Chans Martial Arts News
CMA 26-01 8th January 2026
Happy New Year! We had a great year in 2025 with the very memorable celebrations of the 30th Anniversary of Sing Ong Tai Chi, and the 50th Jubilee year for Chans Martial Arts being the highlights. The publication of the 50th Anniversary book was another extra special achievement.
Even though there were many challenges throughout the year, we made some good technical progress, as well as growing the membership. This should set us up for a strong 2026.
Shao Chi Chuan
To improve our overall standard this year, we should focus our Shao Chi Chuan training on improving the three areas discussed at camp. Namely: Mind, Body & Technique. The Mind should be focused with clear intent, but also being patient in overcoming challenges. The Body should be upright, centred and rounded with clear directional orientation. As for Technique, we should have stable stances, with correct body positioning, accurate target alignment, and efficient power generation. Achieving this should improve everyone’s kung fu immensely. Students need to understand what this means, and commit to training regularly. Remember that it is not about flexibility and athleticism, but careful rehearsal of accurate, balanced and natural movement.
Tai Chi Chuan
As for improving our Tai Chi Chuan training this year, think of balancing body, and the fine tuning the nervous system. It is also very important to work on mental calmness to deal with both physical and psychological pressure. The forms and exercises should be very enjoyable, health enhancing, and improving Tai Chi Chuan skills. The more advanced student should work on Qi development and control its flow. The fixed and free pushing hands training should give us feedback on how calm, relaxed, balanced and accurate we are. They also point out what deficiencies we need to work on. Every engagement is an opportunity to cultivate more sensitivity, and explore more freedom of movement, instead of focusing on winning or losing.
Jian Course
We are running the Tai Chi Jian course again this year. It starts on the 20th of January, and will be conducted at HQ on Tuesday nights from 7:00pm to 8:30pm, over 40 sessions. (Some Tuesdays will be reserved for Tai Chi Exercise Gradings). The first two sessions will be on the fundamentals of Tai Chi Jian. A section of the form will be completed in every six sessions, with all six sessions being completed within 38 sessions. The two final sessions will be for reviewing the whole form and the finer points about Tai Chi Jian.
Training: HQ on Tuesday nights from 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Eligibility: Those who have completed the 1st section of the 42 Form.
A) Whole Course Fee: $240
B) Pay per part: $60/part (6 parts in all)
C) Zoom Whole Course fee: $120
Bring your own Jian if you have a suitable one. HQ has a few spare ones you can use. We can help you order one later on, if you wish to acquire a suitable sword.
Please enrol as soon as possible as places are limited. Please send an email or text and pay through CMA account 03-0866-0381094-00 stating name and options.
Those who are not available on the Tuesday evenings can join the Sydney Zoom Jian classes if possible. Please contact Suyi Laoshi at: suyi.chansmartialarts@gmail.com
Reviewing Training Objectives
This is a good time of the year to think about our training objectives.
A good student should train to be as good an exponent, as he/she can possibly be. Therefore, we must look at how well are we performing the various skills in our syllabus, and enjoying the challenge to improve. It is not sufficient to just know all the techniques and drills in the syllabus. The higher the grade of the student, the higher the level of skills ought to be.
Developing skills takes hard work, sustained over long periods of time. However, just hard work and time does not always guarantee the desired results. A good student with a mature view of training should appreciate this.
The development of skills needs the correct understanding of the techniques, and careful, patient and sustained training to acquire the coordination, timing and feel. This is not as simple as it sounds, as even with the most detailed explanations, many students often struggle to grasp the concepts clearly. This is not a matter of intelligence, because it involves the body’s spatial awareness, which differs from person to person, regardless of their intellect. The differences in body structure, flexibility, and neurological patterns, are also major factors determining overall uptake in learning and training.
However, proper instruction and training can gradually equalise almost all of the possible shortcomings, if both the student and instructor are patient enough. Therefore, the syllabus and estimated/recommended time allocation for each rank should only be a rough guide for the minimum requirements. The ability and skill of the student should be the main determinant for rank advancement, besides showing the embodiment of conduct, discipline, knowledge and confidence appropriate for that level.
As our objective in training is to be as good an exponent as possible, we should simply enjoy the challenge of improving ourselves in our training. Gradings should be just a by-product of good training and not the main objective. This is the most logical way to prepare us to have real substance in defending ourselves, if the need arises.
Students who are just looking at gradings as motivation for training, miss the true spirit of martial arts, and are mostly found in what the critics label ‘McDojos.’
Best wishes in your training in 2026,
May Qi be with you,
Grandmaster Chan
Chans Martial Arts