Newsletter 2022-4

Chans Martial Arts News

CMA 22-04 28th Nov 2022

Black Belt Grading

We had a wonderful weekend with instructors congregating at HQ on Friday for the annual Chans Martial Arts instructors meetings. As usual, we celebrated the positive shape of the organisation with a sumptuous dinner afterwards.

The grading was a tough one as usual. It is very good to see how determined and fit the candidates were. They were well supported by family, friends, classmates and instructors from all over New Zealand and even from Sydney. The new HQ was up to the task and provided an atmosphere that we have not felt since the old Lawson Street HQ. Thanks to the grading officials, everything went very smoothly.  A big “Thank You” to everyone who contributed to the improvements at HQ as well as the help in organising and running the awards function. We believe almost everyone who was there enjoyed the occasion very much. 

One notable absentee was Master Lord who had to attend a family wedding. He sent his apologies for missing the first Black Belt grading in thirty years. We had many black belts who are not actively training come in to support the grading. It was particularly great to see Master Paul Reid who has been working in the USA for several years.  

We had a very nice ten-course dinner at the South Garden Restaurant before going back to HQ for the awards. The senior instructors enjoyed their traditional ‘post-awards summit meeting’ very much. 

We are happy to announce that the following were promoted at the 2022 Annual Awards.

 

1st Degree:  

Brendan Paris - HQ

David Joker - HQ

George Tsingos - Sydney

James Day - West Melton

Mandy Simpson - Lower Hutt

Michele Trott - Lincoln

Poppy Cuthbert - Lincoln

Zahra Shahtahmabesi - North Shore, Auckland

 

2nd Degree:

Mr Steven Taylor - Invercargill

Mr Scott Connelly - University of Canterbury

Ms Kirsty Petersen - Parklands

Mr Joseph Van Zoomeran - North Shore, Auckland

Mr Keith Van Niekerk - Lower Hutt

 

Candidates for 4th Degree:

Mr Craig Allan - North Shore, Auckland

Mr Alan Logan - HQ

Mr Kirk Maxwell - Whangaparoa

 

I hope our successful candidates will continue to train regularly, as it is at the Black Belt level that we get into our special techniques such as Labyrinth footwork, weapons training & close-range fighting. In the last decade, we have been gradually transforming the Black Belt training, from just having the best bio-mechanics, to a higher more effective level, where internal energy and pressure point techniques are the main apparatus. 

Our system was developed from contact fighting like many other martial arts to one that is quite different. Our stress-free way of training paves the way for us, to stay healthy and continue to improve even as we age.

Penelope Lake Trophy 

The prestigious Penelope Lake award was presented to Ruth Sutton from the University of Canterbury branch for her dedication to training and supporting her instructor and classmates.

Alistair Kidd Instructor of the Year Award

We have also established a new award to acknowledge our most hardworking instructors as well as being a memorial for the late Mr Alistair Kidd. The shield is crafted by our talented Mr Rex Scott, technical advisor of the Greymouth branch. 

The first recipient of the Alistair Kidd Chans Martial Arts Instructor of the Year Award is Mr John Avei of the West Melton branch. Mr Avei is one of our most dedicated instructors who works hard to provide the best training, guidance and encouragement to his students. He often tells me enthusiastically about the plans for his students, may it be about training, a student of the month award, or a social event. He also shares his grief when his students fail to achieve his standards. His students are very lucky to have such a passionate instructor.

 

How to reach objectives in training

The most common objectives in training are health & fitness, self-defence and enjoyment of improving skills. 

The most important and easiest thing to do is to have the habit of training regularly. Once you are training regularly, you can develop the feeling necessary for making the gradual adjustments to improve. It is only when you train regularly that flexibility, health & fitness targets are automatically achieved.

Your ability to defend yourself when you are under attack depends on how well you respond to it. You have to use the appropriate techniques that are necessary to protect yourself and disable your assailant. For it to work, you have to repeat the moves many hundreds of times till it becomes a reflex action. Unless you are training regularly this will not happen.

Therefore, regular training is the key to all your objectives in training. For the best results, you have to stay focused and feel the positioning, stability and timing in your techniques. 

End-of-year barbecue at HQ

We will have a barbecue at HQ on Saturday 17th December. We will cancel the usual Tai Chi class on that day and start the barbecue at noon. The social club will provide some meat. Please bring your drinks and if you like salads or dessert to share. Branch members are welcome.

The last training for the year will be on Wednesday the 21st of December. We will resume normal classes from Wednesday the 4th of January 2023.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

We will like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. Have a wonderful holiday and refresh yourself for the challenges of 2023.

Do keep up with the stretching exercises and practice your forms so you can hit the ground running when classes resume next year.

Best wishes for your training and hope to see you at the regional seminars next year.

Keep safe, train well & may Qi be with you,

Grandmaster SC Chan

Newsletter 2022-3

Chans Martial Arts News

CMA 22-03 9th Sept 2022

Sydney Camp: Tai Chi Chuan

We had a wonderful seminar in Sydney by ShiYe Michael in July. It was great to be back in Sydney after having to cancel it for the last two years because of Covid-19. ShiYe talked about correct timing, ‘Qi-Jing-Shen’ in relation to the ‘three Dantians’, the moving steps in the 6 exercises and ‘Shao Lu’. 

