
Sifu Jeremy Norris
Junior Student’s Corner
There is one aspect of our journey that every student at the academy shares. We are all striving to be martial artists. The term martial artist is simply defined as “one who trains to learn how to defend, in which moves originated as forms of self-defense or attack”. To fully grasp this topic, look deeper than the definition. To me the true meaning of being a martial artist lays within the roots of everything we do at the Waterloo Kung Fu Academy.
First, there is the strictly physical aspect of our training. Within Kung Fu we push ourselves to our physical limit. We encourage our body to condition and be at its peak. The purpose behind doing intensive training and physical workouts, is to be ready when we may need to use our skills. It is hard to look past this physical aspect. Many times, when talking to others about Kung Fu the first thing that comes to mind is punching and kicking. I believe that it is our duty as martial artists to understand that Kung Fu is more. We must grasp both the physical and mental aspects of our art.
This mental aspect weighs heavily on the true meaning of a martial artist. Many times, throughout the Kung Fu journey you are pushed to a time where you want to quit. This may be during a grading or during a class, but it is that mindset of being a marital artist that keeps us going. Developing the mindset of a martial artist is no simple task, it takes a longer and more focus to develop this than any physical skill. Everyone takes a different path through their Kung Fu journey. Many times, students run into roadblocks when faced with confusing or complicated tasks and techniques. This is known as frustration. Maybe you don’t understand a drill during your grading, or you are doing your best, but your best isn’t good enough. This moment in time is the hardest for any student, yet every student goes through this at least once in their Kung Fu journey. To me this aspect of dedication and determination is what defines the term ‘Marital Artist’.
To only focus on the physical side of Kung Fu would be like living in a house with no furniture. You have all the structure and tools, but nothing to do. As a student within the Waterloo Kung Fu Academy, it is crucial to understand what it means to be a martial artist. This is what defines us, and what will continue to define us through our journey.