We consider our in-house tournament an important part of our curriculum.

Regardless of belt level, we steadfastly train our Kung-Fu so that we can be our personal best. The tournament allows us as a Kung-Fu family to celebrate the effort we put in together by individually presenting our forms to the school and to the family and friends who join us.

While we do mark each student and award medals accordingly for those that place the highest, the real reward is knowing that you can perform your Kung-Fu individually and be recognized for the hard work you have put in.

Our sparring, horse and crane stance, and agile staff competitions offer another way that we can encourage each other to do well under pressure—a valuable lesson at any age!

We look forward to sharing this experience with you!

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by Sifu D’Arcy
Fu For You Spring 2026

I first heard this quote in an iconic scene in an incredible TV show, and it’s one that has stuck with me since I watched that scene. On the surface, it is a call to not assume anything about someone without having all of the facts. While there are certainly aspects within Kung Fu that this facet applies to (e.g. sparring), I am not going to touch on that part today, maybe save it for a rainy day once spring finally arrives. No, I believe this quote can also be applied to oneself: don’t assume your abilities without first getting all of the facts – Be Curious, not self-Judgemental.

Physically, this is a pretty obvious one. How many of you have heard a technique called and immediately thought to yourself “No way!”? From the first call of a Turning Double Side Kick, or a Jump Spin Outside Crescent Kick, or my personal example, the Jump Turn 270 Degree Side Kick. Many students, myself included, fall into the habit of assuming that they can’t do something long before they even try; before they have all of the facts. Before uttering one of those dreaded words, take a minute and be curious – absorb the lesson that is surely to come. The Instructors at the Academy will have ways to help teach the various techniques we do, often in a variety of ways to support different learning styles. Be curious and absorb the information, ask the questions, listen to the answers, and most importantly TRY.

Being curious in your training is a great way to keep yourself engaged, and interested in the pursuit of the Art. The greatest students (in life, and not just in the Academy by the way) are not those who believe they have all of the answers. Those students who have the answers tend to get stuck in ruts, or cages of their own making, with progress being a long and drawn out process. The best students are those who have figured out how to ask the right questions and are not afraid to ask those questions. They seek out the answers and listen to those answers – never assuming they already know what they are going to hear. Keeping curious in your journey is a great way to stay engaged, even in those times where you feel like you are slogging along through the curriculum.

At the end of the day, this is just another piece of mental training to employ along your Kung Fu journey. It is not something that Instructors can teach, and truly not something we can even enforce – but it is important. Just remember, before you catch yourself saying that you “can’t do something”, or “you know all about something”, try to be curious instead. Learn how to find the questions you need to ask, and more importantly learn how to listen to the answers. Be curious, not judgmental.

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by Sifu D’Arcy
Fu For You Fall 2025

When students think about our curriculum, the most common things that come to mind are those “hard-skills” that we teach in every class. Picture the large variety of techniques that we teach at every rank, the forms that you are required to learn, and the strategies around sparring. These are things that we focus on heavily in our classes, and so they usually end up as front of mind when it comes to grading requirements. There are, however, some additional requirements that I feel should be brought into the light and aired out for everyone to think about: essays and the infamous home-made form.

So, why do we have our students write and submit an essay as part of some rank progressions? I think there are two answers to this, the first being: it forces you to think about your own Kung Fu journey. As you write about why you chose Kung Fu, this hopefully bleeds into why you are still pursuing the Kung Fu path. At a very early stage of the journey, you get to reflect on what brought you to Waterloo Kung Fu in the first place, which often helps determine where you want to take your training. Secondly, personal essays give the instructors better insight into who you are as a person. It should be no secret that every instructor on your grading panel reads through the submitted essays on the day of the grading. This helps us understand our students, to help guide and shape the journey each of you is on. In short, it makes us better instructors.

At some point in your progression, you are also required to create and perform a form. This process should be driven exclusively by you, with no input from an instructor (or even your peers). Crafting your own form is an incredible way to express who you are as a martial artist. You’ll lean into your own preferred style, and showcase what you love to do. Again, this is a great way for the instructors to see who you are as a student. Finally, this process shows your understanding of the techniques and philosophies you have been learning throughout the process. Figuring out how to combine a myriad of techniques that flow smoothly and make a cohesive pattern is an important skill for martial artists. When you truly understand the things you have been taught from the curriculum, putting together a form on your own becomes a true joy.

In reality, the “other stuff” that shows up throughout the curriculum is designed to broaden the understanding that exists between you and Kung Fu. These requirements also deepen the connection between you and your instructors, which in the end strengthens our ability to teach you the skills we strive to impart through our classes.

