeed, you were allowed talk at all! But ever since I have taken on the role of “Teacher” I have opposed that Way. Of course, my classes are virtually word-free classes (I am the one to talk, if anyone) but if there is real need then I do permit questions and comments. This I consider a healthy and safe communication.

Before long we were on our feet again for some more training.

From solo-practice exercises we now looked at some two-man drills include our famous “limb-knocking” exchanges. Scary and violent to look at from the outside this is a safe and stimulating exercise by those that know what they are doing. In reality, not scary nor violent at all!

In China, Richard had been invited to practice this upon a concrete pillar! Both survived and the clip is on my Facebook site.

As 1am fast-approached we then practiced some slow and soothing Qigong movements whereby “closing” our session whilst “storing” our energy. It was now 1am and so time to bring this two-hour training event to an end. Having thanked everyone again for their time, effort and spirit we bade each other good night (and Happy New Year!) before making our way back to our homes.

As he left, Jim turned to me and said, “You are going to be doing this every year now, aren’t you?” (As if he didn’t already know the answer!)

(Thank you, Sarah, for the wonderful photographs)

SOME OF MY “YOUNG DRAGONS SENIORS”

PICTURED WITH THEIR NEWLY-EARNT SASHES AND CERTIFICATES

IN FRONT OF THE MARSTA SHRINE

YOUNG DRAGONS Oakfield Junior Football Team Friday January 13th at THE MARSTA:

Patrick O’Meara White Sash 96% pass

Lewis Pengelly White Sash 85% pass

Sam Higgin White Ssah 92% pass

Jonathan Attrill White Sash 85% pass

Michael Archer White Sash 96% pass

Elias Ahmed White Sash 98%pass

Taylor Bates White Sash 97% pass

Kaylen Warrington White Sash 93% pass

YOUNG DRAGONS (Newport group) Monday January 16th at THE MARSTA:

Jacob Morley  White Sash 90% pass

Shay Dixon White Sash 92%% pass

Scott Purdue White Sash  94% pass

Sam Lee White Sash 94% pass

Sophia Gordon White Sash  98% pass

Rebecca Hodges White Sash 95% pass

Daniel Hodges White Sash 94% pass

Chris Turner White Sash 95% pass

YOUNG DRAGONS West Cowes Group Saturday January 14th at “Lane’s End Primary School”:

George Kermode Blue Sash 92% pass

Charlie Kermode Blue Sass 80% pass

Nikki Reilly Brown Sash 98% pass

Lillie Mmildenhall Yellow Sash 84% pass

Hollie Mildenhall Yellow Sash 82% pass

Maddi Knowles Orange Sash 100% pass

Molly Knowles Orange Sash 98% pass

Lee Webb Red Sash 98% pass

Harrison Knights Yellow Sash 94% pass

Laura Huish White Sash 96% pass

Katie Taylor White Sash 100% pass

Holly Creighton White Sash 80% pass

Savannah Fowler White Sash 88% pass

Thomas Flynn White Sash 78% pass

Danny Arnold White Sash 74% pass

Zack Domoney White Sash 76% pass

Seanna Howland  White Sash 90% pass

Kayleigh Reilly White Sash 86% pass

Harry Domoney White Sash 78% pass

YOUNG DRAGONS Sunday January 15^th at THE MARSTA:

Amelia Raman White Sash 80% pass

Ciaren Warrington White Sash 88% pass

Amber Newman White Sash 90% pass

Rachel Edwards White Sash 92% pass

Harry Barber White Sash 86% pass

Jack Barber White ash 88% pass

Dylan Johnson Coyle White Sash 80% pas

Archie Barber White Sash 84% pass

Ben  Thompson White Sash 90% pass

Faye Newman White Sash 92% pass

Emily Skipper White Sash 82% pass

Leila Lynch White Sash 84% pass

Ryan Skipper White Sash 92% pass

Felix Laitt White Sash 90% pass

Caragh McLaughlin White Sash 94% pas

Taylor Mitchell White Sash 80% pass

William Howlett Red Sash 88% pass

Imran Raman Red Sash 82% pass

Tristan Downer Red Sash 90% pass

Stephanie Doyle Red ash 94% pass

Rhea Thakrar Red Sash 82% pass

Xavier Varhaugvik-Rhind Red Sash 84% pass

Callum Marshall Red Sash 86% pass

Samuel Palin Red Sash 88% pas

Luke Bailey Red Sash 80% pass

Ben Redstone Yellow Sash 94% pass

Merlin Cross Red Sash 86% pass

Phoenix Cross Red Sash 88% pass

YOUNG DRAGONS Seniors Sunday January 15th at THE MARSTA:

