Sigung’s Corner

by Sigung David Moylan
Fu For You – Winter 2025-26

After a couple narrow misses on some slippery roads, we just finished a round of shoveling on the heels of substantial snowfall today. I am writing on American Thanksgiving (while loosely watching the end of the third thrilling NFL game of the day). I am feeling grateful, as I also do on our Thanksgiving weekend (it just falls between article writing deadlines). 

I am thankful for the wonderful students and families I get to surround myself with everyday; being at the Academy and teaching every class is truly a joy. I warmly welcome all the new members to our Academy and wish you the best as you journey through your training with us. If you need any guidance relating to the Academy, please reach out to Patti-Lynn, one of our many inspirational instructors or myself. 

November included an Adult and two Youth/Junior gradings. Although relatively smaller in size, I must say that they were some of our best! The candidates came well prepared and put on spirited performances. Congratulations!

I continue to be grateful for the senior instructors in my life. I recently had lunch with Sibok Lloyd and we reflected on how many decades he’s been putting together this newsletter. Sibok Eric continues his 30+ years of teaching each week and we have some great chats. Sifu Robin conducted a Spear Seminar and a Mok Jong Seminar this month that were well received. Even though Shifu Yuan is in Australia, through technology, I still receive his guidance and instruction. Jimmy Fields, with his 50+ years in the martial arts, still shows up every week to teach me. After our chance meeting in Nova Scotia this summer, Master Gee Wong stopped by this Fall to work with us. 

On Remembrance Day at the Waterloo Cenotaph, I had a nice conversation with my Kung Fu teacher’s family. They attend every year, as Sigung Bob’s father, Ken Schneider, served in WWII, helping in the campaign to liberate Holland. My family and I attend every year too – my grandfather was a medic in WWII and I am eternally grateful for the sacrifices made by those before us to secure the freedom we enjoy today. 

I think about my teacher often and am grateful for the lessons he passed down to us. At this point, we have each been Head Instructor of WKFA for nineteen years. While I miss him dearly, I feel fortunate to have been given this truly unique opportunity. 

As we look ahead to the new year, moving from the Year of the Snake to the Horse, I feel proud of what we have accomplished together. I want to continue to improve the quality of what we do and bring the life changing benefits of Kung Fu to more people. Please consider the people in your lives that might also benefit from Kung Fu and tell them about our programs. Refer them to try a class and we will do our best to welcome them to our community and ensure they have a positive experience! Thank you.

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by Chantal Moylan
Fu For You – Winter 2025-26

“Congratulations! You have qualified to grade for promotion at the next grading!” When you see those words at the top of your grading letter it’s really exciting! This letter means you are invited to test for your next belt! But wait, before you get ahead of yourself, it’s important to note that this grading letter is more than just an invitation to the grading. It is a set of expectations, dates and times, and requirements that you need to read through carefully and follow all the instructions. Everything written in the letter is meant to help you succeed, feel prepared, and make sure you are able to grade and receive your results at the end of the testing. Here is a breakdown of what to look for and how to understand your grading letter:

The first thing to look for is the date and time of your grading, which will be located at the top of the page. These change each grading depending on your rank and the month, so don’t assume it’s the same every time. As soon as you read the letter, make sure you and your parents! write this information down somewhere, like a calendar, so you can arrive on time on the grading day.

Next, this letter contains all of the instructions you will need to be prepared for your grading. This includes the dress code, required equipment, arrival times, and how to prepare your grading envelope. Failure to complete these things could result in you not receiving your results at the end of the grading, so make sure you thoroughly read through this section and have everything prepared before the day of your testing!

If you (or your parents!) are confused about any part of the grading letter, please ask your instructor any questions to clarify anything you are confused about. There should be no excuses for not following these directions leading up to and on the day of your grading!

