Monday 31st May 2010 @ 2.30pm-7pm

SAS Martial Arts Academy is holding an international food and award day to celebrate the diversity of the Academy and to recognise the support of the Instructors and volunteer’s.

The Day will consist of Festival of martial arts demonstrations, free lessons, Food Drinks, Awards & Gala and much more so don’t miss out.

Please feel free to bring your family, friends and associates to the event. This is a celebration of the long standing instructors and new instructors and students who have joined us at SAS

Time of events

2.30pm Drinks and snacks

3.00pm  Welcome message Master Andrew Sofos

3.10 pm – 3.20pm Junior Wing Chun Demo

3.20pm – 3.30pm Kids Wing Chun Demo

3.30pm – 4.00pm Jujitsu Taster session

4.00pm – 4.15pm Break drinks and networking

4.15pm – 5.00pm Karate Demo and Taster session

5.00pm Instructor Awards and Speeches

5.30pm – 6pm Wing Chun self defence Taster Sessions

6.00pm Party drinks and food

Certificates of merit given to Instructors and volunteers of the Academy and other special awards.

Food Buffet will be prepared by Students and parents, please contact us to arrange your contribution.

Wing Chun Class will be cancelled for the evening

By Dr Kristinn Tan

The first time I saw a candle extinguished was with a turning punch. The power generated by the punch begins in the firmly rooted feet, spiralling through the legs, amplified and directed by the hips into the fist. The potential energy released is phenomenal.

The action at the elbow is to straighten the joint in a throwing movement. However the joint does not lock out. This keeps the joint stable and allows for the maximum transmission of all that power. The error tends to occur when learning how to punch as we are told to relax and throw with force. It is jolly difficult to do both without the elbow locking out for a fraction of a second. Much of the trauma arises from this locking (hyperextension) of the elbow.

The result is pain in the elbow in the illustrated areas (Diag 1). Depending on the severity of damage the pain may occur only on repeated stress i.e. more turning punches or at rest. 

The elbow looks a little like diagram 2. The bony parts coming together, tension in the ligaments and joint capsule as well as reflex contraction of the biceps, limit movement on extension of the joint. Hence when over extending the elbow damage can occur to any of these parts diagram 3.

Overstretching of ligaments, joint capsules and friction between surfaces all lead to inflammation of the joint. Joints are not well supplied by blood and the turnover of materials is slow hence the long healing times involved. Longstanding trauma can result in fragmentation of the cartilage with loose bodies in the joint, osteoarthritis, and irritation of the nerves that are closely associated with the joint.

What to do about it? 

A good warm up and stretch is recognised to help prevent hyperextension injuries. However it is all down to punching technique (I know I’m starting to sound like a stuck record here). Not locking out the elbow reduces fist wobble which also means one is more likely to hit the mark.

Conventional Medical Advice. Once damage is done here’s a simple mnemonic to remember:

1. Rest
2. Ice
3. Compression
4. Elevation 

Other measures: Bracing or splinting (Tubigrip), Pain killers – Paracetamol and especially NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen.

Gentle massage is felt to help with pain. Tai chi instructor Mark Green advocates playing the form to help the healing process.

By Kristinn Tan

Chinese Qi Gong has a history of more than five thousand years. It has been known by many other names, such as daoyin (conduction of vital energy in the human body), tuna (expiration and inspiration), zuochan (sitting in meditation), xingqi (promoting the circulation of qi), and has mainly been widely practised by people in the religious, medical and martial arts circles, mainly for the purpose of cultivating mental calmness, improving physical fitness and prolonging life. Ancient Chinese documents contain large amount of writings on qigong. Through several thousand years of continuous development, a complete system of practice methods and theories was formed and the term Qi Gong was established in the 1950s.

Qigong is a branch of learning concerning the exercise of qi. Here the word qi has several meanings. First, it refers to the air breathed in and out by man. It exists in the universe and has direct bearings on the functions of the human body. Second, it it is the medium by which the various parts of the body, including the organs and tissues, are connected and interact with one another. Its importance maybe seen from the old saying: “A man is alive when his qi grows but he ceases to live when his qi disappears.” Third, it is a kind of infinitely small substance existing in the human body. Unlike skin, bones, blood and air, qi is invisible to the eye but forms the very essence of human life. Qigong exercises contribute to the growth of this important substance, thus adding to one’s life force and delaying the process of ageing.