Ben Brotherhood Orange Sash 84% pass

Neo Fryer Orange Sash 88% pass

Jacob Redstone Yellow Sash 96% pass

Skye Fryer Yellow Sash 90% pass

Jack Elsom Blue Sash 98% pass

Lyle  Winfield Yellow Sash 94% pass

Isobel Russell Green Sash 90% pass

Amelia Clews Green Sash 94% pass

Jasmine Warren  Orange Sash 90% pass

Maisie Beere Orange Sash 84% pass

Ella Measey Green Gash 98% pass

Young Dragons (Priory inependent schokl) Thursday January 26th:

Shanelle Gauntlett Green Sash 100% pass

Daniel Thornton  Orange Sash 80% Pass

Charlotte Selby-Pike White Sash 88% pass

Dino Goodley Orange Sash 80% pass

Erin Horrix Yellow Sash 82% pass

Athena Smith White Sash 86% pass

Dominic Weston White Sash 90% pass

Jack Ridett Yellow Sash 74% pass

Mikee Flannery White Sash 90% pass

Jackson Peace Yellow Sash 84% pass

Tomas Hayward Red Sash 88% pass

Rafferty Boyd-Kerr White Sash 90% pass

Sanshangong Wednesday January 18th at THE MARSTA:

Jack Redfern Green Sash 98% pass

Tom Measey Green Sash 96% pass

Aaron Danvers-Jukes Green Sash 90% pass

Dave Briggs Brown Sash 82% pass

Dave Russell Yellow Sash 90% pass

Ellis Russell Yellow Sash 92% pass

Sara Searle Orange Sash 100% pass

Scott Mckenzie Red Sash 88% pass

Ariane Cherry Red Sash 89% pass

Kyle Murchison White Sash 86% pass

Katie Sandercock White Sash 86% pass

Rachel Roberts  White Sash 88% pass

Andy Higgin Red Sash 92% pass

Jody Warrington White Sash 84% pass

Carla Fisher Green Sash 82% pass

Beverley Clews White Sash 92% pass

Carlene Fryer White Sash 94% pass

Nick Holden Blue Sash 86% pass

Mateusz Grzerorzewski Yellow Sash 94% pass

Drew Dale Orange Sash 96% pass

VERY WELL DONE TO ALL OF YOU !!!

Happy New Year to all my students!

Here is an update as to when classes resume…

YOUNG DRAGONS – first session is Wed 4th Jan 4pm – 5pm

SANSHANGONG –  first session is Wed 4th Jan 7pm – 9pm

TAIJIQUAN – first session is Sunday Jan 8th 10:30am – 11:30am

TINY TIGERS – first session is Monday 9th Jan 4:15pm – 4:45pm

UP-AND-COMING KUNG FU GRADINGS AT THE MARSTA…

Saturday Sunday 15th Jan 2:30pm – 3:30pm for all Ryde-base YD students

Sunday 15th Jan 4pm – 5pm for all Ryde-based YD seniors

Saturday 14th Jan 11am – 12 noon for all West Cowes YD

Parents are welcome to watch

Priory School YD Thursday Jan 19th 12:45pm

Sanshangong Wednesday Jan 18th 7pm – 9pm

UNIFORM AN CURRENT SASH (if you have one) IS TO BE WORN AT ALL GRADINGS

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I have been asked by a number of parents

what the difference is between

Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Karate and Tae Kwon Do.

Here is a very basic answer (I’ll spare you the ins and outs!)…

Kung Fu is a Chinese Martial Art based largely upon Indian martial arts, Indian health concepts and Indian philosophy as well as Chinese philosophy.

There are, essentially, two kinds of Kung Fu – that from north China and that from south China. I teach the latter.

Karate is of Japanese origination and has, to a very large, extent, degenerated to a mere sport.  It is based upon Karate-Do (referring to a way of life) which originates from Okinawa.

