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Editorial

by Sibok Lloyd Fridenburg
Fu For You Summer 2023

Kung Fu is different from other forms of physical exercise because you are getting fit as a result of learning increasingly complex techniques, forms, and self defense.  To become a martial artist, you need to immerse yourself in all aspects of training and never think of it as a fitness program.  You are learning a tremendously valuable lifelong skill.

Before you test for your Green Sash we ask you to produce an essay about the significance of attaining your Green Sash.  I have read hundreds of these essays over the years and a common theme runs through, or is at least mentioned, in most of the essays; the need to increase your training commitment.

Up until you reach the rank of Green most students can learn, progress, and maintain a decent fitness level by attending a couple of classes per week on a regular basis.  Even though most students acknowledge this fact in their essay, many don’t put the words into practice.  The result is frustration, because it becomes more and more difficult with each rank to learn new material while constantly having to maintain everything you have learned previously.

This transition can be even more challenging for Junior students (who only attend two classes per week as Juniors) when they move into the Adult program, because it is not only the mindset of students that needs to change, but the mindset of their parents.  Here, I’ll make one statement, you can’t dabble in Kung Fu at an advanced level!  You need to commit just as much time, effort, and practice as someone that has reached an elite level in dance, music, basketball, or hockey.  Often that means making tough choices.

At WKFA we have a requirement that those wanting to test in an Advanced grading must maintain an average of three classes per week for a period of six months prior to the grading cutoff date, and students are constantly reminded of this requirement for months ahead of their grading.  This is not an onerous requirement because everyone over the rank of Orange should be in the habit of attending three classes per week as part of their normal training routine.  In fact, that average should be increased to four or five times per week for the last couple of months before the grading.  And that doesn’t include practice time (several hours per week) outside of class.

The WKFA curriculum is broad and deep, and our expectations are high.  It requires many years of dedicated training to attain the rank of 1^st Degree Black Sash. In fact, those that have attained the rank of Blue Sash in the Adult program at WKFA would likely have attained their 1^st Degree Black in many other martial arts programs.

Congratulations Sifu Antonia and Sifu Jeremy!

Regardless of the number of years you have been training at WKFA, you are not automatically entitled to a promotion.  You have to do the work, put in the time, and make a commitment to yourself and to your instructors.   So, the sooner you get into the three-class-per-week mindset the more enjoyable and fulfilling your Kung Fu journey will become.

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by Sifu Charlie Romeo

Kung Fu is a way of life that emphasizes not just physical discipline, but also the development of a strong martial attitude—an important aspect of our training. This attitude is something that we as martial artists must embody to continue our journey in effectively learning Kung Fu. Let’s explore some of the important components of the martial attitude.

Humility

Humility is a crucial element of the martial attitude in Kung Fu. It is the understanding that we are not perfect, and that there is always room for improvement. In Kung Fu, students are taught to understand that we are all on a journey of self-improvement, as we try to be the best version of ourselves, rather than trying to be better than others. Humility is also about controlling our ego and not being arrogant about our own abilities. This part can be difficult to understand because in Kung Fu we are taught confidence in ourselves and in our abilities; however, overconfidence to the point of arrogance goes against the values of Kung Fu. If you find yourself thinking things like “I bet I could beat that person in a sparring match”, you may want to re-evaluate your martial attitude. Remember, Kung Fu emphasizes community and working together, rather than trying to be better than everyone else.

Respect

Respect is another fundamental component of the martial attitude in Kung Fu. Respect is shown to one’s teachers, as well as to fellow students. At WKFA, there are many traditions upheld that emphasize respect such as bowing and saying hello to your instructors, bowing into and out of the Kwoon, and responding to your instructors with a confident “yes Sifu!” It is also important to treat your classmates with respect, which can be done by bowing and by showing appropriate control when participating in partner drills. Traditions of respect have been a part of Kung Fu from the very beginning, and it’s crucial that we hold onto them.

Patience

Patience is a critical aspect of the martial attitude in Kung Fu. Kung Fu is not a martial art that can be learned overnight; it takes time, dedication, and hard work to master. One could potentially learn all the requirements to earn their red sash within a two-week timespan, but would the expected quality, intent, and deep understanding be present? Definitely not. Every step in your Kung Fu journey takes time and patience. It’s okay to make mistakes, and it’s okay to progress slowly. Patience is about taking the time to learn and grow, knowing that it will lead to success in the long run. These three components are essential to the marital attitude in Kung Fu, and we are taught to embody them both in and outside of class.

By developing the qualities discussed above, we as martial artists become not only more skilled in our art, but also become well-rounded individuals who can navigate life’s challenges with the teachings we learn in Kung Fu.

