Lion Dance, although very popular in the East, is quite rare in the West. It is even rarer amongst the non-Chinese community. It is also very rare to see females performing Lion Dance, as it is usually seen as a male dominated activity. I am extremely pleased to be able to reveal my all female [...]

The Jian is one of my favourite weapons. It is an elegant, deadly, 3 foot long razor blade. This creates the perfect fusion of martial and art. Along with the fan, the straight sword is one of the weapons that most exemplifies White Crane. It requires such perfection of skill to use and takes a [...]

Sunday Feb 10th says goodbye to the year of the Dragon and hello to the year of the Snake. The snake is very clever and intuitive, so we should see advances in science, technology and research this year. Snakes are very lucky, if you find a snake in your house, it means your family won’t [...]

Sunday 10th February 2013 Year of the Water Snake or Black Snake As you may be aware we will soon be saying Goodbye to the Year of the Dragon. For some the Year of the Dragon can bring extreme good fortune, for others the Year of the Dragon can be tumultuous. However if you believe [...]

I am very proud of my association with the Brighton Breast Cancer Support Group. I have been teaching a Tai Chi class for these amazing ladies for several years now, & we often perform Lion Dances for events that they hold. This Christmas WCMA was invited to perform our Lion Dance for their Christmas party. [...]

Tai Chi  The end of the Year 2012 and the beginning of the Year 2013 have been particularly significant. Mark Cunningham is yet another student in Worthing who has studied hard and completed Bai Her Rou Rouan Suang Yang (White Crane Frost and Sun Tai Chi form). The beginning of the year saw Donna Polson [...]

I started teaching Tai Chi in Worthing a few years ago. In the first year I had two very dedicated students. The three of us trained very hard every Thursday evening. I was never disheartened or in any doubt that the number of students would increase. There was never any thought that I would not [...]

Traditional Lion Dance stretches back through the ages, intrinsically linked with Martial Arts, because usually only Martial Artists have the skill and strength to perform Lion Dance. Originally it was used as a celebration to encourage the spring crops. The Lion is a Nian, a spirit that has been tamed and used to scare other [...]

Another favourite training tool of WCMA is the Wooden Man. I can still remember watching old Jackie Chan movies years ago and being amazed at the speed of his movements and the rat-a-tat of his arms crashing against the wood. It is a common misconception that Wing Chun is the only style that uses a [...]

I am extremely pleased that our Chinese Kick Boxing classes have been going from strength to strength. We are getting a steady flow of new students of all ages and all abilities, from both sexes and from all walks of life.   The classes are very beginner friendly and everyone works together in a safe [...]

Although I enjoy my modern training methods, I have a special affinity with the traditional training methods of the Old Masters. Performing these exercises gives me a real feeling of connection with the Old Masters, who sweated blood to create these styles that we enjoy training in today. Many of the old methods cannot be [...]

In my time I have heard many students say that they didn’t want to practise something at home “in case they got it wrong”. Well, let me remove this weight of expectation you have placed upon yourself: You have done it wrong, you are doing it wrong and you will continue to do it wrong [...]

I started my Club in Worthing some time ago, initially based at St Pauls in the Herridge Room. The numbers grew over a very short period of time and so we moved to the Main Centre at St Pauls. Not only has the number of students been increasing but I now have a very dedicated [...]

On Wednesday lunch times I run my Tai Chi class at Trax along Heene Rd in Worthing. To get to our Tai Chi room we have to walk through the gym and up some stairs. The room is also used by other Instructors and right at the top of the stairs one of the Instructors [...]

Yesterday, 17th April 2011, I achieved something I didn’t think was possible. In the morning I passed my third grading and in the evening I learnt my fourth pattern in one hour. I was excited to learn my pattern and made every effort to learn it and keep practising it. The patterns get a bit [...]

When I first started kung fu, I didn’t think I was improving at all even though my instructor insisted that I was improving all the time. I thought that other people were better than me, but they only were because they had been doing it for longer than me. Nobody is perfect when they start; [...]

It doesn’t really hurt, unless you’re unlucky.. but you’ve got to take a few chances in life. As the first round starts there is the nervous anticipation. What are your opponents strengths and weaknesses? Which techniques will you use? You try a few testing punches, maybe a kick to see how your opponent responds. Is [...]

When I first started training, I became addicted very quickly to all aspects of White Crane. As well as the core Kung Fu and Tai Chi classes, I rarely missed the opportunity to throw myself around, attending all the San Da , grappling, dog style, weapons and iron shirt lessons or master classes that were [...]

It was a very nervous experience, watching one of my students grade. Before I became an instructor, I had heard that it was worse watching your students grade that actually grading yourself. I wasn’t sure about this, but experience has proven it true! I could see that Carrie was nervous but she handled it well. [...]

My first grading was scary; I won’t lie, especially when in any situation I get nervous. That is one of the many things Kung Fu does, which is to improve your confidence. I went over it with my instructor; what to expect and practicing my pattern every lesson and asking my instructor how I could [...]

When first starting your martial arts journey, everything is new and progress is swift. You still wont have every move exactly right, but the relative increase in knowledge and skill is quick. Then comes the process of refinement. Hearing the all too common refrain of ‘bend your knees!’ can become annoying, and being told you [...]

Let me state categorically for the record that my favourite weapon is the sword. Much as I love all the other ancient forms of dealing death, the sword carries a special place in my heart. It seems I am not alone. Throughout the ages the sword has captured the imagination of scholars & warriors alike. [...]