Although qigong exercises vary widely in form and function, they all have one thing in common: work of the mind. According to Lin Zhongpeng, Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies of Chinese Qigong, qigong may be defined as a kind of self-training for improving physical and mental health through the power of the mind. Here we have a definition with three-fold meaning.

The first meaning is about guiding principle, that is, the use of the power of the mind. Of course, qigong exercises also involve physical movements and control of breathing, but these are far less important than the use of the power of the mind, which sets qigong apart from other sports. In ordinary sports, physical work plays the dominant role while regulation of the mind and regulation of breathing only serve to keep the body in form so as to ensure good athletic performance.

The second meaning is about the purpose of qi gong, which is to improve physical and mental health. This is what distinguishes it from yingqigong (hard qigong) a kind of performing art resembling acrobatic feats. Such as thrusting a sharp spear at one’s throat, breaking a stone slab by knocking ones head against it, supporting one’s body on the point of a fork, taking hammer-blows while lying on a b ed sharp knives, and so on. All of which have little to do with health keeping.

The third meaning is about the method of exercise, with emphasis laid on self-training. Although the method of self-training has been advocated by qigong experts at all times, many people unfortunately failed to understand this and they vainly look for what they consider easier ways to keep fit. In ancient times not a few people have lost their lives after taking “elixirs” peddled by quacks for the supposed purpose of prolonged life. Such harmful substances caused the deaths of more than half of the 21 emperors of the Tang Dynasty. Superstitious practices of this kind are quite rare today. But there are still people who, in their pursuit of health, have relied too much on the help of qigong therapists, instead of persisting in doing exercises by themselves. It is true that many qigong masters hae done well to cure ailments with waiqi (out flowing vital energy) ejected from their bodies but they could done even better by teaching others ho to mobilise their own internal qi to prevent and cure diseases. To treat someone with waiqi is to give him a fish. To teach him qigong is to give him a fishnet with which he will make a fine catch once he has learned how to cast it.

By Master Andrew Sofos

Double Chi Sao is the simultaneous coordination and regulation of the position and manoeuvres of both your arms, individually and in separate directions. The accomplishment of this feat is thee primary exercise for the preparation of free contact sparring.

A student without a solid single Chi Sao foundation will experience difficulty when practising Double Chi Sao. Double Chi Sao requires unnatural ability to perform simultaneously two unlike manoeuvres with sensitivity and spontaneity. Such an exercise can be compared to the childhood game of patting on the head with one hand at the same time rubbing your stomach with the other. Each performing an individual motion. This skill is to manoeuvre each arm synchronously, while performing two different patterned motions is most unique and difficult characteristic of Double Chi Sao ability.

To better understand the difficulty of such an unnatural function, let us consider the difficulty of learning any new physical activity. The motor coordination or the route from mental command to physical action is not yet established and awkwardness results. With practice, the electric impulses from the brain to muscle tissue, which facilitate movement, become more defined. The path of reflex and response is clear. Now, we simultaneously attempt another physical movement while performing the newly learned one. For example, let us bounce a ball on the ground with hand and at the same time try tossing and catching another ball in the air with the other hand. You will feel and appear uncoordinated at first, however, with practice such manipulation of our hands in two different objectives is possible, and the advantages are many when the ability is perfected. Coordination of singular movement becomes increasingly easy. Multiple movements are also quickly assimilated. An opponent who moves in combinations of singular movements or patterns will be at a distinct disadvantage when faced with your coordinated multiple movement. This is the purpose of double Chi Sao training.

In order to perform coordinated movements simultaneously, one must perfect his ability to function singularly. It follows that there is lack of coordination in singular movement, multiple and simultaneous movement will produce extreme awkwardness. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to begin with the preparatory training of single Chi Sao. One must accomplish the required individuality of each arm with sophistication.

The purpose of using hands arms as the primary method of acquiring this multiple ability is really quite simple. There is many parts of the human body that can be utilized as efficient effective weapons. The ability to function these parts fluently and simultaneously is directly related to a firm foundation and motor coordination. Since the hand is the most flexible and easily manipulated part of the body, it serves as the primary vehicle of Chi Sao.

