Sibok Lloyd Fridenburg

Editorial

Over millennia, nationalities have developed strong systems of warring skills, and all have their basis in hand-to-hand combat, both unarmed and with a variety of weapons. The best weapon was the one that you could wield effectively and would keep you alive throughout a prolonged battle. Young men were trained in combat for the sole purpose of defending their king, their lord, or their land. Training was serious business because you didn’t get to make many mistakes. The best students were tasked with rigorous, brutal, daily training intended, to increase the odds of their own survival, and the survival of their comrades, on the battlefield; and the quick demise of their enemies. They were the elite athletes of their day.

The true test (their black belt grading) came when they faced the enemy for the first time. If you were still alive at the end of the battle, you passed. Battles were long, intense, and physically demanding. There was nothing romantic about this kind of warfare; it was a brutal engagement that was often won or lost through attrition. Most were not granted a quick death and died slowly on the battlefield as a result of serious injuries. Weak warriors would only meet the enemy once, while strong warriors could evolve to become legends.

So, what does this have to do with WKFA? When you train in Kung Fu you are learning a warring art with deep historical roots. We are training you to become modern day warriors. It’s unlikely that you will find yourself looking an enemy in the eye in a life or death battle, although we do teach you practical self-defense should the situation arise. Your enemies are more likely to be the stress of final exams, the challenge of surviving in a hostile workplace, dealing with discrimination, or sometimes bullies.

Gradings simulate some of the stress of battle conditions, except that we, your instructors, provide the stress in a controlled environment. Our gradings are not easy; never have been. They are more rigorous for adults than for children and that is why advanced junior students moving to the adult program must participate in a Novice II adult grading in order to earn their full colour adult sash. Gradings become increasingly more intense as you rise in rank.

You are not promoted simply because you can demonstrate a sequence of moves or a few techniques in front of a panel; nor are you promoted on the basis that you have a lot of natural ability. Sigung Bob Schneider used to refer to gradings as “recall under stress”. Gradings at WKFA are a true test of desire, commitment, and the ability to overcome your fear. Many, including me, found an inner desire and ability to overcome adversity that they never knew they possessed. The WKFA grading experience provides a foundation that will serve you well in the years to come.

Movie “Talons of the Eagle”. The original ferocious fists.

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Sigung’s Corner

At the start of this decade, my seven-year-old son, Marshall, started drum lessons. I take him to the lessons each week and convinced his instructor to let to me sit in with them. Having dabbled with lion dance drumming, I’ve always had an interest in learning. Now I think I’m practicing more than Marshall!

Over the two weeks surrounding the Lunar New Year, our lion dance team had thirteen gigs. For many of our performances, we were joined by professional drummer, Adam Bowman. I love when he accompanies our team; his drumming injects a tremendous energy into both our lion dancing and Kung Fu performances. With the timing of Marshall’s lessons, connecting with Adam was a good opportunity to chat about what we were learning.

About ten years ago, having recently taken up Kung Fu with Sifu Robin, Adam wrote an article for Canadian Musician Magazine, discussing the foundations of Kung Fu as they relate to drumming. This article is my perspective on the foundations of drumming as they relate to Kung Fu.

I regularly describe our style of Kung Fu and self-defence as being percussive. Through my research and discussion with Adam, it became clear that drumming really is a martial art. At its inception, snare drumming rudiments were used to communicate military commands to soldiers. I see both arts as the study of coordination.

Marshall’s drum instructor has 50+ years of experience and is keen about teaching good technique. So far, we have been focussing on these rudiments—a new term for us. Per Wikipedia:

“In percussion music, a rudiment is one of a number of relatively small patterns which form the foundation for more extended and complex drum patterns. The term “rudiment” in this context means not only “basic”, but also fundamental.”

In drumming, examples of rudiments are single strokes, double strokes, paradiddles, drags and flams. These make me reflect on the rudimentary techniques of our Kung Fu style, for example: single alternate punching, forward-reverse punching, block counters, jabs and sidekicks.

