WU Tan belgium

Your spirit remains, I promise!

2010-05-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Dear sifu Mike,

It has been almost a year since your death, lots have happened. A school has been made to honor you where your good friend and Kung Fu brother Zhang Xin Bin Laoshi is teaching new students. Kim is the coach and is doing a good job. That seed has been put and the school will continue to blossom.

The old students have done their best to help, as much as possible and as much as they can.

In life, you have touched our hearts and soul with your care and knowledge. In death you opened our senses to become leaders of our own path and destiny. We all have taken time and space to reflect your present and absence.

I just want to tell you not to worry about us, we are training again. By ourself, with other kung fu brothers and sisters. And we learned how important this friendship is, as we continue to share our memories of you during training and food afterwards. These few weeks we started to share our Kung Fu knowledge which you have taught us individually. I started back my basics in Tan Tui and Long Fist. But also the Miao Dao basics as you have told me to do after you gave me my belt. I am also learning Mantis basics, and hope you don't mind but I get good guidance from a Kung Fu sister you loved. (She is improving too, the fire you wished to see in her has manifested during training, I have seen it)

I have learned a lot about myself since your passing, and wish I knew it before so I wouldn't make all these mistakes. But life is pretty much unpredictable, such as your death. And with these mistakes, we learn. I believe we all have learned from it and become better as individuals.

Two Kung Fu brothers (and a sister) are soon to be father and mother of a baby child. And another is going to get married. They all miss you and still talked with much love about you.

Don't worry about the students, we will continue to train and look after eachother. Together we will grow in our training.

I have started a new blog, I hope you like it.

http://theyearzerokungfu.blogspot.com

Your student and friend,

Ken

Info, Belgian Memorial for Mike Martello Laoshi

2009-06-24T16:13:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody,

As everybody knows the coming Saturday (June 27th) morning at 8am, there will be a ceremony for Mike Laoshi where we also will spread his Ashes. The idea is to all come together at 8am at the park. there Rosa will lead the ceremony.

Under you find a link to googlemaps where the road to the park is given. For further questions please feel free to contact me

Greetings,

Dieter De Potter

Hey iedereen,

Zoals iedereen wel weet zal er nu zaterdag (27 juni) een ceremonie zijn voor Mike Laoshi waarbij we ook zijn assen zullen uitstrooien. Het is de bedoeling dat iedereen zich verzameld om 8 uur aan het park. Daar zal Rosa de ceremonie leiden.

Onder vind je een link naar googlemaps waar een de route is aan gegeven. Mocht je meer vragen hebben mag je me steeds contacteren.

mvg,

Dieter De Potter

http://maps.google.be/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&q=zeevaartschool+antwerpen&fb=1&split=1&gl=be&cid=0,0,1972543345509182786&ei=YDBBSuTDOMfP-QbEm_DOCA&ll=51.240654,4.397986&spn=0.009162,0.024033&t=h&z=16

Playful Qin Na by Mike Laoshi (Beijing camp 2007)

2009-06-23T16:10:00.000-07:00

Taipei Memorial

2009-06-22T15:45:00.000-07:00

Mike Laoshi would really feel touched by this:

Michael’s Memorial, AMAR, Taipei

On June 19, 2009 at 11:30am, there was a moment of silence in memory of Michael Martello at AMAR Taipei’s annual member meeting. The Chinese video clip titled “In Memory of Michael Martello” produced by Huai Hsiang Wang, son of Wang Laoshi, was played to all participants. Free DVD copies are being made available to all AMAR members in memory of Mike.

Michael was about to come to Taipei in August to visit Wang Laoshi again in person, together with a gorup of his students from Belgium. Rosa Mei will come in Mike’s place with Mike’s students.

Wang Laoshi went through a critical tumor removal surgery last November and is about to finish up his chemo-therapy by June 22, 2009. Wang Laoshi has been recovering phenomenally!

“He’s amazing, to come through all of that so swiftly, at his age. What amazing determination, focus, and energy!!”, said Dr. Thomas Argiro, one of Wang Laoshi’s foreign students.

Wang Laoshi still maintain his practice with his group of students each morning. It would be comforting for Mike to see again Wang Laoshi’s practice and continuous health/skill improvement at his 80s still!