“Learning is all about connections, and through our connections with unique people, we are able to gain a true understanding of the world around us.” ~ Peter Senge

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by Sifu D’Arcy
Fu For You Summer 2025

Before we dive into the meat of this article, I have a question I’d like you to consider. Taking a look at your weekly physical training regime, how much of it is made up by your Kung Fu training? The calculation to do so would be something like: I exercise 10 hours per week (average), and 8 of those hours is Kung Fu, therefore Kung Fu makes up 80% of my training. Using that formula, you can find out exactly what percentage of your physical activity is devoted directly to martial arts. Without doing a formal survey of the student body, it’s probably safe to say that many students devote a large percentage of their physical exercise time to the practice of Kung Fu, and that’s great! There are, however, some very real benefits to devoting some portion of your time to the practice of cross-training.

First off, what exactly is cross-training? Simply put, it is the action or practice of engaging in two or more sports or types of exercise, with the goal of improving fitness or performance in your main sport, in this case Kung Fu. By adding in a variety of training methods alongside your normal training regime, you can realize gains in the form of cardio, strength and/or flexibility without the fear of overworking your body by overtraining in one format. As you climb through the ranks at the academy, the need to be in better overall shape to successfully complete gradings climbs at an exponential rate. If you only focus on the training we do at the academy, you’ll find that: 1) the training you do won’t be enough, especially when preparing for a grading, and 2) your body might wear down by doing the same activities over, and over again. Enter the concept of cross-training.

By adding additional forms of exercise, you can zero in on specific areas of your fitness that you are looking to improve. You can add a resistance training day to improve strength, making your push-ups stronger, your stances better, and your technique more powerful. Adding Yoga to your routine can improve your breath control, your flexibility and your balance. Running, biking, or swimming will enhance your cardio capacity allowing your body to power through those longer grading days, extending the time out before you hit that wall. Looking to get your kicks higher, or your splits lower? Add in some mobility/flexibility training and see the results isolated training can bring. The best part of this type of training is that you can do it anywhere, making use of the equipment you have around you.

Cross-training is a great way to improve your overall fitness and really allows you to target elements that may be missing from your Kung Fu training. Interested in learning a bit more about it? I’d be happy to chat, but the Internet is an incredible resource and has a ton of solutions.

The post Alternate Training Strategies Enhance Kung Fu appeared first on Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy.

We consider our in-house tournament an important part of our curriculum.

Regardless of belt level, we steadfastly train our Kung-Fu so that we can be our personal best. The tournament allows us as a Kung-Fu family to celebrate the effort we put in together by individually presenting our forms to the school and to the family and friends who join us.

While we do mark each student and award medals accordingly for those that place the highest, the real reward is knowing that you can perform your Kung-Fu individually and be recognized for the hard work you have put in.

Our sparring, horse and crane stance, and agile staff competitions offer another way that we can encourage each other to do well under pressure—a valuable lesson at any age!

We look forward to sharing this experience with you!

The post 26th WKFA Spring Invitational Tournament – Sun. Apr 27, 2025 appeared first on Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy.

by Sifu D’Arcy
Fu For You Spring 2025

Before you continue reading this article, I’d like you to take a moment and think about something for a minute. Using some of those wonderful mental, self-reflective skills I hope you have been developing, I want you to compare yourself to the other students in the school. Think about how your skills and knowledge lineup in comparison: same rank, higher rank, lower rank. Be honest with yourself; how do you feel you stack up? If you’re like me, you might place yourself somewhere around average, or even below average, and I will say I don’t find that to be a bad thing! It shows an understanding that you can always improve, and even provides incentives to do so. So now you might ask why I had you undertake this exercise, one with the intention of pitting your perceived talent and skills versus that of others, something that I normally wouldn’t do. Well, here’s the point: in a room full of martial artists, you may see yourself as average, but what happens when you are in a different room? Are you still average?

According to a Canadian General Social Survey only 1.2% of the Canadian population participates in some form of martial arts. So outside of a room full of martial artists (in our academy, or at a tournament) you are well and truly above average with regards to Martial Arts skills and knowledge. There is a community structure at WKFA which often leads to strong friendships throughout the student body, which extends beyond the walls of the Kwoon. This leads to a bias in your thinking that a larger portion of the population actually practice some form of martial art. The reality? Your training makes you exceptional, from your very first class throughout your training. It’s important to remember that by nature of your training at all, you are in a special part of the population, the top 1.2% of Canadians who train in martial arts. Good for you!

Finally, I have one more thing for you to consider: If you ever feel that you are the best; most skilled; smartest person in the room, you might be in the wrong room. This mentality can only lead to stagnation in the sense that you may feel you have no need to continue growing. Part of growth is always pushing yourself to the next level, which means putting yourself out there. What does this mean at the academy? Attend the higher level classes; experience learning from different instructors; spar the advanced students.

There are two things to take away from this article, and while on the surface they may seem at odds with each other, try to hold onto them. Firstly, you are already exceptional in comparison to the average individual. By training in martial arts you are part of a unique percentage of the population. Secondly, always make sure you never see yourself as the “best person” in the room. It’s a delicate line to walk, but it’s one that will keep you on a healthy path in Kung Fu.