While initially frustrating, the speed bag is a training tool that eventually rewards you with a feeling of rhythm. When teaching, I compare proficiency on the speed bag to a drum roll. Both can be intuitively understood, however attaining any degree of skill can only be achieved by putting in time practicing. This is true of the rudiments of Kung Fu and drumming. While fun and challenging to learn, to make them as natural as breathing, the only path is repetition.

Foundational concepts are shared in both arts: posture, breathing, relaxation, timing, efficiency of motion and intent. I strive at these in Kung Fu; with 10,000+ hours of practice, I can feel them in my body. I know with drumming, I can think about these concepts at a cerebral level, but time and practice will be the only way to eventually start to get a feeling for them. From paradiddles to block/punch/kick combinations, the lesson is the same: cultivate your chosen skill through mindful repetition!

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by Sifu Sammy Romeo

To become a disciplined and dedicated martial artist, developing a proper training plan is an essential tool. Trying to find a balance between Kung Fu, work, school, or other everyday tasks can be difficult to achieve. Taking some time to develop a consistent training plan may seem somewhat daunting, but only benefits you in the long run.

The method that works best from my own experience is to prioritize certain days of the week to train, and stick to those days. Make the days you decide to train mandatory, regardless if other plans try to influence your decision whether to train. This forces you to be strict with yourself in terms of defining your priorities. You will have to determine what takes priority over Kung Fu, and when Kung Fu has a higher priority than another task.

For some people, prioritizing certain days of the week is not the best approach for consistent training. Other tasks of more importance can suddenly change your schedule, making your weekly routine unpredictable. Another method that can combat this issue is to create a deadline for yourself. Give yourself a total number of classes that you want to attend by the end of the month, and it is your responsibility to make sure the number is met. It is important to ensure this number is attainable, and realistic for you.

Let’s say your goal is to attend twelve classes every month. Twelve may not seem like a large number, however, you would need to attend a minimum of three classes every week to meet this goal. The monthly approach allows you to have more flexibility in the days you decide to train. If you happen to miss a class during the week, compensating for it is easier when keeping track on a monthly basis. If you only attended two classes during the week, then you need to attend four classes the following week to make up for the missed class.

Procrastination is an obstacle you might face while developing your training plan. There will be some days where you won’t feel like coming to class, and you will want to make up for it another day. Every once in a while, it is nice to enjoy a day off, but this mindset is a bad habit that can turn into a vicious cycle. Eventually, you will realize you went from training multiple times a week to only a few times a month. Training inconsistently makes it even more difficult to get back into a routinely training plan. If you have time to train, then train. There should be no excuses about why you shouldn’t train when given an opportunity.

Creating a consistent training plan and managing your time responsibly is not easy, and requires discipline and a strong attitude. Once you get it right, it will reward you in terms of higher productivity and lower stress levels, making Kung Fu more enjoyable.

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by Sifu Mark Jolley

How much do you know about the Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy? In this article, I thought we could visit some trivia to get new students better acquainted with the school and as a review for longer term students. Some of the answers (in Food For Thought) might seem easy, others hopefully will make you think.

1. What form was developed for a movie, and then was put into the school curriculum?
   1. In the movie above, what 3 WKFA members were in the movie?
2. What form used to be in the adult program, but was moved only to the Junior/Youth program. (Hint it was moved to make room for the form in question 1.)
3. When bowing, what do the hands formation symbolize? (When you signed up, Sigung gave you a handout with this information in it.)
4. What are the five animals we study at WKFA? What does each one represent?
5. How far apart width wise should your feet be in a forward stance?
6. If Sifu means teacher, what does Sigung and Sibok translate to?
7. How many breathes are in the breathing form?
8. How many steps are there in the Single Step Form?
9. What part of the foot do you strike with for a sidekick? Is the foot pointed or flexed?
10. What is the height of the punches in four count punching?
11. In a side kick, how many parts are in the kick?
12. In self defense, what is a continuum of response?
13. What is the name of the statue by the heavy bags?
14. What does the statue represent?
15. What are the heads at the back of the Kwoon called? What are they for?
16. What does Kung-Fu mean?
17. What does Shaolin mean?
18. Bonus question: What is the favourite weapon of: Sigung? Sibok Lloyd? Sibok Eric?