(All text and photos from Mikemartello.com), see: http://mikemartello.com/?p=553

Howard Wang's tribute to Mike Laoshi

2009-06-22T15:44:00.000-07:00

1ste Memorial for teacher Mike

2009-06-15T00:28:00.000-07:00

As I walked into Mike Laoshi's place, I was greeted by many fellow students and friends. Some I train with almost everyday, others I see during Tai Chi classes and still others were students from a while ago. What I saw was a gathering of good friends as well as students from all around the world. Rene from Beijing, Jochen from Germany, Kim from Norway and Andy from UK/Amsterdam, just to name a few. I am always amazed of how many friends and students from all over the world Mike Laoshi had. Before his passing, Kim already decided to stay in Belgium to follow Mike Laoshi. I am glad he is going to stay anyway to help the school grow. He is a real bro.

Special guest were Zhang Laoshi and Yu Laoshi. Both are famous and respected masters in China. Teacher Zhang's Tongbei is described by Mike Laoshi as: "His Tongbei is like my Mantis and my Mantis is like his Tongbei". Teacher Yu, some of us would say: Uncle Yu! is a Shuai Jiao champion and his "Mongolian wrestling skills" are top and fiersome. Teacher Mike thinks highly of Shuai Jiao, because apart from the effectiveness from the applications, it makes many of the Kung Fu moves complete by adding additional meaning to it. Mike Laoshi respected these masters like brothers, Hence why, both teachers are very good friends from teacher Mike. They expressed that they feel have lost a little brother, that is why it was important for them to come over and see him. It is beyond conventional respect.

The neighbor and other friends helped out with the food and drinks. On the table in the living room were several albums with photographs from teacher Mike. After talking with the others I sat down and had a look in them. Amongst the albums, you find a younger Mike Laoshi in his teenage years doing Taekwondo. I first hand experienced his lightning fast yet powerful kicking and I am happy to have felt that. It is one thing to read Adam Hsu's writing on Kung Fu kicks and another when shown by teacher Mike. It has changed the way I think about kicks. Another album shows photos of teacher Mike as a young disciple of his earlier teacher. Other photos shows many stands and postures. It is incredible how beautiful his postures were. Very few people can do it if you add agility, strength and mobility to it. Then there were many photos of teacher Mike with Grandmaster Wang. They both enjoyed almost like little kids when doing the push hands drills together. You can really tell that teacher Mike really loved his teacher. It is not just respect. As much as many of us have found a father in Mike Laoshi, he too have gone through that path and found his teacher.

Later on there were songs and performance done for teacher Mike, a piano piece, a self-written song, an opera duet with body performance were shown for Mike Laoshi. I saw people with tears and other smiling when remembering one of the many funny anecdotes from Mike Laoshi. Everyone knows a funny story about teacher Mike. Because he had a great sense of humor and even now, I believe wherever he is, he would make those around him laugh (and train)

We ended as group at a Chinese restaurant, as we know teacher Mike loved Chinese food. In Beijing, he would copy the locals and shout for the waiter. Then he would laugh about the funny side of it and give a big and friendly smile to the waiter, who, surprised being called at by a non-local acting like a local, would laugh too.

The food was great, and we toasted to Laoshi. That day and evening, we all came together for a dear friend, a father, a mentor and one of the greatest Martial Artist ever lived on earth. His death can be compared with burning down a famous library with the lost of unlimited knowledge and the craftmenship of ancient books made by monks.

To finish the day, the lads went for a beer and more stories on teacher Mike.

MIKE LAOSHI AND THE CAUSE OF DEATH

2009-06-11T02:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we were asked by some people on the exact cause of death of our teacher. So I want to correct any rumors caused by misinformation:

Our teacher Mike Martello died of Wolff-Parkinson White Syndrome, and that morning he woke up and not long after passed away suddenly.

He wasn't teaching nor training at the moment and the cause of death is sudden heart failure due to a heart condition he was born with. Apart from his heart condition, he was the strongest man I have ever met. We were all sure that he would live over one hundred years old, doing Tai Chi in the park, tossing young strong men around.

He will be missed but also his spirit will remain in our hearts.

CONTINUING SIFU MIKE MARTELLO’S LEGACY

2009-06-11T01:51:00.000-07:00

From Rosa, (Mike laoshi's partner)

As of Sunday, 7 June 2009, Zhang Laoshi, Yu Laoshi and Rene Ming Fai Ho have come from Beijing to pay their respects to Mike. I have decided to keep the school open in honor of Mike and have appointed Zhang Laoshi as master instructor. I will oversee the administrative affairs and make sure the transition runs smooothly. Kim from Norway will be moving to Belgium to help with the classes as well. Kim, I and several senior students will lead classes when Zhang is in Beijing. He will be coming to Belgium on a regular basis from now on. I know Mike would want to continue building traditional Chinese martial arts here in Europe. We resumed classes 10 June 2009 in keeping with Mike’s belief in practice and continuity. I have discussed this transition with the students and they are all very supportive. Before he passed away, Mike had already changed the name of his school to ZHEN WU Martial Arts to honor his teacher Wang Jie Laoshi in Taiwan. We will keep the name of ZHEN WU to respect Mike’s wishes. Future website: http://www.zhenwu.be