Karate-Do is based largely upon Chinese Kung Fu – both the northern styles and the southern styles.

Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan or Tai Chi) is a Chinese martial art from the north that is practiced slowly for, health, fitness, meditation and depth whilst it can also be practiced/applied faster for human v. human self-defence. The unique way I teach Taijiquan is in a way whereby it has become i) a “physical Chinese medicine”; ii) an external AND internal self-defence;  and iii) a physical/mental/spiritual expression of Daoism (Taoism).

Tae Kwon Do is a modern sport from Korea based upon seven essential Korean martial disciplines. It has borrowed many ideas from Japanese Karate and is often called “Korean Karate”.

Aikido is a Japanese martial art based upon Taijiquan whilst Kendo is a Japanese martial art based upon the Samurai sword (kenjutsu).

Judo is a Japanese sport using grappling, choking, locking, throwing and rolling techniques.  As a sport it is a big man’s exercise; as an Art-form it is little man’s discipline. Judo is based upon Jujutsu which is, by comparison, an aggressive discipline. As an expression of  ~do there is seldom any ~do in judo the way it is taught nowadays.

San Shan Gong is the name I have given to my own Kung Fu discipline which is 90% southern-style Kungfu and 10% northern-style.

Young Dragons is exactly the same but for juniors whilst Tiny Tigers is the junior programme scaled-down for 3 and 4 year-olds.

If you have a question you would like me to answer then please let me know.

Email me at: realkungfu@talktalk.net

YOUNG DRAGONS NEWSLETTER

Number 27     August  2011

www.themarsta.co.uk       realkungfu@talktalk.net       07877 960 799

On FB:  “Isle Of Wight Martial Arts”, “the marsta”, “Young Dragons”,

“Kung Fu Girls”, “Dangerous Mothers” and “Applied Tai Chi”

For all Young Dragons and their parents

Apologies…

for the lateness of this newsletter. With my pc crashing and EF martial arts class bookings coming out of my ears I have had precious little time for such infrastructure.

The Bungalow

Anyway, the BIG NEWS for this month is that as of Monday September 12th we will be moving into “The Bungalow”  – inside the grounds of Ryde High School.

This will be the new MARSTA headquarters as I have resigned from being a user of St. John’ Annexe  and so Sunday September 11th will be the last day we shall be using SJA.

This new shift should mean that life becomes somewhat easier as I will not have to deal directly with the Isle Of Wight Council but…and there is ALWAYS a “but”…I will have to be wearing a slightly more business-like “Business Head”.

As you may well know, my MARSTA shop in Ryde was a move I was forced  to make when the Isle Of Wight Council informed me that SJA would be closing in February this year.

After I had leased the shop the IWC then changed its mind and said that SJA would be closing 1st October this year. As far as I know, this still stands.

Keeping my shop going AND paying a hefty rent fee for using “The Bungalow” I will, from  September, be asking that each student pay a monthly tuition fee by way of Standing Order”.

Most of you are doing this already.

I suspect  that a few of you will not be too keen on the SO idea so the alternative would be up-front payment for each month of training – cash or cheque – to be paid at the beginning of each month.

My Business Manager, Simon Realey, advises me to insist upon the SO payment method but it is not in my nature to be so strict.

If you do a have a good reason for opting-out of the SDO arrangement then please talk to me so that you and I can resolve this issue.

The monthly training fee is £30.

SO forms are available from me.

THE MARSTA shop

Speaking of my shop – 114 High Street Ryde –  it is now ready to receive individuals who wish to undergo massage treatments.  Already I have treated one of my students – for an injury that goes back two years.

But in addition to curing and correcting injuries, my unique massage treatment – a blend of Chinese Massage (Tuina), Reiki (Tibetan/Japanese hands on/hands off massage) and Qigong – “Kaizen Massage” (as I call my practice) is more crucially a preventative, rejuvenative and regenerative medicine.

As an introductory special offer you can have a 30-minute massage for £15 and a full hour full-body massage for £25.

To book an appointment please call me.

Promotions Week

Recently, 72 Young Dragons took their kungfu promotions examination.

Everyone did amazingly well so WELL DONE to all of you!

The next “Promotions” will be just before this Christmas.

Roly Botha

He began learning from me as a Young Dragon, now he is a teenager who has just started teaching YD/SSG at his boarding school on the mainland. Already his Headmaster has asked Roly to teach him and his two sons!

