Nina & Michael training with strike shiled

 

April has been the most successful month since we moved into this new studio 2 years ago. Amazing positive events have occurred that has made the SAS proud they are celebrating 25 years of existence.

• Master Andrew Sofos receives the freedom of the City Of London
• 100% pass rate of 1^st & 2^nd 3^rd 4^th & 5^th Rank Grading
• 84 various Young person’s grading 98% pass rate
• Easter SAS Aspire was a great success
• Adult beginners grading 100% pass rate
• Classes bigger than ever

SAS Aspire for Whitsun Holiday

Special thank you to Instructor Peter S, who had inspired young children to attend for the two weeks from 9-5pm, and they wanted more, parents, children and tutors were all very pleased with the activities- very positive outcomes, some who attended were able to have private gradings and progress on to their next level, we seek to run them for Whitsun week from Tuesday 31^st May – Fri June 3^rd Book Now! 

Congratulations to senior students

Garo B, Larua H, Jani P, Mohammud S, Kamil W for passing their 4th Rank

Nina C, Abdul R.H, for passing their 5^th Rank

We had over 30 visitors attending the examinations, some were old members and instructors that travelled far to support their old friends and comrades of SAS.

Congratulation to all young people

SAS Graded 84 different young people level ranging from white –Brown Marco Z, was the first young person to gain the Brown level, we also had other purple, blue senior level grading that was off a high level

New Members – Welcome to our new SAS fellowships, we are pleased to see so many new children, juniors and adults join the academy and prosper, we wish you all a happy and fulfilling time here at SAS, please ensure that 2 photos are provided with your membership and monthly fees. Uniforms / T-Shirt and kung fu slippers should be purchased by your 3^rd lesson please.

Membership & Fees – Please ensure that your fees are paid at the beginning of each calendar month, paid by cash or cheque (sas positive activities ltd) payments after the 10^th of the month will incur a £5 admin fee, Annual Membership Insurance for All children and Juniors was due on the 1^st April There are some who have not renewed and we will ask young people to go home due to lack of Insurance.

Etiquette and the Martial Arts

Please ensure we have some set rules of conduct when attending the Kwan (studio)

• Wear proper uniform and footwear
• Try not to be late, if late or absent give us a call.
• No loose talking or laughing in class during training
• Leave valuables at reception – keep changing areas and toilets tidy
• Pay fees on time
• Check our website and notice board of new events.

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