Rosa

see also: Howard laoshi, the son of Grandmaster Wang has put up the last chat from him with Mike Laoshi. It shows the caring mind of teacher Mike as a student and a teacher. Also great interaction between two high level and wise friends. http://mikemartello.com/?p=307

Memorial service update! Mike Martello Laoshi

2009-06-10T01:05:00.000-07:00

Sympathy Cards

Send No Flowers Per Family Request

Marie Martello
PO BOX 3757
Wayne, NJ. 07474-3757

New York

open to the public on June 21st 2009 at 3pm:

Holy Trinity Parish
14-51 143rd St.
Whitestone, NY. 11537

Tel: 1.718.746.7730

Directly following the service, everyone will go to the park by Whitestone bridge (his ma says everyone knows this park) to send some of Mike’s ashes into the East River.

From 5pm on, close friends and family are invited to a Chinese banquet in Mike’s honor at:

Tung Yi Fung Restaurant

13529 37th Ave, Flushing, NY 11354

1.718.886.8233

To reserve a place at the banquet, please contact:

Linda Martello at lindamot@ymail.com (Mike’s family and Whitestone friends)

Cindy Eng at cindyeng@earthlink.net or call 1.718.858.9459 (Mike’s kung fu friends and others)

Belgium

Cremation on June 9, 2009 (without service)

Wake on June 12, 2009 from 14:00-19:00

Mike’s House

Maaldersstraat 27/5 2060

Antwerpen, Belgium

Dinner To Follow At 20:00 at ”The Best” in The Van Wesenbeekstraat (Chinatown)

Please RSVP Dieter if you are attending the memorial, dinner or both at his email address ofdieter.de.potter@gmail.com .

European Memorial Service

Saturday, 27 June 2009 – 8am

It will be by the lake where we trained about 15 minutes from his house. I have asked 3 opera singers to sing for Mike. Kris will play the guitar, Tom the digeridoo. Many of his students and training brothers from Belgium and throughout Europe (Germany, UK, Netherlands, France, Norway, etc) will present a farewell demo for Mike which we will do at the grassy area by the lake (we used to call it “Belgian Stonehenge” ). We will begin first by everyone taking a group walk around the lake for Mike, then we will head to Belgian Stonehenge for the memorial and farewell demo. We will endby sending off of some of his ashes into the Schelde river. - Rosa

Taipei

Information to follow

Beijing

Information to follow

More Information

If you have any information about the memorial services to share, please email Keith at k e i t h r n @ g m a i l . c o m

Please check back here for updated information

Thanks Keith, for the update!!

Memorial service Mike Martello Laoshi in Belgium

2009-06-09T02:16:00.000-07:00

The cremation will be on tuesday the 9th of June 2009. There will be no service.

There will be possibility to greet until Tuesday the 9th until 12:15.

Friday the 12th of June there will be a memorial. Everybody is welcome there from 14:00 until 19:00. It will take place at our house. Maaldersstraat 27/5 2060 Antwerpen.

After the Service We will have a memorial dinner at restaurant "The Best" in The Van Wesenbeekstraat (Chinatown). From 20:00.

Please Let me know if you will come to the memorial service and/ or Dinner. You can e-mail me at d i e t e r . d e . p o t t e r @ g m a i l . c o m.

It is IMPORTANT to let me know in advance.

Saturday the 27th of June there will be the spreading of the ashes with service. This will take place at the park on the way to Lilo. Map with further explanation will follow.

It will start at 8a.m. Everybody is also welcome here.

If you have further questions please feel free to contact me at d i e t e r . d e . p o t t e r @ g m a i l . c o m

Greetings

Dieter De Potter

Hey iedereen,

De crematie zal gebeuren op dinsdag 9 juni 2009. Er zal hier geen dienst worden gehouden.

Er is nog mogelijkheid tot groeten tot dinsdag 9 juni tot 12:15.

Op Vrijdag 12juni zal er een herdenkingsdienst zijn. Iedreen is daar welkom vanaf 14:00 tot 19:00. Het zal plaatsvinden in ons huis. Maaldersstraat 27/5 2060 Antwerpen.

Na de dienst zal er een herdenkingsmaaltijd zijn in Restaurant "The Best" in de Van wesenbeekstraat. (Chinatown). en Dit vanaf 20:00.

Gelieve mij opvoorhand te laten weten of je aanwezig zal zijn bij de herdenkingsdienst en /of Eten.