Inspired by what I had heard in Sydney, I have broken down the practice of pushing hands further into six progressive parts. The 1st and 2nd are just rotations without partners. The 3rd is synchronising with a partner without physically engaging. The 4th is the fixed pushing hands drills. The 5th is engaging and following the partner without attacking. The 6th is the free pushing hands with the usual rules of engagement. This should help most students develop more understanding and skills to achieve proper free pushing hands.

Sydney Camp: Shao Chi Chuan

We worked on focusing, visualising, harmonising breathing, leveraging, rounding and stabilising. The reviewed patterns, the level drills and attack and counter drills on body shields for feedback.

The Black Belts worked on feinting, reading and following up. We also worked on the Circle Form and energy revival after the Pressure points attacks.

As usual, we enjoyed the many delectable culinary delights of Sydney that weekend.

Annual Camp - Auckland

We just had another great camp at the super facility at AUT North Campus. About a hundred people came from Sydney, Invercargill, Dunedin, Canterbury, Nelson, Blenheim, Wellington and Auckland. Camp commander, Master Mike Kinney, and his able assistants did a wonderful job organising everything. Our talented Auckland members led by Chef Renato prepared and served a very yummy lunch.

We also like to thank Master Bruce Lord, Mr Wai Hoe Chan, Mr David McQueen, Mr Nic Morrison, Mr Chris McKenzie, Mr Anthony Pyers and Miss Kirsty Petersen, Mr Rowan Findley & Mr Theuns Verwoerd as well as all the others who helped to run it. Finally, we thank everyone who took the time and effort to attend the camp and made it such a special event. 

One of the highlights of the camp was the introduction of the new PSF drills. This is a slightly different way of looking at our training. Some drills are new and others are old ones reclassified under this group. PSF represents Position, Stability & Feel. These drills are to be performed with the best control possible. Therefore speed, power and competition are not the objectives, unlike STD & RPF Drills. However, training in PSF should lead to improvement in STD and RPF Drills.

The Black Belts worked on Qi circulation, energy revival after pressure points knock-outs, hand trapping drills, the Circle Form and the six progressive pushing hands drills.

We also talked about protocols in drills to enhance mental focus and the need to be vigilant against the possibility of bullying and any kind of abuse in our organisation.

Everyone participated with enthusiasm and seem to have enjoyed all aspects of the training. The nominated candidates for Black Belt grading were put through their paces as per usual, to assess whether they are worthy to be confirmed as candidates. We are happy to report that they proved to have an excellent attitude and were well prepared.

The camp dinner was a happy event with some family members and Mr Neil Dwight joining us for it. It was great for everyone to relax and catch up with old colleagues and acquaint themselves with new ones.

Candidates for Black Belt Grading

We are happy to invite the following candidates to grade this year after considering their attitude, technical knowledge & ability, participation and service. We wish them the best at the Black Belt Grading.

 

Candidates for 1st Degree:  

Brendan Paris - HQ

David Joker - HQ

George Tsingos - Sydney

Michele Trott - Lincoln

Poppy Cuthbert - Lincoln

Mandy Simpson - Lower Hutt

James Day - West Melton

Zahra Shahtahmabesi - North Shore, Auckland

 

Candidates for 2nd Degree:

Mr Joseph Van Zoomeran - North Shore, Auckland

Mr Steven Taylor - Invercargill

Mr Keith Van Niekerk - Lower Hutt

Mr Scott Connelly - University of Canterbury

Ms Kirsty Petersen - Parklands

 

Candidates for 4th Degree:

Mr Kirk Maxwell - Whangaparoa

Mr Craig Allan - North Shore, Auckland

Mr Alan Logan - HQ

Farewell to Mr Alistair Kidd

Sadly, we had to bid farewell to Mr Alistair Kidd on the 7th of September who passed away suddenly. A good number of Chans people were at the funeral with Mr John Avei giving a very good eulogy to Alistair on our behalf.

In his younger days, Alistair was a very talented professional golfer and had played with some of the greats in the game. He was a very hardworking and astute businessman which made him quite wealthy.   

When Alistair was introduced by Mr John Avei to Chan's Martial Arts, he immediately took to the biomechanics we were teaching and felt that it could be beneficial to golf. From then on he never stopped promoting Chan's Martial Arts. Alistair was awarded an honorary Black Belt for his services to Chans Martial Arts in 2013.

Even though he had a fiery temper when he felt he was wronged, he was always extremely kind and helpful to those in need. He was always friendly to everyone at training and we will remember his iconic “Helloooo!,” funny jokes and crushing handshakes fondly. We have indeed lost a true friend and patron.

Alexandra & North Canterbury

Mr Mike Spekreijse has just started a Tai Chi Chuan class in Alexandra and has enrolled a handful of students already. The class should have great potential.

Mr Anthony Pyers has taken over the steadily growing North Canterbury branch from Mr David McQueen. Mr McQueen is stepping aside to spend more time with his young family and to run his own new electrical service business. Mr Jimmy Lawson will assist Mr Pyers as he has with Mr McQueen.

We wish Mr Spekreijse and Mr Pyers the very best of success.

 

Best wishes for your training and hope to see you at the regional seminars and Black Belt Grading in November.

Keep safe, train well & may Qi be with you,

Grandmaster SC Chan