With this vision in sight I have, over the past few months, been preparing Roly for the role of “Junior Instructor”. This level of proficiency he has recently achieved by way of a special grading where Jim and Justin (my two Black Sash/Gold Sash instructors) and I assessed Roly’s skill, competence and knowledge.

Well done, Roly. Let’s hope, as you expect, that your mainland class develops into a healthy after-school activity for you and your students.

Ryde Fun Day Demo

A number of you participated in our recent SSG/YD demonstration for Ryde Fun Day. Thank you all for making the effort. Our demo went down really well and whilst most of the audience saw it as being a mere entertainment piece, one or two parents and their youngsters did take it a little more seriously.

EF

This Summer I have been extremely busy teaching SSG to EF students. Most of these groups have been Chinese and Hongkongese. Here is one shot of a group from Shenzhen (extreme south China which actually borders with Hongkong.

Official SSG tee-Shirts

These are now in. Cost: £15.

Kung Fu suits

Quite a number of you have already purchased the traditional Chinese all-black kungfu uniform and I am soon to be placing another order. If you would like one of these uniforms then please let me know. The cost per uniform is £35.

MARSTA DVDs

Jim and I have almost completed the first MARSTA dvd. It is called APPLIED TAIJIQUAN and is designed as a reference tool for my “Applied Taijiquan” students. It will not be available for public consumption outside of THE MARSTA.

The cost of this dvd will be £10 and should be available for purchase early next month.

Ryde School Chinese Week

Just before end of term I taught Tai Chi and Young Dragons over three mornings at Ryde School – as a part of their annual “Chinese Week”.  These classes – all six of them – went very well and might lead to a regular Senior School class in the coming weeks.

Sensei John Cairney’s visit

Earlier this month my friend John Cairney from Scotland visited me and so he, myself, Justin and Jim spent a good eight hours or so training…and eating Chinese food!

John brought his family over with him and so whilst they were shopping spending time on the beach, Jim, Justin John and I were training at THE MARSTA.

John wanted to learn our Chicken form whilst we wanted to learn the Uechi forms (kata) called Sanchin and Seisan. In due course, these will be passed on to you. Already the Sanchin form is part of the SSG syllabus.

Both missions were accomplished during the course  of the day (and night!) and so now we are all looking forward to our next meeting – here at THE MARSTA this coming November.

TINY TIGERS

This new class is now in its eighth week and is not doing too badly considering that now is the Summer break for many.

TT is a thirty-minute class (4:15pm – 4:45pm) designed for 3 year-olds and 4 year-olds only.  The cost of this class is £4 per session per Tiger! It is held every Monday at THE MARSTA (St. John’s Annexe). Parents can watch.

TAI CHI

Two more weekly Tai Chi classes are about to start:

The first is on a Saturday from 10am – 11am at “Love Lane Primary School” in West Cowes. Starting on August 20^th this class will cost £5 per session per person. Please phone me if you are interested.

The second will be held at the “Spirit Studio” in Ventnor. Starting on Wednesday 7^th September (11:30am – 12:30pm) this class will cost £8 per person per lesson. Again, if you are interested please call, me.

Polite request

Can’t make class? Then please tell me in advance or, if it is last minute, call me.

YOUNG DRAGONS classes at SJA:

Wednesdays: 4pm – 5pm

Fridays: 4:15pm – 5:15pm

Saturdays: 4:15pm – 5:15pm

There is also a YOUNG DRAGONS class from 11am – 12 noon but this class is held at Love Lane Primary School in West Cowes

PLEASE NOTE

If you cannot attend your regular YD session then you can attend any of the other YD sessions except for the two senior YD sessions.

SSG Schedule at SJA:

Wednesdays 7pm – 9pm

Thursday 5:30pm – 6:30pm (with Justin)

Saturdays 3pm – 4pm

Saturdays 5:30pm – 6:30pm (with Justin)

Sundays 1pm – 2pm

Classes at the new THE MARSTA:

Mondays: YOUNG DRAGONS (Yellow Sash and above only) 5:30pm – 6:30pm

APPLIED TAIJIQUAN (TAI CHI) CLASSES:

At SJA:

Sundays 10:15am – 11;30am

At Wootton Community Centre:

Mondays 11:30am – 12:30pm

More news, information and updates next month.