Het is heel belangrijk om mij dit tijdig te laten weten.

Zaterdag 27juni zullen we zijn assen uitstrooien samen met een herdenkingsdienst. Dit zal gebeuren in het park op de weg naar Lilo. Een kaartje met verder uitleg zal later volgen. Het zal starten om 8uur 's morgens. Iedereen is ook hier uitgenodigd.

Mochten er nog vragen zijn mag je me steeds contacteren via mail op d i e t e r . d e . p o t t e r @ g m a i l . c o m

Groetjes

Dieter

Memorial service Mike Martello Laoshi

2009-06-09T00:46:00.000-07:00

Information on memorial services in Belgium, Taiwan, and Beijing will follow.

The New York memorial service will be open to the public on June 21st 2009 at 3pm at:

Holy Trinity Parish
14-51 143rd St.
Whitestone, NY. 11537

also see: http://mikemartello.com/

In Memoriam Sifu Mike Martello

2009-06-02T12:05:00.000-07:00

Our dear and beloved teacher and fierce friend Mike Martello has passed away today. He will be sorely missed by all his friends and students in Belgium and the rest of the world. His absence will leave a void that will not easily be filled.

Please feel free to add any thoughts, remembrances or anecdotes.

Onze dierbare en geliefde leraar en vriend Mike Martello is vandaag overleden. Zijn leerlingen en vrienden in Belgie en de rest van de wereld zullen hem zeer hard missen. Zijn afwezigheid zal een leegte achterlaten die nog heel moeilijk gevuld zal kunnen worden.

Alle herinneringen, gedachten of anekdotes zijn welkom.

Update:

The brothers and sisters from Wu Tan Belgium are helping to prepare Mike Martello Laoshi's funeral. The last few days have been very very difficult for Laoshi's family, friends and students. Most of us need the silence and time to be with Mike Laoshi. Many of us grieved differently as Laoshi has touched each of our heart in a personal way.

What is nice to see are fellow Kung Fu brothers and sisters from over the world to stand as one family and remember teacher Mike as a wonderful, funny, honest, generous, talented and wise person who have lived his life to the fullest by doing what he loved most.

A tribute blog has been made by Jake, Keith Weiner and Kin:

http://mikemartello.com/

From our German friends:

http://bailung.blogspot.com/

The Ground Never Misses:

http://threeharmonies.blogspot.com/

From Formosa Neijia:

http://formosaneijia.com/2009/mike-martello-goodbye-to-a-friend/

Dojo Rat:

http://dojorat.blogspot.com/2009/06/mike-martello-has-passed-away.html

Many of you know that Mike Laoshi had lots of video footage on the internet about his art, as he was very generous in passing it to others. This has been talked about in many blogs and it is happening fast. However, please respect his teachings by remembering what he taught was most important for any students:

soft power

correct body allignment

relaxed but aware

don't rush

above all:

basics, basics, basics

Only by respecting his teachings we can continue Mike Laoshi's spirit and what he really stood for: True Chinese Martial Arts in a True Soul.

just got back

2009-05-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

Back from Beijing, I couldn't put more articles up due to shortage of time but I will make it up by posting more in the following week.

Everybody is Kung Fu fighting!

2009-05-13T18:35:00.001-07:00

You know what's great? When you take a walk in the neighborhood and suddenly around the corner you see ladies practicing the Tai Chi fan. A little bit further you find toddlers learning Kung Fu. Before you get used to the scene, you noticed the mothers and the grandmothers on the side are doing it too. (click on the image to see a larger file)

Calligraphy and Kung Fu, knowing your goal!

2009-05-11T04:21:00.000-07:00

I had the chance to try calligraphy at the beijing Language University. It was a great experience. As I have done a similar wokshop in Japan, the most interesting part for me was to able to compare the two cultures in terms of education.

When I was in japan, I enjoyed a calligraphy workshop by a very good teacher. He was patient and a true master in calligraphy, thus naturally he expected us to do well. The lesson he gave us was about basics and dedicating time in the basics. Like Kung Fu, basic is everything, so his teaching was top notch.

When I did the workshop in Beijing, I was shocked to learn that I can choose to do whatever I want, be it characters written in an advance style or drawings. I was reluctant, as I use the knowledge of going through basic as seriously as I can.

The Chinese calligraphy teacher's philosophy was: "you can only be great if you like what you are doing, it has to come from the heart". His idea was that basic is very important, but you have to do something from your heart. Choose and stick to it. To be clear that he gave me no illusions: He let me know that the art of calligraphy takes years to develope and be good at. So he is honest and already made the point of how inportant practise and basics are. Basic is indeed always needed. But a student first needs to know his own goal.