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by Sifu D’arcy Langois

In our Spring newsletter, we explored Focus Point #1: “Is this the very best that I can do?” With an Adult gradings freshly behind us, now is the perfect time to think about the next Focus Point in line. While all our Focus Points require significant introspection regarding our training, the second Focus Point calls us to observe what our fellow classmates are up to. So with that, let’s take a look at Focus Point #2: The Concept of Healthy Competition—with yourself.

Despite what the title says, this point is not intended to pit your level of skill against that of your fellow classmates. The idea is not to look around and say “Gee, Tiger’s sidekicks are so much better than mine!”, that’s not constructive. We all have our strengths and weaknesses when it comes to technique in Kung Fu (as in life generally speaking), so comparing yourself to others in this manner isn’t helpful. Instead, consider the following question, “Is anybody trying harder than me?”

This is the point where I will reiterate that it is not about how smooth your forms are, or how high your kicks are, not even how fast you perform in class. We are a diverse academy, with folks from many different walks of life, different ages, and levels of fitness prior to beginning their Kung Fu journeys. Those factors all come into play when performing the techniques, and forms that we learn, and so, how skillful you are at doing something should be ignored when considering this Focus Point: just think about how hard you are trying.

With that idea, you can look down the floor at anyone, of any rank, at any time and consider your level of effort during a class compared to theirs. You can look around during a period of intense technique combinations and see if you are taking breaks, when someone else isn’t. When you break to work on your current forms, do you see your fellow classmates drilling their new moves while you stand around and wait to be seen by an instructor? Putting in the maximum amount of effort during your training is a quick way to make gains along your Kung Fu journey.

Early Training Session

To do this properly, you’ll need to really analyze how much effort you are putting in throughout a class, and decide if that is the best you can muster. At the same time, it trains you to be aware of your surroundings and the actions of others around you (a useful tool for self defence applications).

Next time you are in the Kwoon training, I encourage you to take a look down the floor and pick a few of your classmates. Choose someone of a higher rank, a lower rank, and the same rank, and over the course of the class do your best to match, or even exceed the effort level they are putting out. You’ll find you get more out of the class, and the Spirit of Healthy Competition will help elevate your training.

Explore all of our Kung-Fu Focus Points.

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by Sije Veronica Sas

Summer is almost upon us.  For kids, that means relaxing and perhaps a vacation.  However, that doesn’t mean that they need to take a break from their Kung Fu training!  Both kids and adults need daily exercise, but if your kids are like mine, once school is done all they want to do is play video games.  Kung Fu is a great way for them to get exercise plus summer is great time to train. One advantage of your child training during the summer is that the class sizes are typically smaller since many families either take a break from training or go on vacation.  Smaller class sizes allow for more personal instruction as it is easier for the instructor to dedicate more time to each individual student.  If your child is interested in grading in the fall or is just motivated to improve their Kung Fu, this is a great chance for them.

For the last few years, we have occasionally gone to the back field or the back parking lot when the weather turned nice.  This allows extra room when practicing with a long weapon, or just to have a lot of space to practice. It’s also a treat when you’re training in the field, and you spot our resident groundhog.  To take full advantage of outdoor training, your child needs proper footwear.  Often an instructor will let the class know if an outdoor class is planned, but not always.  I’ve found it helpful for my daughter to keep a pair of running shoes and socks in her equipment bag, then she is always ready. It’s a great use for old school shoes that will be too small in September.

If your family is planning on taking a longer vacation this summer, there is no reason why your child can not practice while they are away.  One thing the lockdown taught us is that Kung Fu can be done anywhere. All you need is a little bit of clear space and your child’s desire to practice. Backyards are a great place for your child to practice their Kung Fu, either at home or away. Even weapons can be improvised while away!  Any stick-like object can be a staff (broom handle works great) or two unsharpened pencils can be daggers.  Last year, my family went on vacation for two weeks. Since my daughter was interested in grading in the fall, we improvised so she could still practice her staff form.  I ended up buying a $4 dowel from Canadian Tire, since there was nothing around that would have worked.  Some weapons are not as easy to improvise, but your child can still work on the movements of the form, focusing on the stances.

With the new Sunday morning Family Class, there’s even more opportunities for your child to attend class this summer.  Perhaps you might even think about joining them in their training and make it a family event!

If you plan to be away most of the summer, or just take a break from training, we hope you have a great summer, and we look forward to seeing you in the fall.  But planning to grade in the fall, after an extended absence, is likely not a realistic goal. Be sure to discuss your plans with Sigung so there are no unfortunate surprises.

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