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by Sifu Erich MacLean
Fu For You Winter 2024-25

We often talk about the sacrifices that have to be made when testing for a high rank at the Academy. Testing at an elite level requires a bare minimum of three classes each week, plus extra training hours outside of the Kwoon to build and maintain fitness. Training also starts almost a full year before the actual grading date. To accommodate this, we often have to make various sacrifices. We sacrifice sleep, social lives, extra-curriculars, and even school or work to accommodate this heavy training requirement. Many of the instructors and students make sacrifices like this just to attend classes on a regular schedule too – a sign of pure dedication to the martial arts.

Sometimes, though, we have to sacrifice Kung Fu in order to accommodate everything else in our schedules. This does not mean that we are any less dedicated or loyal to Kung Fu, but it is imperative to achieve a healthy balance in our lives. Everyone’s situation is different when finding this balance, including my own. Trying to balance a regular regime of Kung Fu classes, teaching, coaching, and performing, on top of university classes, teaching assistant responsibilities, and research for a Masters thesis is extremely challenging. Adding in cycling with the university club, a social life, relationships, family, sleep, and personal time makes finding a balance feel impossible.

In the chaos, it is easy to forget balance. Training regularly is important for maintaining strength, speed, flexibility, endurance, and overall physical health. Regular training is important, but its rigors, coupled with external responsibilities, can significantly impact mental health. I, like many others, have faced stress, anxiety, and fatigue from not having a healthy balance. These are all things that affect focus, mindfulness, and well-being, not just in Kung Fu but in all activities. As a result, I have had to cut back on daily training but can prioritize my mental health and ensure I spread my time wisely to other areas of my life.

Through these challenges, I have learned a valuable lesson: Dedication to Kung Fu is not measured by the number of classes you attend, because sometimes life gets in the way. It is important to recognize when to take a break. It is also important to recognize that taking a break is acceptable – especially to focus on mental well-being. Prioritizing mental health does not diminish the dedication and commitment to training but rather emphasizes it. Just as we would take time to rest and heal a physical injury, we must also prioritize our mental health. By taking time to rest, breathe, and meditate, we can adapt to the limitations of our minds and maintain a healthy balance between our physical and mental well-being.

Ultimately, finding a balance between training, work, and personal life is a continuous journey. It requires self-awareness, flexibility, and a willingness to prioritize our overall well-being. By recognizing the importance of mental health and making conscious efforts to maintain it, we can continue to practice Kung Fu with passion, purpose, and longevity.

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by Sifu D’arcy Langois
Fu For You Fall 2024

At some point in everyone’s Kung Fu journey, there comes a time where you get to experience a…let’s call it an “opportunity to adjust your training.” This is a time when your body decides, “Hey, that’s a bit too much, let’s just chill for a second, okay?” I am, of course, talking about injuries.

It’s a fact of training that the more classes you attend, especially if you are prepping yourself for a grading, the more likely you are to suffer some form of injury. It could be acute, like a sprained joint or a strained muscle. It could also be wear and tear driven in the form of muscle fatigue. In either case, as you start to recognize that something is off, you must act on the “opportunity to adjust”, or you may risk making it far worse in the long term. To that effect, here are three things to consider as you approach this oft-encountered problem.

First and foremost, recognize that the easiest “opportunity to adjust” is to slow, or completely stop, your training for a period of time. This allows your body to put its recovery first, and a brief period of time (or longer in the event of much more serious injuries) can go a long way to making a true comeback in your training. While extremely difficult to do for a dedicated martial artist, sometimes it’s important to realize that a break from training may be the best way forward.

The next, “opportunity to adjust” is to protect the injury from additional harm, while continuing your training. It is possible to adjust your approach to everything we do in Kung Fu to protect yourself from worsening an injury, but it can be difficult if you don’t remain mindful of your actions. What does this look like? Well, some examples to consider: Shoulder injury? Lay off the push-ups for a little bit and find some other way to work your upper body strength requirements. You could take a break from shoulder intensive technique and restrict your range of motion during forms practice to give it a rest while you keep training. Lower body injury? Avoid putting undue stress on the injured leg by doubling up kicks on one side but be careful that you don’t overwork the healthy limb, as it may then also become injured! These are just a couple examples, but I hope they show that you can keep training with an injury, so long as you are consciously protecting it.

The final “opportunity to adjust” may be to consider a permanent adjustment to the techniques and forms that we train. This is a recommendation for a chronic injury that will either persist for a long time or may never completely heal. What does this look like? Find adjustments that work to not aggravate the injury (e.g. lighter weapons, shorter jumps/not jumping) to keep it from worsening, or further hampering your training. Make sure you always discuss this type of adjustment with Sigung before implementing the change.

Everyone will suffer injuries while they train, I hope this helps you see that an injury does not necessarily have to be the end! Note: Always be sure that instructors are aware of your injuries and limitations.

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