In Kung Fu, knowing your goal is also important. I have met many fellow Kung Fu practisioners who would blindly trust their teacher to become good martial artists. I have to admit, with teacher Mike, one will always improve under his guidance. But I am also sure, that teacher Mike wouldn't want this from us. This is what makes Kung Fu so unique; Kung Fu is not a rigid fighting art. At teacher Mike's school, althought we learn the same basics, we are no robots. Each of us already progress differently instead of trying to be a carbon copy of the teacher for many years. Thus, to develope an early awareness of your goal is necessary to train and progress correctly and individually. A student who would like to train Sanda will be able to ask his teacher for advice to achive his goal.

However, it is important to trust your teacher's guidance after you have made your choice. Regardless your choice, there is no short-cut in creating art. Doing half work you might be practising what you like, but you will still not achive what you want. Knowing what you want and be prepared to work hard goes together.

Fellow-students who practise forms for years but are surprised that they don't know the application, means they haven't thought hard enough about why they wanted to do the forms in the first place, and what it takes to achieve that. Sure they must think forms are pretty, so that could be the goal, but the beauty of movement comes naturally after understanding your movement.

Likewise; a student who blindly follows the teacher, will only become a good copy of his teacher. But that is not Kung Fu.

Meanwhile in the calligraphy workshop, I made my choice and the teacher expected nothing less than my hard work and trust in his guidance. After some fun trying and having a reality check (I should not quit my dayjob!), I thanked the teacher for his lesson in calligraphy, but got a better understanding in the Chinese way of balancing between choices and hard work and relating it to my own Kung Fu practise.

Just like the calligraphy workshop, it is important to know what you want, and the choice have to come from the heart. Once you know that, you know your goal. After that there is no excuse: practise, practise, practise... and trust a good teacher.

A trip to Beijing and the search for power in Kung Fu

2009-05-07T22:04:00.000-07:00

After some unlucky events since the start of 2009, I finally got myself a trip to Beijing. The trip includes visiting a soulmate, the writing of an essay, and training with some Kung Fu teachers in the park. Thought I was expecting to train for the coming 2 and half weeks, I realise that training with the teachers will start from monday. I was a little disappointed, but sometimes it is good to take a step back and see what you have, not what you don't have. So at first I was reluctant to include the first week of my stay here in China in the blog. What do I write about? Then it occures to me that Kung Fu is every where. It is incorporated in the daily life of a Chinese. It is in their cooking, the calligraphy, their respect for the young and the elderly, their negotiating in business, the creative mind for a better life. There is so much for me to see and to learn. So for the following few days, I will try to experience their way of life. I am sure it will lead to more understanding to Kung Fu.

Meanwhile, I have one question in my mind for quite some time: "where is the power?" "what are the exercise needed for cummulating chi and develop it into practical strength? On my arrival, I wrote a full page on my thoughts, my doubts and my discovery. However, the draft was raw and emotional, so I will not publish this. Instead I have put the text away and now, after a few days, things have become more clear and thoughts are much more rational. This is a good time for training.

I will explain my question on power later...

(photo: sunrise before Beijing, copyright: the author)

True Kung Fu kicks

2009-04-16T04:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday at the training, another student and I had the chance to train the 10 set of Tan Tui and 2 Long Fist forms as it is part of our beginner' syllabus. We have been training this for a while, so one would expect us to do well. The truth is, it needs dedication and hard work to shape a diamond from a stone. Our stone, is unfortunatly still a stone. But with each practise, some corners are cut and new angles are shaped. And with training under Mike Laoshi's guidance, one starts to recognise the true Kung Fu in front of him.

Yesterday was such another training. I was doing the side-kick in one of the Long Fist forms, and although I know how to kick (as in Karate kickings and to some extend some Tae Kwon Do kicks). Kung Fu kicks are different: for a start they are not rigid as the Karate ones, a karate kick is like tossing your leg and body around, as if it is a big piece of concrete. So it relies on your muscle power and full explosion of kiai. Kung Fu kick is much more like a spring steel, when done well the body seems independant during the kick. Of course the body, legs and arms are one... but on the same time, Mike laoshi's kicks doesn't force him to place his arms in certain way to ballance his position. Something I have seen a lot with other martial artist. Either they kick and their arms are everywhere, uncontrolled. Or they kick and keep their arms close because they can't do anything else with it.

Mike's kick is different. the kicking doesn't seem to upbalance him, as a matter of fact, he kicks and his upperbody remains natural and ready for the next moves.

