CMA 21-04 30th November 2021
Black Belt Grading
Due to the Covid-19 restrictions in Auckland, our Auckland candidates, supporting instructors, students and Master Mike Kinney were unable to attend. Mr Mike Soper was also unable to attend. They were sorely missed at the grading and awards celebrations. However, we are very glad that we could still hold this important event. We were very careful with safety precautions and fortunately, it all went very smoothly.
The candidates were very well prepared and performed well, being aided by the ideal weather conditions. Even though they can all improve with more training, they showed a very good standard. A number of those promoted actually started training in the children’s classes. It is most encouraging to see that we are passing on our skills and values to the younger generation.
Congratulations to the following who were graded and promoted at this year’s Black Belt grading.
1st degree:
Ms Helen Wallace - Lincoln
Ms Becky Mingard - Lincoln
Mr Dougal Gilroy - Papanui
Mr Rudy Rupp - HQ
Mr James Neville - HQ
Mr Reuben Clarkson - HQ
Mr James Luxon - HQ
Mr Dylan Blundell - HQ
2nd degree:
Mr Theuns Verwoerd - Hornby
Mr Anthony Pyers - HQ
Mr Alan Speck - Blenheim
4th degree:
Mr Wai Hoe Chan - HQ
We thank all the instructors and students for helping to make the grading a real success. As usual, we enjoyed a sumptuous dinner before heading back to HQ for the annual awards party. The proud instructors of the new Black Belters gave a good account of their students at the presentation. We are very happy to have such quality people joining the rank of our Black Belts.
Vaccine mandate
Starting 3rd of December New Zealand will move to the new COVID-19 Protection Framework. Because of this Chans Martial Arts will be mandating Compulsory Vaccination Certificates (CVC) for all members 12 years and over and any visitors in our training premises so that we can open under all levels of the framework (traffic light system).
Our training is an important way to build natural immunity for our members and we believe there are powerful mental and physical benefits to our training as well. However, we believe that to have the best possible chance of fighting off the possible dangerous effects of the COVID-19 virus being double vaccinated gives our members the best protection available.
If you have not already please apply for a Compulsory Vaccination Certificate (CVC).
We have begun checking our members (12 and above) CVC's for their vaccination status. Once we have checked your CVC and have recorded the expiry date (Note: we will not record any other information aside from your name) we won't need to check it again until the CVC expires. If you train in multiple different locations you will need to have your CVC checked and recorded at each location before you start training there.
From the 3rd of December, we will only be permitting those who have been doubled vaccinated onto our premises. If you have been double vaccinated but have not been able to get your CVC you may still come to training, your instructor will use their best judgement and allow you to train while you are working through the process of attaining the CVC. We understand that there may be some technical difficulties over the next few weeks while students and instructors get a handle on these new protocols so, please be patient and we will use our common sense if any difficulties arise.
Our existing policies will stay in place. If you are suffering from any flu-like symptoms please stay home and get tested, all members and visitors to our classes will be required to scan the QR code for contact tracing.
This has been an extremely challenging time for individuals and many businesses in so many ways and, more so than ever, we are so grateful for the ongoing support of our wonderful instructors and students (even those who have chosen to halt their physical class attendance for now). Most of our schools have been so fortunate and grateful to have remained open when other regions have been closed for such a long and challenging time. This new framework means that we have a lot more certainty of remaining open without further closures due to lockdowns. The framework has been put in place to protect our community, which we all want to do to keep all our friends and families safe and healthy. We thank you in advance for your support as we transition to the new system.
Regular Zoom classes
For those who do not have a CVC, we will be providing an option to train on zoom. We hope that this will sustain your training till you can go back to normal training.
You will have to enroll for the Zoom classes through your branch chief instructor.
Please make sure your annual registration is current.
The online training fee is $15 per week by bank auto payment directly to Chans Martial Arts HQ 03 0866 0381094 00.
This fee covers both Kung Fu, Tai Chi and also Instructors or BB classes if eligible.
Schedule:
Tuesday & Thursday: Kung Fu (5:30pm to 7:00pm)
Monday & Wednesday: Tai Chi (5:30pm to 7:00pm)
Friday: Tai Chi Assistant / Instructors (5:30pm to 7:00pm) & Blackbelts (7:30pm to 9:00pm)
When joining a class please display your FULL NAME so that we can match it with our participation list.
We will continue to improve our Zoom broadcast system to make the audio and picture clearer as well as improve the interactivity of the classes. Please be patient as we work through any technical bugs.
A sustainable system
Most people do not think sustainability can relate to martial arts. In fact, it is this neglect that leads to modern martial arts as just a young person’s activity. To keep training for the whole of our life we need to have a sustainable system of training. The most common problem is worn-out joints making it painful to continue training. The other problem is injuries from hard contact training taking their toll on the soft tissues and bones. The worst is the trauma to the head which can often seem very minor but can accumulate over time and become debilitating.
Even without the problems mentioned above, a martial artist who relies mostly on strength, speed and endurance will not be able to sustain their performance as they get older. The competitive drive can also wane and become tiresome after a while.
Therefore, when we have properly developed our fundamentals, we concentrate on training to use less physical effort in our techniques and derive our speed and power from internal training and the use of pressure points for effectiveness. This training is not only sustainable, but the health benefits and technical marvels also motivate a lifelong enjoyment of the art.
I hope our students will embrace this philosophy of sustainability in Kung Fu and strive for a high level of skill & mental tranquility.
Christmas & New Year
Our last day train at HQ and Zoom classes will be Tuesday the 21st December. We will resume training on Wednesday the 5th of January.
We like to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Keep safe, train well & may Qi be with you,
Grandmaster SC Chan