Congratulations to the following YOUNG DRAGONS on passing your Kung Fu promotions last Sunday!!!

Stephanie White Sash 98% pass

Phoenix White Sash 88% pass

Merlin 80% pass

Losel 92% pass

Ben 90% pass

Jacob 100%

Well done to you all.

Last week was a very busy one for THE MARSTA as several groups of martial artists underwent their promotions.

These tests come around twice a year (June and December) and serve as an essential milestone achievement representing ongoing development within each practitioner.

No promotion is guaranteed of course! – one has to score a minimum of 70% in order to pass.

In total each student has to perform between 20 and 40 tasks during their promotional test. Included within the scoring system of each assessment is attitude, focus, spirit and stamina.

My thanks to Justin Rayment and Jim Clews (two of my Black Sash/Gold Sash instructors) that assisted me during some of the promotions thus providing useful commnets and feedback.

Below are the results of, firstly, the YOUNG DRAGONS (Junior Kung Fu) promotions and then, secondly, the results of the SAN SHAN GONG (adult kung fu programme)…

St Mary’s Primary School YOUNG DRAGONS (Monday June 20^th and Friday June 24^th 2011)

Danielle Belhomme White Sash 96%

Jasmine Turner White Sash 90%

Harlen Hunte Red Sash 80%

Maisie Beere Yellow Sash 76%

Jasmine Warren Yellow Sash 88%

Josef Stratton Yellow Sash 70%

Josie Stratton Red Sash 82%

Corben Cass Yellow Sash 80%

Isobel – White Sash 84%

Madison Michna-Cooke White Sash 86%

Adam Voller White Sash 88%

Sinaed Murphy Red Sash 70%

Finbar Mitchell-Smith Yellow Sash 82%

Poppy Trotter Yellow Sash 92%

* * *

The Priory Independent School YOUNG DRAGONS (Wednesday June 22^nd 2011)

Erin Lovely Orange Sash 90%

Shanelle Gauntlett Orange Sash 90% (double graded)

Alishia Lawrence Orange Sash 98% (double graded)

Erin Horrix Red Sash 80%

Tulullah Cloud Yellow Sash 80%

Alishia Lloyd White Sash 96%

Carlotta Dunn White Sash 94%

Daniel Thornton Yellow Sash 70%

Harrison Knights Red Sash 90%

Jacob Lewis Yellow Sash 86%

Joseph Gray Yellow Sash 84%

Dino Goodley Yellow Sash 80%

Riley Horrix Red Sash 90%

Jacques Ridett Red Sash 70%

Finn Jones Red Sash 90%

Jackson Peace Red Sash 80%

Tomasso Dunn White Sash 92%

Thomas Hayward White Sash 94%

Toby Moss Red Sash 96%

* * *

Five Ways Primary School YOUNG DRAGONS (Wednesday June 22^nd 2011)

Luke Bailey White Sash 80%

Cameron Beal White Sash 88%

Callum Marshall White Sash 82%

Rhea Thakrar White Sash 70%

Samuel Palin White Sash 82%

Xavier Varhaujvik-Rhinf White Sash 80%

Austin Dyer White Sash 94%

Chloe White Sash 82%

* * *

Somerton Middle School YOUNG DRAGONS class (Saturday June 25^th 2011)

Maddi Knowles Yellow Sash 100%

Momo Knowles Yellow Sash 98%

Aiden Walder Green Sash 96%

Nicola Reilly Purple Sash 100% (double-graded!)

Charlie Kermode Green Sash 98%

George Kermode Green Sash 94%

* * *

THE MARSTA “YOUNG DRAGONS” Friday and Saturday class (Sunday 26^th June 2011)

Tabatha Clews Red Sash 92%

Lyle – Red Sash 98%

Neo Fryer Yellow Sash 90%

Skye Fryer Red Sash 100%

Bradley Tolfrey White Sash 100%

Ben Brotherhood Yellow Sash 96%

Keaen Lambert Red Sash 94%

Declan Gallagher Red Sash 90%

Chaima Harrison Red Sash 92%

Najat Harrison Red Sash 98%

Tristan Downer White Sash 88%

William – White Sash 90%

Ethan Cole White Sash 90%

* * *

THE MARSTA YOUNG DRAGONS Monday Senior YD Class (Sunday 26^th June 2011)