Kung Fu kicks are also not like Tae Kwon Do kicks. I regard Tae kwon Do kicks as the most powerful and fastest of any martial arts. BUT...

There is a different: Kung Fu kicks are not overly expressed, it doesn't just aim high for the sake of it. Though in Tae Kwon Do, it is good to be able to kick high, but it can also become a bad habit and leave the practisioner open for counter techniques from the types of Martial Arts with take-downs and wrestling experiences. There is nothing wrong with Tae kwon Do, it is the training methodology from some practisioners that has some flaws. This is the same for most of the Kung Fu practisioners who don't understand the deeper meaning of the art.

What really open my eyes yesterday with Mike Laoshi is that when he showed us his kicks, it is not like 2 teenagers jumping around and pretending they might kick each other when chances occures. When teacher Mike kicks, it is like a katana (Japanese sword) in the middle of a cut. There is no jumping around, no balancing act, no correction in mid air... he just kicked with the agileness of a spring steel. And though he only lightly tapped my chest. It hurts. I know if he would kick me for real, he would send me flying through the back of the space and I wouldn't be able to get up. My fellow student who was doing the same exercise also got a light kick to his chest, and he felt the pain through his back.

Finally, Mike also showed us his Mantis Style kicking is full of distractions during the kicks. he would change his direction, without flaws or delays and you have the feeling being tricked but only after you have been hit.

Humble and with a great sense of humor, Mike laoshi gave us some new inside of the art and told us: "I am too old for this".

Mike Laoshi is back, training as usual!

2009-04-05T05:48:00.000-07:00

For the students in Belgium, Mike Laoshi is back from teaching at seminaries in the states. It would be nice to hear from the participants in the states about the seminaries. Of course during Laoshi's absence, it is important for us to practise both at home and in the training hall.

That is what Kung Fu is about, keep training! :) Never give up!

Many of us came to train in the school during Laoshi's absence, and those who didn't come really missed out a good time with the Kung Fu brothers and sisters together. There was a chance to exchange knowledge between us and just practising by ourselves. It was a good chance too for us to repeat all the stuff Mike Laoshi has been teaching us so far and enhanced the sense of training independently. Each training methodology has its ability to add skills and experiences from different angles, be it a private or group training with Mike Laoshi, training by ourselves, training alone, a seminar with Mike Laoshi or the other teachers in China or Taiwan. All has its benefits. The key is training, and make time to train. From my encounters with all the masters, I have noticed they have one thing in common: dedication.

With dedication we will get there.

So classes with Mike Laoshi are starting again.

Mike Laoshi's recommended video to watch:

2009-03-07T09:23:00.000-08:00


 
Baguazhang Pakua Ritan park 74 year old woman.

some inspiration for movement.....

Mike Laoshi

a letter to a friend...

2009-03-01T06:16:00.000-08:00

Below an extract of a reply I wrote to a good friend, a true martial artist and a gentleman. He is very openminded and asked me many questions on Traditional Chinese Martial Arts and on teacher Mike. This part is about the training of other styles and about teacher Mike. Please note that it is my interpretation as a Martial Arts student. Each person has a personal journey when practising Martial Arts or finding a good teacher.

Hi K.,

it is not much trouble at all, teacher Mike loves to meet good people and martial arts students from all over the world who are open and have a good heart. We are all martial arts students, brothers and sisters.

It is true that it is difficult to find a martial arts that suits you and even more difficult to find the right teacher. Teacher Mike would say to his students to go out and explore as he knows his Kung Fu is not fake and top notch. But he also understands that not everyone is ready to learn what he knows. His art takes years to understand and train, but the reward is a very deep and meaningful approach to Martial Arts and the movement and alignment of the body. When learning other martial arts, one understands only the mechanics (if the teacher is good) of that style. But with teacher Mike, the awareness of your body and your movement becomes one. Eventually, it is not about style. But that is of course still too difficult for us, students, to understand.

An example of teacher Mike's integrity as a teacher:

1) he is very generous as a teacher and will pass you as much information as possible. Although he does take into account that some of his stuff is not for you yet.

2) I have been training for 3 years now with him and only recently I have been granted the yellow belt, with the remarks: "actually, you are not completely ready yet for a yellow belt so please work hard!!" And right he is. It makes me aware that the grading system is not there to satisfy a student's desire, but it is a responsibility to work even harder.

By the way, we wear a belt mainly for controlling the breathing exercises. The grading is not the main purpose.

