My first blog is a quick introduction to me:
Every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday night I have trouble sleeping. This is because I have martial arts training with Chi Combat System the following day, I lie in bed much to my partner’s displeasure thinking about combinations, footwork and attitude – yes attitude.
I do not practice the best martial arts in the world I practice the best martial art for me. That’s an important distinction to make as I believe any form has its strengths and weaknesses and is only as good as the student who practices it.
My first teacher, a very humble and kind man who I have a lot to thank for was a second generation student of Wong Shun Leung, he has many photos and fascinating stories to tell of this great master and was actually taught in his first School lesson in Hong Kong in the early 70’s. Our paths crossed purely by chance through business and he took me into his home and taught me the Wing Chun forms and ideals as they were taught to him. In his front room with the furniture pushed back and cat running for dear life we would drill forms and applications all day Sundays and as many evenings a week as I could get him to agree to.
His kind wife would bring in Green Tea and biscuits whilst opening windows to let in much needed air and release the smell of hot sweaty bodies. We haven’t trained together for over a year now to my regret but he taught me so much in the time we had together things are still falling into place now over a year later. I cannot comprehend his level of knowledge or skill, I am just proud to of had a glimpse of it.
I have also enjoyed the brutal world of Systema the Russian martial art that truly has to be seen to be believed, it’s so simple and effortless it’s untrue. I’m smiling now as I remember how they taught me how to adsorb pain the hard way and how tough those guys really are. In contrast to Wing Chun there are no forms or moves to learn just an ideology and the adoption of a warrior spirit. You don’t get taught anything other than to adapt to any situation and meet force with softness and softness with force. Maybe this is more Wing Chun than I first thought, certainly ‘Ying and Yang’.
I tried Kickboxing for a while but the impact on my knees became too great and unfortunately I had to stop, this leads me to where I am now. I again found Chi Combat System like Wing Chun by complete chance as I was missing martial arts training a lot and was bored of practising on my own in the kitchen. I wanted something local that was high energy, enjoyable and with no attitude. I didn’t want a Wing Chun school out of respect for the teachings of my first Sifu. I found Chi Combat System on-line and tried it out, the rest they say ‘is history’.
I don’t have a black belt apart from the one that holds up my trousers, instead just years of love and passion for a sport/ lifestyle that is both humbling and pure. My current Subumnim’s (teachers) Amun Ka Clarke and Derrick Evans have developed my skills and knowledge through our martial arts classes. I’m really looking forward to learning more from them and passing that on to others at our martial arts school and through this blog if people are interested.
I hope you are and I look forward to sharing ideas and philosophies from any martial art or self defence style.
Pil Sung!