Amelia Clews Orange Sash 96%

Isobel Russell Orange Sash 92%

Nathan Gissing Orange Sash 90%

Adam Gissing Orange Sash 92%

Jack Elsom Green Sash 98%

Jack Redfern Orange Sash 96%

Adam Hayden Blue Sash 94%

Adam Jones Blue Sash 96%

* * *

THE MARSTA YOUNG DRAGONS Sunday morning private class (Sunday 26^th June 2011)

Tom Measey Orange Sash 98%

Ella Measey Orange Sash 96%

* * *

SAN SHAN GONG…

Sarah Searle Yellow Sash 98% (double-graded!)

Ellis Russell Red Sash 88%

Carolyn Dawn Red Sash 90%

Maria Ellis White Sash 92%

Ariane Cherry White Sash 92%

Barbara Drozd White Sash 96%

Tasha Instrall White Sash 94%

Kia Simpson-Daniel Orange Sash 96%

Carla Fisher Orange Sash 88%

Dave Russell Red Sash 92%

Mo Watt Red Sash 92% (double-graded!)

Aaron Danvers-Jukes Orange Sash 100%

Richard Measey Orange Sash 96% (double-graded!)

Mateusz Grzegorzewski White Sash 90%

Rhys Morgan Green Sash 100%

Nick Holden Green Sash 96%

Jonathan Haynes Red Sash 90%

Klaus Bond White Sash 92%

Drew Dale Yellow Sash 100 % (double-graded!)

Scott White Sash 100%

Dave Briggs Purple Sash 100% (double-graded!)

Dave Ramos Yellow Sash 94%

* * *

For some time now I have been teaching MARTIAL ARTS to a number of youngsters at Ryde School (the Junior school).

Last week three of them underwent their first “Promotions” exam and so gained their White Sash. They were:

Amy Walshe (achieving a 94% pass)
William Tuffrey(achieving an 82% pass)
Lawrie Burgess (achieving an 86% pass)

Photos to follow.

During this exam they each had to perform – with skill, focus and control – more than twenty tasks. As you can see, they all did very well indeed!

* * *

The following evening my four CHINESE KARATE (CK) students underwent a Promotions exam for their WHITE SASH. Three mums and one teenage  boy took this test and all did very well. This was their very first CK exam and this how well they did…

Lorraine Brotherhood 84% pass

Sarah Harrison 82% pass

Caroline Rose 82% pass

Andrew Rose  88% pass

Photos to follow shortly!

Lorraine, Sarah, Caroline and Andrew are all learning Tai Chi from me as well as the CK  and all of them find that one compliments the other. Whilst the Tai Chi is slow, calming and relaxing the CK is clearly more ballistic and so requires more “unnatural” output. Yet each of them are handling CK extremely well  as their confidence rises and fitness levels increase. Now they are all becoming very strong both and more flexible – mentally and physically!

Much to their “surprise” (if that is the right word to use!) I presented them with their CK sashes and certificates in front of my Friday afternoon YOUNG DRAGONS Kung Fu class where they also received a healthy round of applause from some excited and impresse youngsters – one of them being Lorraine’s son, Ben ( a Young Dragon), and Sarah’s three daughters - Najat and Chaima (Young Dragons) and Cody-May (one of my Tiny Tigers).

Also watching this presentation was Carlene Fryer (one of my Tai Chi students who has now been inspired to join the CK class) and her son and daughter (respectively, Neo and Skye) who are also members of my Friday afternoon YOUNG DRAGONS group.

A wonderful week of promotions -Well Done to EVERYONE

SANSHANGONG NEWSLETTER

Number 72    June 2011 

www.themarsta.co.uk       realkungfu@talktalk.net       07877 960 799

On FB:  “Isle Of Wight Martial Arts”, “the marsta”, “Young Dragons”,

“Kung Fu Girls”, “Dangerous Mothers” and “Applied Tai Chi”

Roly Botha

Roly Botha is one of my San Shan Gong (SSG) students.

He began learning from me as  a Young Dragon. Now he is  a teenager who will soon be teaching YD/SSG at his boarding school on the mainland. Already his Headmaster has asked Roly to teach him and his two sons!

