Dear members,
It is near the end of February and most of us are still enjoying the hot weather. It has been excellent for stretching and improving flexibility.
We have had a very productive start to the year with two successful nationwide GrabOne campaigns organised by Mr Tim Smith.
We also have launched a new look website and mailing list after much effort from Mr Wai Hoe Chan and Lee Davies. We have to thank Mr Neil Dwight for the original website, the improvements by Mr Dave Lane and decades of maintenance by Mr Dave Clarke.
HQ has been brightened up by photos of our black belts, photos and magazine covers of my illustrious friends in martial arts. Those who have yet to submit their photos please do so.
There have been a few changes in our branches. Mr Garry Harding has decided to stop teaching after many years of loyal service. We are very grateful for his contribution to Chans Martial Arts.
Mr David McQueen who has been teaching at HQ is now the Chief Instructor at Rangiora. Bill Gregory Laoshi has also moved the Pegasus Tai Chi class to Rangiora.
Mr Andy Lane’s University of Canterbury branch has relocated to a bigger hall at Christchurch Boys High School where it will be closer to the university student base.
Mr Bevan Wilkinson’s Papanui branch has moved to the more convenient Apostolic Church on Wairaki Road and (Master) Bruce Lord Laoshi has accepted the role of the chief instructor for the Tai Chi classes at Papanui.
Mr Barry Thompson’s Lincoln branch is training for a term at the high school hall as their primary school hall is being renovated.
This should turn out to be a very good year for Chans Martial Arts as all branches have either better locations or revamped management. We will also have more technical support for the instructors starting with the resumption of monthly programmes and regional co-operation.
Following on the advice about training in the last newsletter, we should focus on how partner drills should be practiced. These drills rely on co-operation to enhance the specific skills for all the parties involved.
It is easy to misunderstand this and assume that you are supposed to ‘win’ each encounter. Just taking an easy ‘victory’ does little to enhance your technique. You should actually try to handicap yourself if you are superior to your partner, so that you can challenge yourself to improve.
Each of our drills are systematically designed to train specific skills for the participants. It is therefore very important to understand and follow the rules for each of the drills clearly, so that you and your training partner can learn and take the specific skills in fighting to a higher level.
This way of training is more comprehensive than just competing and hoping to learn the full range of combat skills by trial and error.
Many martial artists who have trained mostly by fighting for years are usually still very limited in their range of skills and expertise.
As we have mentioned many times before, the other problems with fighting are the repeated bone, soft-tissue and brain injuries. The weaker or less skilled student will also suffer traumatic stress and negative reinforcement in every encounter where they lose.
Therefore, we need to use the drills as they are intended to develop those vital fighting skills, safely and enjoyably.
May Chi be with you,
SC Chan
Grandmaster
Chans Martial Arts
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Coming Events
* Canterbury & West Coast -
Combined training and Barbeque
7th Mar Sat: 1- 4:30 pm
* SOTC Auck. Student Camp
21st & 22nd Mar Sat & Sun
* Canterbury - KF Grading
11th Apr Sat
* Canterbury - TCC Ex. Grading
21st Apr Tue: 7:00pm
* Wellington & All Regions
KF & TC Gradings/Seminars
2nd & 3rd May Sat & Sun
* Invercargill - Gradings/Seminars
8th & 9th May Sat & Sun
* SOTC 20th Year Dinner
Madam Kwong’s Restaurant
15th May Friday 7pm
* SOTC Chch Grad & Seminars
16th & 17th May Sat & Sun
* Annual KF & TC Seminars
30th May Sat
* Annual Tournament
31st May Sun
* HQ - Prof. Wally Jay’s
Memorial Hawaiian Party
6th Jun Sat: 6pm
* HQ - Ladies Self Defence
13th Jun Sat: 2-5pm
* Canterbury – Adv. KF Grading
27th Jun Sat
* Canterbury - Kids Day Out
4th July Sat
* Sydney SOTC Seminar
11th July Sat
* Sydney KF Seminar
12th July Sun