Within double Chi Sao there are two major methods of practice, Luk Sao and the breakouts (kuo Sao). Luk Sao is the standard position of Double Chi Sao practice emphasising the regular basic movements of bong Sao, Tan Sao and Fook Sao. The kuo Sau exercise is the change of movements from Luk Sao position into practicing crossing the bridge, trapping the hands and multiple striking techniques.

By Master Andrew Sofos

On Understanding

Great knowledge sees all in one. Small knowledge breaks down into the many.

Chi Sau, footwork, forms, fighting, Jong, sandbags. We train in many ways.

Small knowledge is thinking that each exercise is just and exercise. Great knowledge seeks to relate each to the other.

What is fighting without sensitivity? Where is sensitivity without Chi Sau? Where is Chi Sau without form? Where is form without power? Where is power without accuracy? Where is accuracy without the Jong Form? Where is the Jong Form without angles? Where are angles without footwork? Where can you apply all you have learnt… but in fighting?

On Skill

A good cook changes his knife once a year, because he cuts an ordinary cook changes his knife every month, because he hacks. This knife of mine is nineteen years old. It has carved several thousand cows, yet its blade looks like it had just carne from the grindstone. There are spaces in the joints, and the blade has no thickness so when something with no thick ness enters something with space it has plenty of room to move about.

Think of you hands as knives, in the beginning when you fight, you hack, your hands have no precision, and they blunder forward with force, trying to land a strike because that is all you know. Hitting is so important to you that you bludgeon, batter and bash.

Then they cut, when you have learnt that force against force is not the Wing Chun way. Wit and accuracy are the important things when you fight, only then can you overcome your opponent regardless of your stature. You have the understanding to see that hacking is no longer your aim, and you have not yet the skill to carve, but the understanding to not hack. The strike is not the object of the game, you partner is not a thing to hit, but someone to outwit.

When you achieve mastery, you carve. Fighting is an effortless activity. Each technique is applied with surgical accuracy, and your execution is like a knife with no thickness. There is always space to move in, an angle, no matter how small to find. You no longer see your partner as an object to strike or outwit, but as a subject to dismantle. Each technique’s aim is to dismantle his structure.

On Using The Tools You Have

“…In Sung there was a man who was skilled at making a salve to prevent chapped hands, and generation after generation his family made a living by this. A traveller heard about the salve and offered to buy the prescription for a hundred measures of gold. The man called everyone to a family council. ‘For generations we’ve made this salve and we’ve never made more than a few measures of gold,’ he said. ‘Now if we sell our secret, we can make a hundred measures in one morning. Let’s let him have it!”

The traveller got the salve and introduced it to the king of Wu, who was having trouble with the state of Yueh. The king put the man in charge of his troops, and that Winter they fought a naval battle with the men of Yueh and gave them a bad beating (Their hands were not chapped because of the salve they used and they could use their weapons). A portion of the conquered territory was awarded to the man as a fief. The salve had the power to prevent chapped hands in either case; but one man used it to get a fief, while the other one never got beyond silk bleaching-because they used it in different ways…..”

Each technique we know, tan sau, bong saw and son is like a salve. All of us from the first level to the sixth rank can all play them. Using them in the most obvious way is like selling out for a hundred measures of gold. Apply thought to your techniques, in application and in practise, study their flight, analyse their angles, memorise the way they feel. It is this thought that will ultimately gain you a fiefdom of deeper understanding, different avenues to explore, greater insights not only into your own body- awareness, but also into how these techniques can be crafted and adapted to suit your needs as a martial artist.

On Overconfidence

“Great understanding is broad and unhurried; little understanding is cramped and busy. Great words are clear; little words are shrill and quarrelsome.
….
They bound off like an arrow or a crossbow pellet, certain that they are the arbiters of right and wrong. They cling to their positions as though they had sworn before the gods, sure that they are holding on to victory….”

After six months of training, most of us are begin to understand something of what Wing Chun is capable of.

After a year of training, most of us probably begin to feel some confidence in your Wing Chun skills.

After two years of training, you may even be dangerous! Do not be so sure that you are holding on to victory. There are depths of knowledge and understanding that you have not yet even seen, and levels of power that you have yet to experience. At this stage, can your understanding be broad and unhurried when Wing Chun takes fifteen years to learn?