When you write to teacher Mike, just be yourself. I told him you are a good person (and you are). That is what counts for him. (and all good teachers)

Of course you have a responsibility towards your teacher, Teacher Mike speaks of very high regards about his own teacher: Grandmaster Wang. But it took teacher Mike to meet many masters and teachers before he found the right one. Besides, the training with his previous teachers has also helped him to be ready for Grandmaster Wang's teaching. In old times, one teacher would pass his students to other teachers-friends so the students can get great benefit from them. It is like a family with one purpose: helping the students.

Teacher Mike does that too: almost every year, he would organise a trip to China or Taiwan for the students to meet fantastic teachers/masters. He would also invite them to Belgium and teach us. These teachers are very powerful, but also have individual approaches towards training methodology.

Some of our Kung Fu brothers and sisters have gone to China, same as you in Japan and are training under 2 or 3 teachers.

You can always learn something from teacher Mike when you talk with him, he is very intelligent (seems all of the greatest master are very intelligent, which makes sense as Kung Fu goes very deep).

But it is when you train under teacher Mike and have the chance to feel his touch, in pushing hands, in chinna (join locks), with Bagua (predecessor of Aikido) that you feel his power is so soft and stealth like that you don't know you are in a lock until it is too late. But when he applies his chi power, you feel a force truly alive and penetrating.

During one training I was learning blocking techniques with another student. When the fellow-student's arm clashes against mine, it felt like being hit by a peace of dead wood. It hurts, but apart from a bruise on the surface of my arm, it doesn't do anything.

Then I did the same exercise with teacher Mike and after 2 to 4 hits I felt a vibrating force into the arm I was blocking with. The pain didn't go away even when teacher Mike was doing the technique with another student. I could still feel the penetrating power and it's echo. Instead of a dead wood, it felt as I was hit by a piece of steel wrapped with cotton. As the metal vibrates from the end to the tip, the vibration continued into my arm. Take into account that this was only done with 10 percent of teacher Mike's power.

When he uses grapping, joint locks and pushing hands: the sensation is like a huge wave coming on top of you, and there is nothing you can do but let it get control over you. So water, though very soft, is dangerous and powerful towards all other entities with a constant volume. i believe that this is what Aikido also tries to achive.

I hope this will help. I like this kind of conversation as it reminds me how lucky I am to be so close to a great teacher and true Chinese Martial arts.

best

Seminar with Mike Martello Sifu - Osnabrueck, Germany

2009-02-24T01:04:00.000-08:00

At 18/19th of April, Mike Laoshi will come to Osnabrueck for another Weekend of chinese Martial Arts and fun. Everyone is invited, no matter of how many experience so far in CMA.

Topics are:
Saturday: Bagua Zhang, Basics, Concepts and Applications of this great Inner Style. 12 - 6 PM.
Sunday: Tang Lang Quan, Basics, Applications and QinNa from various Mantis Styles. 10 Am - 4 PM.

More Infos at: info@bailung.de

Party for our Kung Fu sister

2009-02-21T07:02:00.000-08:00

leaving, the last training for 2009

with Lola

Mike Laoshi, Dieter and Renaat invited everyone to their place for Magaly's (our Kung Fu sister) leaving party. Each of us brought something small, from their heart. Home made cakes, sushi, chocolate mousse, mosquito blanket, all with love. The biggest present for Magaly is the great news of being the godmother of Lola, the daughter of Luc and Meen. She was asked the other day after the training and she was happy and thrilled at the same time. :)

She left the airport well and arrived safely. Her journey begins, we all miss her but wish her lots of learning and fun.

Magaly to China

2009-02-07T06:40:00.000-08:00

Two more weeks and Magaly, one of teacher Mike's dedicated student, our Kung Fu sister and friend is going to China. Just like Seppe and Kim. One of the question most asked to her is: "What are you going to do in China"? Thought the answer is naturally a personal journey, one which belongs to Magaly, allow me to widen up this text for the Kung Fu blog by asking you the question: "what can you do in China as a Kung Fu student (especially if you have a master like teacher Mike)?"

I ask that question to myself too; China is fun, the people are great and numerous things to see, to learn, to explore, to eat, to feel and to understand. Learning Kung Fu and Mandarin (language) is already a great choice, but other interesting learning I can think of are: calligraphy, cooking, massage, music, history, eastern philosophy,... also getting to learn new friends, see new places and have time for yourself, and the Kung Fu.

Not forgetting to mention the kindness and generosity of the Chinese teachers in Beijing, who have (thanks to teacher Mike's own generosity of friendship) indeed become close friends of the Wu Tan.

I too, have been to far places, one was visiting Japan whilst training at the original dojo of Ueshiba. In the end, it will always be a personal journey, one of inner growth and learning.