With this vision in sight I have, over the past few months, been preparing Roly for the role of “Junior Instructor”. This level of proficiency he has recently achieved by way of a special grading where Jim and Justin (two of my Black Sash SSG instructors) and I recently assessed his ability.

In preparation for Roly’s mianlnad class he wishes to start a YD/SSG class in the Wroxhall/Ventnor area during this year’ school  summer holidays. If you know a youngster (or even an adult) who would like to learn Traditional Chinese Martial Arts then please let me know so I can tell Roly.

I am just about to write a piece on Roly for the Ventnor Blog in the hope that they will put this onto their website.

Gradings

This month is going to be a busy one with a SSG grading taking place on Wednesday June 22nd  at THE MARSTA (St. John’s Annexe) from 7pm until 9pm.

Even if you are not grading, please attend as you will be supporting your kung fu brothers and kung fu sisters.

The results of this grading will be posted on this website a few days later whilst the sashes and certificates will be awarded (to those that pass!) the week after the grading.

The cost of the grading is £15 per student and should be paid on the day of the grading.

SSG Tee-Shirts

I will very soon be placing  a new order for these so if you need one please let me know. At the same time I will be placing an order for some Young Dragons tee-shirts.

DVDs

A number of titles from this unique range are now available.  Titles include:

Kung Fu training in Fuzhou (Simon and the Guo-Family masters) 

Yongchun White Crane Kung Fu

Tiger Style Kung Fu

Bench form

Hung Fut Kung Fu conditioning

Tai Chi 24 Step Yang Style

More titles to follow next month.

Each DVD costs £10 with a special offer of four for £30.   

Ryde School Chinese Week

This month I taught Tai Chi and Young Dragons over three mornings at Ryde School as a part of their annual “Chinese Week”.  These classes – all six of them -went very well.

TINY TIGERS

This brand new class will be starting on Tuesday 21st June. It will be a 30-minute class (4:15pm – 4:45pm) designed for 3 year-olds and 4 year-olds only.  The cost of this class will be £4 per tiger! Parents can watch. 

TAI CHI

Another Tai Chi class is in the making. Interested? Then please let me know.

Tai Chi video clips

Clips of my Tai Chi lesson content can be seen on my “Applied Tai Chi” Facebook site

Banquet

This I have postponed as there is  a lot going on on the island at this time and I do see this particular summer as being a rather busy one! An update on the banquet will appear in due course.

Kung Fu Parents

In recent months a healthy number of parents have begun training under me as they realize that ”Young Dragons” (as a concept) is not just for their child – not just something that mums and dads watch once a week but something in which they, themselves, can practice.

My four adult programmes -”Dangerous Mothers”, “San Shan Gong”, ”Applied Tai Chi” and “Chinese Karate” – are thus open to parents.

To date I have close to a dozen mums or dads training under me, all of whom have realized that what their youngsters are getting from me they, too, could do with having…and are now getting!  

To be disciplined one needs to physically “work” and this work is called “Kung Fu”. During my 36 years of practicing traditional Chinese Martial Arts I have come to know a great deal about psychology and human nature. What I teach is about taking the human being above and beyond the realms of normality as one actively develops one’s true potential.

SSG Schedule at SJA:

Wednesdays 7pm – 9pm

Thursday 5:30pm – 6:30pm (with Justin)

Saturdays 3pm – 4pm

Saturdays 5:30pm – 6:30pm (with Justin)

Sundays 1pm – 2pm

YOUNG DRAGONS classes at SJA:

Wednesdays: 4pm – 5pm

Fridays: 4:15pm – 5:15pm

Saturdays: 4:15pm – 5:15pm

There is also a YOUNG DRAGONS class from 11am – 12 noon but this class is held at Somerton Middle School in West Cowes

Classes at the new THE MARSTA:

Mondays: YOUNG DRAGONS (Yellow Sash and above only) 5:30pm – 6:30pm

Mondays: DANGEROUS MOTHERS (self-defence for mums only) 6:45pm – 7:45pm

Thursdays: CHINESE KARATE 7pm – 8pm 

TAIJIQUAN (TAI CHI) AT SJA:

Sundays 10:15am – 11;30am

TAI CHI IN WOOTTON (Community Centre):

Mondays 11:30am – 12:30pm

 More news, information and updates next month!