On Learning

The goal of fasting is inner unity. This means hearing, but not with the ear; hearing, but not with the understanding; hearing with the spirit, with your whole being… The hearing of the spirit is not limited to any one faculty, to the ear, or to the mind. Hence it demands the emptiness of all the faculties. And when the faculties are empty, then the whole being listens. There is then a direct grasp of what is right there before you that can never be heard with the ear or understood with the mind.

Wing Chun in all of its training, in all of its fighting is all about letting go. Listen; hear, not just with your eyes and ears, but with your body too. Learn with your arms, as when we teach, we teach as much with our arms as we do with our words and actions. Feel the energy; find your understanding in the feeling, not the words.

Learn with no judgements or preconceptions, let anything that you already know go trust us as your teachers to show you the way. Do not judge what you see and place obstacles to your own path. To truly learn and understand Wing Chun, you must first embrace and never judge her, and when you remember her, remember with what has been instilled in your body. Knowing and understanding is useless to you in Wing Chun if you cannot act. Knowing in he body is as if not more important than knowing in the mind. Knowing how to do a pak sau is not the same as being able to do it properly.

On Teaching

The Great Man in his teaching is like the shadow that follows a form, the echo that follows a sound. Only when questioned does he answer, and then he pours out all his thoughts, making himself the companion of the world. He dwells in the echoless, moves in the directionless, takes by the hand you who are rushing and bustling back and forth, and proceeds to wander in the beginning less. He passes in and out of the boundless, and is ageless as the sun. His face and form blend with the Great Unity, the Great Unity that is selfless. Being selfless, how then can he look upon possession as possession?

By Tai Chi Instructor Mark Tan

Wing Chun is often classified as a “soft style” because its practitioners can fight without strain. “Soft style” wing chun fighters frequently over come larger, stronger opponents from “hard systems”. Where does the soft power originate? What makes Wing Chun work? The answer is found in the triangle nature’s strongest structure.

Wing chun stylists defeat their adversaries by funnelling strength into and through an array of triangles. These triangles are found in the footwork; handwork, posture, strategy and virtually in every aspect of wing chun.

1: – Triangle Stance

Grandmaster Yip Man demonstrating the basic free-fighting stance

The basic stance of wing chun fighter is formed by placing the feet shoulder width apart. The toes of the feet turn slightly inward and knees are bent weight is slightly towards the back leg making the front leg more manoeuvrable for leg strikes. To see the triangle looking down, imagine that the left foot is standing on point A and the right foot on point B, (forming the baseline of the triangle) and point C (the apex of the triangle) is on the floor in front of the body.

The fighter’s knees pull in towards the direction of point C. the result is extremely strong solid structure. The wing chun fighter will maintain his triangle stance as he moves in and out of strike range with his opponent. At times the triangle will be equilateral at other moments more elongated.

2: – Triangle Footwork
Wing Chun work with two main footwork patterns. The “male” and “female” triangle. The male triangle can be visualised by imagining that the apex of the triangle is in front of the body and the baseline is under the feet. The female triangle the apex is behind the body its baseline also under the feet. The male and female triangle form a square turned on its end in diamond fashion.

The male triangle is used mainly for offence. The female triangle is used most often for defence and counter or for simultaneous attacks and defence.

3: – Leg / Torso Triangle
The wing chun body is divided into two triangles. One triangle exists with its base position at the feet and apex at tan tien (centre of the body below the navel.). The other triangle has its apex at the tan tien and its baseline points at the left and right shoulder joints.

The tan tien is the fulcrum. Power funnels up from the floor, through the lower triangle to the fulcrum (tan tien). And later in to the upper triangle where it passes into the arms and fists. These two triangles gives you the support structure for your stance footwork and your punches. The student must learn to move both hand and feet together to take advantage of their fulcrum.

What is necessary is a direct transfer of energy from the ground through the centre. This complete body alignment represents the most efficient use of leverage or energy from foot to fist.