If you are stuck on any questions, don’t be afraid to ask any instructor, leadership team member, or other students. Good luck!

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by Sifu (Dr.) Rikin Patel MD

We don’t often think of concussions much in our routine kung fu training. However, since no activity is risk free I will review some concussion basics to help increase awareness, targeting the under 20 population where my personal experience lies as a pediatrician.

A concussion results from a force to the head (neck or face), that changes the physiology of the brain. This causes rapid onset of short-lived impairment of brain function. A concussion is NOT a structural brain injury (ie. Bleeding) which is why an MRI or CT scan is not helpful at all in detecting them.

A concussion can have any or all four categories of symptoms, which include:

1. Physical: headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, visual disturbances, light or sound sensitivity
2. Behaviour Changes: irritability, mood swings, sadness and anxiety
3. Cognitive Impairment: slowed reaction time, difficulty concentrating or recalling, confusion and feeling “foggy” or “dazed”
4. Sleep Disturbance: drowsiness, difficulty falling asleep, sleeping more or less than usual

Remember that someone does not have to be knocked out or passed out to have a concussion and in fact the majority don’t.

In our training when could this type of injury happen? Most obvious is sparring. However, instructors and leadership team members should also consider the following scenarios: accidental force to neck, jaw or face in self defense, break falling of any type and rolling (ie. shoulder rolls). For the latter this is why good technique is so important and completely safe when done properly.

What can you do immediately if you suspect a concussion?

1. Have them stop their activity immediately.
2. Do not leave them alone.
3. Make sure they see a doctor as soon as possible that day.

Now the challenging part. Concussions are treated with REST, which means both physical and cognitive rest. Physical rest means no participation in sports, phys ed classes, exercise or recreational activities. Cognitive rest involves limiting activities that require mental exertion, including reading, texting, watching television, computer work, electronic games (‘screen time’) and school. This process is not easy and can be quite boring for adolescents.

To come back to kung fu a student must have resumed school and been cleared by a doctor. Please refer to the resources above to see the graduated “return to learn and play” protocols that follow a step wise approach. Remember that any student wanting to return to school is entitled to ask for accommodations from their school (ie. frequent breaks, decreased workload and shortened days). Fortunately, in most older children and teens symptoms resolve in 7-10 days.

At WKFA we have good reasons not to have to worry about this type of injury. This is a result of the deliberate prevention strategies taken and respectful culture built by our founder Sigung Bob that have been nurtured for the last 30 plus years. Let us all continue to challenge each other in a safe and respectful environment.

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The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; the optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.

Winston Churchill

Answers to Sifu Mark’s Quiz

1. Ferocious Fist; 1a. Sigung Bob, Sibok Lloyd, Sibok Eric
2. Four Winds
3. A Tiger and a Dragon Appear
4. TheTiger teaches us strength.
   The Leopard teaches us power.
   The Snake teaches us suppleness and rhythmic endurance.
   The Crane teaches us grace and fluidic harmony.
   The Dragon teaches us to ride the wind
5. Shoulder Width
6. Teacher of Teachers, and Senior Uncle
7. 20
8. 17
9. Heel and it is flexed
10. Your Solar Plex level
11. 4
12. The severity of the self defense response/technique based upon level of attack
13. General Kwan.
14. He is the patron saint of martial arts and justice.
15. They are used in traditional Chinese Lion dances
16. Skill achieved through hard work and practice
17. Young or little forest
18. Broadsword; Staff or Broadsword; Staff

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