Lastly, but most important, the bottom of your letter has a section that you need to check off and return before your grading. This small piece contains three checkboxes. These checkboxes contain requirements that you need to complete, and your parents need to check off. If these aren’t completed, you may have to wait until the next grading, so it is important you read through them and make sure you complete them! All three must be checked off and returned to let your Sifus know that you are prepared and responsible enough to test for your next rank. Without it, you will not be able to grade so make sure it is handed in!

Think of your grading letter as an important step in earning your next rank; it is just as important as earning a form stripe! By reading it fully, understanding each section, and returning the bottom slip, on time, you will set yourself up for success in earning your next rank!

Download Your Winter Raffle Youth Activity Sheet >
Submit your completed activity sheet by January 16th!

The post Read and Understand Your Grading Letter appeared first on Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy.

by Sifu Charlie Romeo
Fu For You – Winter 2025-26

Gradings at our Academy can be challenging and daunting, but they can also be the most exciting and rewarding part of your Kung Fu journey. Instructors strongly emphasize the importance of properly preparing for gradings to set students up for success, and we take pride in seeing our students advance. The next steps, however, are sometimes overlooked. 

Students spend countless hours preparing for their grading but may not consider the continued commitment required after grading day. As a student, you might ask yourself: What does the first class after grading look like? How do you work toward meeting your new strength requirements? How do you improve what you struggled with on grading day? These considerations are frequently forgotten by students, but the answers are crucial to continued learning and growth as a martial artist.

The first class after a grading is always a proud moment. You have a new stripe on your sash that is a visual representation that your hard work is finally paying off. There will also be a sense of humility as your Sifus focus on the aspects of your grading that need improvement. Stay open to constructive feedback in these moments. This first class back is not about learning all your new curriculum; it’s about reflecting on your current knowledge. Take the necessary time to practice what your instructors deem fit. The time to learn new forms and sequences will come, so be patient as you settle into your rank.

An expectation on grading day is to perform your full set of strength requirements as per your requirement sheets. Doing this shows your commitment to continuously improving your strength throughout your Kung Fu journey. Each time you grade, your strength requirements will increase, but your instructors should emphasize that you are not expected to perform your new strength requirements immediately upon achieving your next rank. Strength building takes time to develop in a healthy and sustainable way. To meet your requirements, gradually work your way up from your previous numbers to your new numbers within a realistic timeframe (this can take weeks or months of committed training). While we allow some lenience, students should be meeting their strength requirements as they progress at their rank. This means you shouldn’t wait until your next grading to start building your strength; there will be more important things to focus on when that time comes. Instead, start building your strength right away so you have one less thing to worry about later.

Don’t be surprised if your first few classes with a new rank feel reminiscent of your very first Kung Fu classes. You may need to relearn aspects of certain forms or techniques that have been neglected; consider each piece of feedback carefully and work hard to address it before learning your new requirements. Gradings are not only an end to one cycle in Kung Fu, but also the beginning of a new one that requires time, energy, and a commitment to continued personal growth.

Download Your Winter Raffle Junior Activity Sheet >
Submit your completed activity sheet by January 16th!

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by Sifu Sarah
Fu For You – Winter 2025-26

The pattern is incredibly obvious: train more, grade faster. This is true, up until it isn’t. While having low class attendance means you shouldn’t grade right now, there also comes a point where adding an extra class or two a week isn’t going to help you to grade sooner.

How many classes per week is the perfect number? That depends on you and your current goals. To maintain your training and see improvements in your Kung Fu, we recommend a minimum of three classes a week. There are inevitably times when you cannot do that; some of mine were exams and recovery from surgery, or injury, and that’s okay. Hitting an ebb is a normal part of a lifelong journey, and you are forced to train less than you want. Be aware that Kung Fu is not like riding a bicycle and you will have rebuild strength, endurance, and flexibility if you are away from training too often, or for too long.

Set good expectations for yourself. If you’re at an ebb, you should not aim for an upcoming grading. Don’t rush! There is always another grading around the corner.

Maximum possible attendance can be worse when you’re burning yourself out to show up. Personally, I found six classes a week led to me being sloppy or injured from lack of recovery days. I learned through trial and error, but you can be smarter. Listen to your body when it tells you to rest.