4: – Defensive Triangles
 There are many hand positions used in our system for defence. Four main ones are Tan Sao, Bong Sao Fook Sao and Pak Sao:

The tan sao forms a triangle from elbow to hand to shoulder; the edge of the triangle is an open palm facing up.
Fook sao position is similar, the arm is held in front of the body on the centre line. The triangle again from shoulder to elbow to hand. However the wrist is bent forming another triangle from wrist to fingers to forearm.
Bong sao is an outward or horizontal triangle. Its purpose to protect from side angle attacks. The arms held out from centre line with arms bent and elbow tip facing to the side.
Pak Sao defensive position formed by placing open palm in the centre of the body at appoint much closer than the movements above.

In wing chun one never meets force on force, instead relaxed energy, appropriate triangular positioning and arm movements are required as quickly as possible.

5: – Destroying Triangles
A wing chun fighter defeats his opponent by slicing punches at angles which penetrate the weakest point. Naturally, the opponent will turn to defend the weakest area of its defence, forcing them to shift the apex of there triangle to meet the incoming force if there assailant. With minor footwork one can plant blows to the sides of the defensive triangle and sheer through the defensive line. Footwork is used to perform this task.

The up and down triangular structure is destroyed when a wing chun fighter forces them to cross the upper and lower triangles. Once the body is crossed the power lie is gone and the opponent is vulnerable for attack. Once the lower triangle is disrupted, hence the opponent is out of stance and off balance then the wing chun fighter should swiftly move in and take them out.

6: – Kicking Triangles
If kicking is to be effective, the kick leg must be bent slightly, only by keeping a bend can a triangle of hip to knee to foot be maintained. Your balance must be over your centre when kicking to maximise your stability and power.

7: – Pyramids and Triangles
The shortest distance between a fighter and his opponent is a straight line, wing chun fighters try to stay in control of this inside line (inside gate), as who ever controls this line controls the fight. This line is the primary power line. What two wing chun fighters try to do is attempt to place their triangle, their pyramid in such a way to seize an advantage and gain a superior position – controlling the inside line.

8: – Triangles in Nature
Nature is full of geometric shapes, triangles, circles, squares and rectangles. Combat technique and strategy is based on nature’s geometry, yet few martial art systems pay as much attention to the triangle, nature’s most solid structure, as does wing chun.

The diamond like edge of the triangle lets wing chun students fight with minimal exertion. It is the triangle that opens the lines of power and provides the advantage that small men need to defeat larger, more heavily muscled men. Ironically it is the hard triangle that makes the wing chun system so soft.

Studying the art of Wing Chun under the correct guidance can lead to many benefits ranging from improved fitness to a high degree of mental awareness. A beginner to the system will learn practical self-defence skills through the science of Wing Chun. This will improve self-confidence and improve levels of body and mind co-ordination.

With each lesson of Wing Chun a practitioner will be put to the test to react on an auto-pilot basis; one can liken this to standing on hot sand in the middle of summer where your immediate reaction is to pull back. This autopilot instinct is nurtured through Wing Chun drills. This goes hand in hand with heightened reflexes. Wing Chun also has emphasis on multiple strikes rather than relying on one strike. By incorporating the science of Wing Chun one does not need to rely on size and mass to overcome an opponent; the science of Wing Chun will take care of that.

Immediate effects from training in Wing Chun include Stress relief, whereby stored negative energy can be released through physical motion helping maintain a healthy mind. By having a healthier mind one can think more clearly and make everyday decisions with greater clarity and confidence. This in turn leads to improved self-esteem and self-confidence.

An important part of studying Wing Chun is self-discipline. By training in a disciplined environment you will allow your mind to focus on achieving barriers that were not possible. This can transcend to daily life, where life’s achievements can be met with a greater sense of determination.

By Sifu Alex Istari

Within martial arts there is a strong tradition of etiquette. Many beginners find it difficult to understand why in this modern day society we still adhere to these practices. Etiquette is the foundation of a disciplined way of learning, as this will set the tone for the whole of the lesson. Some of these practises date from the arrival of Buddha in China and were designed to bring discipline to the “lazy” monks. This training became the traditional way to behave during the time that you are practising Kung Fu.

At the beginning of each lesson we pay our respects. This is not to any idol but is a way of showing that you understand the rules of the school and that you also are acknowledging the wisdom and experience of the instructor or Sifu that is taking your class. This helps to give the lessons an air of timelessness, with the problems of the day banished for a short time and gives the student a chance to contemplate the coming lesson.

