Good morning.

 

I would like to say a few words about the recent weapons defence seminar. Personally, and as always, I found it a thoroughly enjoyable affair. The words of one of the more senior students perhaps sum it up the most effectively: ‘when Sifu said that it was going to be extremely intense at the beginning, he wasn’t exaggerating…!’

 

Discussing the seminar afterwards with the teachers, we feel it was perhaps the best yet. It is hard to ascertain exactly why (and I know I say this after almost every seminar), but there was a certain feeling present that made it the case for me. Perhaps the deciding factor for me was the actual change I could see in the students by the end of the seminar. I don’t mean just their physical techniques, which were significantly faster, stronger and more effective, or the way that that those involved clearly had a better grasp and mastery of their body than before. (And if anyone doubted the effectiveness of the techniques, seeing Si-Mei Della, at 5ft tall, throwing around 6ft 4 students armed with a weapon quickly disabused that notion…). What I mean is that I had the feeling that the people that attended somehow left as better people than before. I actually saw a marked change in some of the students… I just now hope that they make the most of this and continue on the right path.

 

It was, without doubt, the most comprehensive seminar on weapons that has been taught by me to date. Each day saw a period of the seminar dedicated to a different part of the theory, as well as different physical skills. On the face of it there is not much theory involved (and indeed most teachings on this that I have seen almost ignore this completely), but if you look a little more closely you will see that this is simply misguided. There are many principles involved, particularly when you look at the different weapons and the situations surrounding it. It is not enough to simply explore these principles (and in my opinion nigh on negligent to ignore them) but you must know what is the overriding principle and overriding outcome. Faced with many options it is easy to lose sight of what is most important…

 

The seminar was also interesting in that it covered the morals that should come with developing these skills. However, unlike many teachings this was not for me, or indeed any Master, to ‘dictate’; it was for each student to find their own viewpoint. My own role was only to give some guidance and direction, highlighting the points that I felt to be important. For what is the point is learning a martial art if you cannot recognise for yourself where your boundaries are…?

 

Finally, I would like to congratulate those students who attended the seminar who still made it in for the regular classes the following week. When I visited the Bromley school on Monday and Wednesday there were a number of students who had trained at the whole seminar but still made it in to train. If your aim is to reach some of the highest echelons of the art, this ‘hardcore’ approach is the way to do just that…

 

Sifu

 

Ps. The classes resume as normal this week. Those students who successfully passed the grading will be presented with their certificates this week at the schools. Students should have already received information about this; if you have any further questions please contact the schools.