Even if you attended all mixed and rank specific adult classes offered per week, you would still need to make time to train on your own to develop skills on a personal level before you’re ready for your next rank. Kung Fu literally means “hard work over time”; hard work alone is not enough. Your early rank basics need time to develop and become automatic so you can consciously focus on the more advanced unfamiliar movements that you are now learning. A novice student thinks about how to move their feet in a forward stance. A yellow sash might think about the order of techniques in a simple moving drill, but their feet should carry them forwards correctly without much mental effort. A green sash should be able to follow a complex drill with a variety of strikes and stances without having to think through how to do each one individually and there’s no way to fast track the time it takes to ingrain that in your body.

The only time high class attendance is mandatory is during the six months prior to an advanced grading. Advanced gradings are marathons, so the extra cardio and endurance is necessary to succeed. Your past curriculum is vast and improvement is required, with basics nearing perfection. This is best achieved with frequent help from a friendly team of instructors actively working with you. I recommend testing out a higher class average the year before you want to grade, so any unexpected low attendance weeks won’t yet count against your grading window average. Finding a weekly class average that works for your current training goals will help you develop balance between your Kung Fu training and lifestyle.

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by Sifu Veronica Sas
Fu For You – Winter 2025-26

For the last few newsletters, I’ve shared my reflections on what students at the Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy learn in addition to the physical aspects of Kung Fu. This will be the third and final installment of that series.

Resilience & Perseverance

Perseverance is the ability to keep going, despite difficulties. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and challenges. While training at the Waterloo Kung Fu Academy hopefully your child will grow in both these areas. For example, sometimes a student will struggle with a certain technique or skill. Through perseverance, practice, and with some instruction, they will get better at it. The only way to get better at something is to practice!

Kung Fu gradings are meant to be a challenge. Your child’s perseverance will hopefully grow as they advance in rank. More advanced ranks are expected to know more forms and more difficult techniques, which they will then perform in each grading. Your child’s resilience might also grow during the lead up to a grading. Perhaps your child was hoping to get on the current grading list, but the instructor thought they were not quite ready. It’s difficult when you’re hoping for something, but the answer is no. The easiest thing for your child to do is to “sulk” and perhaps not even want to do Kung Fu anymore. It shows resilience if your child keeps practicing and learns from the experience. Hopefully with the extra practice they will be ready for the next grading and easily pass it.

Patience

Patience is one of those skills that seem hard to improve and can apply to everything. In Kung Fu, new forms and sequences are taught a few moves at a time. Teaching moves a few at a time helps the student remember them in the long term. This can be frustrating when your child must practice those couple of moves repeatedly and not learn anything else until the next class. The time it takes between gradings can also help teach patience. There are a specific minimum class attendance and months required at each rank that must fulfilled before a student can be put on the grading list. Even if your child knows and can perform all their current requirements, if they have not met the time requirement, they will have to wait.

Also, as your child goes up in rank, the techniques they learn will become harder. There is a good chance it will take them longer to be able to properly do them and so the time between gradings will increase. Another way that patience might be tested and improved upon is if your child must miss a scheduled grading due to illness or conflict.  The only thing to be done is to wait for the next grading opportunity. Waiting is never easy, but it will teach them patience and hopefully their Kung Fu will be even better for the waiting!

Winter Raffle Youth Activity Sheet >
Winter Raffle Junior Activity Sheet >
Submit your completed activity sheet by January 16th!

Read the entire Series:

1. What Are We Teaching Your Child? Part 1: Discipline | Respect
2. What Are We Teaching Your Child? Part 2: Responsibility | Self-Confidence
3. What Are We Teaching Your Child? Part 3: Resilience & Perseverance | Patience

The post What Are We Teaching Your Child? Part 3 appeared first on Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy.

“We are all here for some special reason. Stop being a prisoner of your past; become the architect of your future.”

~ Robin Sharma

“Peace on earth; good will towards men!”

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