Before you start training you also pay your respects to your training partner, this is to show you mean your training partner no harm, but also acts as an introduction. This type of disciplined start a class is able to progress in a safe and orderly manner. Etiquette would also mean that a student would not question their Master about why they were doing certain exercises and practises.

This stems from the traditional way in which the monks of the Shaolin Monastery lived. If we look back to where Martial Arts began, the Shaolin Monastery, and the way of life that the Monks lived we will see that they lived in a very disciplined way. They would rise at a certain time and eat, pray, work and retire at the same time. They would all work for the good of the community, sharing their skills for the benefit of all and not sell their skills to the most able to pay. The Buddhist Monks believed that by doing good deeds today they would earn credit in their next life, for it is better to give than receive gifts. This is something that is still found, although not to such an extent in Western society.

One of the traditional ways of Kung Fu was to give a small gift to your Master if they shared a new part of the Kung Fu System with you. The student would also look after their Master and cook for them and carry out domestic jobs, looking after the school or studio that you training in. In this way a student would “pay” for their instruction. The student would also take the role of instructor to the lower level students. In this way the student would be able to study their own Martial Arts skill and refine them through this process.

“To defeat an army, you must capture the leader”

“Failure lies not in falling down, but in not getting up”

“An untutored man is like un-carved jade”

“A bridge never crossed is a life never lived”

By Simon Rangecroft, previously a Senior Instructor, eternal friend of the Academy

Even though the system was named after the woman who devised it, the number of female students attending a class is always much less than the male contingency. Wing Chun, the art, has developed since its first conception. The main two people that could be attributed to that would be Dr Leung Jan and Yip Man: Both male.

The philosophy, despite the fact that men have carried the mantle for the art since the demise of the lady herself, remains the same, of not using strength to defeat your opponent.

People are not keen on the idea of getting hurt whilst training, women are even less keen especially knowing that their training partner will more likely be a man. This though should be seen as positive since you are more likely to be in a confrontation with a man, that is where, if you are not used to dealing with some one bigger, stronger than you, it can be very intimidating. However, control is an important aspect in training and trust in the person facing you. Trust in that person not to let ego get in the way of technique, i.e you have executed a technique and it worked; now your partner will react harder if necessary. It happens, but very rarely.

Maybe if Wing Chun as an art was trying to appeal to women they should highlight the physical effect it has on the body. Through the constant use of your arms, deflecting, blocking, throwing and the fact that your arms are never down means they strengthen and tone (No bat wings!). Then there is the footwork, 60/40 and 50/50 which means nothing to you unless you do it, but in short 60/40 means 60% body weight on the back foot and 40 on the front. Knees are bent and you do a series of footwork that works the entire leg but mainly the inner and outer thighs. Whereas 50/50 you’re sitting in a squat position for all the footwork giving the buttocks, quadriceps and hamstrings (front and back of the thigh) an excellent work out.

The pad work and free fighting works your cardiovascular, burning of fat and strengthening of heart, muscle and lungs.

Strength as mentioned is not a perquisite of Wing Chun so the ability to perform 30 presses and run for miles is not a must but none of those will do any harm if total fitness is the plan. Then there is flexibility. Having watched the movies you would be convinced that you must, or at least do the splits. NO. Most of the kicks are no higher than the waist.

I have been practising Wing Chun since 1994. I love the art that constantly challenges me. Requiring mind and body to move as one (my eternal pursuit).

However there was a time that I was no longer feeling her (Wing Chun), just before my 5th rank grading. It included breaking wood using both 1 inch and 3 inch punches. Whilst training for the grade, my technique was bad that my attempts to break the wood resulted in my knuckles being swollen and cut and the wood staying intact. This reflected how I was feeling in that nothing was going right considering I had been training for a while by then I wanted to be better. When the grading was over I reflected on whether I wished to continue training. Whilst I was training I fond that it was still but I took it for granted. To keep a level you have to train at least twice a week. To attain higher heights you need to rain no less than three times a week.

Women at the best of times will not beat a man on strength alone. If she uses the science of the art, trusts the art that takes the power away from the big and is used by little, comes to terms with bodyweight, angles, balance and intuition through the senses, then WING CHUN is the Dom Perignon.

By Judith Jacobs