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 Charlie Romeo
Fu For You Spring 2026

As you advance in your Kung Fu journey, the time will come to adopt a leadership role within the academy. A great way to do this is through our decades-long tradition of students helping students, called the Leadership Team (LT). This team is composed of knowledgeable, motivated students who commit their personal time to assist with weekly classes. Becoming an LT member is a crucial step towards earning your Black Sash. It’s a requirement for our Adult Brown Sashes, but is open to students starting at Junior Blue Sash. Joining the team comes with great benefits as well as responsibilities.

The Leadership Team provides a great opportunity to gain teaching experience through regularly assisting with classes. This role involves quietly correcting or assisting students individually, leading small groups through specific activities, and eventually, leading a full class through a well-planned warm-up. We don’t expect anyone to lead a full warm-up right off the bat; remember: gaining experience is a process, not an ON / OFF switch, and the skill of teaching must be learned over time. By regularly helping with classes, receiving feedback from Black Sashes, and attending the monthly Leadership Team meeting, you’ll gradually build the confidence and skills needed for Black Sash.

As an LT member, it’s important to know your roles and responsibilities when assisting with a class:

• Follow the instructions of the Black Sash teaching the class. They may give you direct instructions, or you might need to stay alert and watch for details while the instructor is teaching.
• Show up every week, 15 minutes early. If you know you’ll be absent, find coverage immediately. Treat this commitment like a job.
• Be helpful and non-interruptive. Don’t draw the entire class’s attention to you when assisting an individual student.
• Show your experience. Use your knowledge to best help the students. If you’re asked a question and you don’t know the answer, find out and get back to them.

You also have responsibilities beyond your designated class:

• Manage the weight room. Keep volume levels low before class, and ensure nobody is using equipment who is not supposed to.
• Make sure belts and sashes are tied correctly. You should know how to teach sash tying and know how to tie a belt on somebody else.
• Keep the foyer clear. Remind students to neatly put their shoes and coats where they belong (never on the floor!)
• In the winter, shovel the entryway. The walkway in front of our main entrance must be clear, and if it needs to be shoveled, use the shovel in the foyer to clear it.

Black Sashes and Leadership Team members each have designated responsibilities. It’s important that we all do our part to keep the Academy in good and safe order for students and families. Most importantly, we must lead by example. Always be attentive and never be careless. Younger students look up to LT members, so be the role model that they need to succeed.

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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 Charlie Romeo
Fu For You Fall 2025

In my previous article, It’s Summertime, Relax! But Not Really, I discussed the importance of continuing your training throughout the summer. While recommended, this is not always possible or practical. Many families take the summer to travel, explore, or otherwise get away, which can result in spending a few weeks or months away from Kung Fu. While we encourage students to practice on their own during time away, it’s not quite enough to keep improving your knowledge and skill. Rather, it’s better for maintaining and refining the progress you’ve made so far. For the students who are returning this fall from weeks or months of being away, this article will focus on how to re-integrate Kung Fu into your schedule.

The key to a successful return is to start a consistent routine right away. This means attending classes regularly and frequently, as much as realistically possible. The worst thing you can do is to ease your way back into attending classes; an on-and-off routine is actually harder to fix than being away completely. You don’t need to attend 5+ classes per week, but returning to your “2-class per week” schedule will quickly help you re-establish a consistent training routine. Be mindful that your body will need some time to readjust to the challenging and intense environment of Kung Fu training. To balance this, stick to a regular schedule, but listen to your body and pace yourself appropriately until you’ve re-adjusted.

It’s important to set realistic goals when returning from a break. Returning with unrealistic goals can result in feeling unmotivated and discouraged, so be sure to discuss with an instructor what goals make the most sense to start with. The most common example of an unrealistic goal that we see in returning students is the expectation of testing for their next rank in the upcoming fall grading. While instructors acknowledge and admire this ambition, it’s not a feasible target. A single month is not long enough to re-develop your strength, cardio, and technical skills that get lost during an absence. Particularly for intermediate/advanced students, take the following as a good rule of thumb: for any extended time away, expect at least double that time before you’re ready to test. So, if you are away for 1 month, you should attend classes consistently for at least 2 months before even thinking about grading. Keep in mind, this is a minimum! There is no such thing as staying at a particular rank for too long—every student has their own journey.

Staying consistent over the summer is the best way to keep improving without losing momentum. At the same time, many families take the summer as an opportunity to travel and visit friends and family—which is great! Your instructors will be understanding of these opportunities, and what matters most is returning with a realistic, positive, and determined mindset about your next steps forward.

Download Your Fall Raffle Junior Activity Sheet >
Submit your completed activity sheet by September 30th!

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