From a Kung Fu learning point of view, it is very logical to wonder why one would go that far if one has teacher Mike as his mentor. Both in China and Taiwan (not to mention the other parts of the world), teacher Mike's martial ability is recognized as an equal if not better amongst the very best of Asia. However, Teacher Mike once told me that the learning curve in Kung Fu can be interpreted as in different stages. As teacher Mike has gone through many, it is therefor difficult for the student to grasp his movement and inner chi from the very beginning.

One of the first stage for the student is proper structure and mechanics, which teacher Mike has taken good care of showing it to us every training. It is the essence in Kung Fu. It is necessary for the student to practise the basics for many years before being ready to go to the next level.

I believe that going outside Mike's classes to train with other teachers can be very beneficial for this very reason: it allows you to progress through a stage that you can be ready for teacher Mike's real teaching. Can you imagine sending a beginner to Grandmaster Wang? Or put it simple: One time a friend of mine wanted to learn cooking and asked if my uncle (who is a good chef) can give her private lessons, I told her to get a cook book and play with it until she understands differences of boiling, frying and stir frying. I know she doesn't even know how to boil an egg. So should my uncle, a chef with years of training, spend valuable time teaching her how to boil it? I don't think so.

Teacher Mike is like a master chef, but one who is actually is very generous, as he accepts beginners with open arms and teach them how to simply stand and walk.

Going to China and learning from other masters (who are good friends from teacher Mike and who have powerful skills as well), give us the opportunity to take back some info which teacher Mike can adjust and improve. The growth of the student is also more personal and gives them a unique flavor, depending on the master they follow in China.

Finally, the personal mental growth for Magaly, is one we all can admire and support.

Team Cup - the Clip

2009-01-30T13:14:00.001-08:00

Overview of the Tournament

1st White Dragon Team Cup - 17. Januar

2009-01-19T01:30:00.000-08:00

Puhh, managed.
The last week was a really tough one. Much to organize. But yesterday it was done: all the teams with their teachers were on time and came with quite a good and positive mood to the "Schloßwallhalle". Virtually every team had an illness or loss of one kind or another to fight with, especially the Chow Gar group from Ali Ol hid it hard: they were only 2 participants, which then had to start in each category (except for Sanda) twice.
Fairly in time we started with the lion dance and then I welcomed the spectators, participants and teachers. A brief overview of the program and we were already going on with the competitions. New was the KO_System also in the form - categories. And it was a good choice. The competitions were so exciting to the end. Hardly a team or athlete felt unfairly assessed, as it always was the direct comparison.
In the background, ran the organization by members of the Association Bailung fairly smoothly, there was a small problem with a kiosk on the ground, but nothing serious.
The competitions have been the form of 5 arbitrators and evaluated by the leadership of Mike Martello, they were really very fair and balanced. With the referee were: Nicolai Schild, Christian Kubiak, Thomas Maltz, Ali Ol, Holger Meyer and Kai Osagahara.
After a brief pause, there was rebuilding the Sanda competitions. And here my hopes were not disappointed. The Sanda was really cool. It was not fullcontact but also no expression dance. It was disciplined and fair with the intention and commitment to fight. Although Leif Daßbeck from Hamburg Wanfu really had a hard stand with his weight difference with the other fighters, but he did it with dedication and competitive technology and provided very good fights. A pity that for a placement it was not enough.
Overall, the participants also take a positive experience and I hope that this kind of Sanda wins more friends.

Finally, of course, was the winning team honored: the QiXing Tang Lang group of GEA Happel eV from Herne! However, only very slightly (2 points) before Team1 of the Bulaimei school from Bremen.

Here are the results in detail:
Hand forms:
1. Julia Kunter - GEA Happel Herne
2. Raufi wet - Wu Zhen / Bailung eV
3. Thorsten Or - Shaolin Velbert 1
Short Weapons:
1. Dieter de Potter - Wu Zhen / Wutang Antwerp
2. Sabrina Hainke - Bulaimei Bremen 1
3. Andreas Kichgessler - Chow Gar victories
Long Weapons:
1. Marco Alello - Shaolin Velbert 1
2. Dennis Prieß - Wu Zhen / Bailung eV
3. Patrick Peltzer - Bulaimei Bremen 1
Partners forms:
1. Leif Daßbeck / Julian Thomann - Wanfu Hamburg
2. Mike Kessler / Rene Herfarth - GEA Happel Herne
3. Luisa Korte / Cecilia Korte - Wu Zhen / Bailung eV
Sandals:
1. Tobias Nicklaus - Bulaimei Bremen 2
2. Mats Petersen - Bulaimei Bremen 1
3. Patrick Schmidt - GEA Happel Herne

Team Scoring:
1. GEA Happel Herne - 9 points
2. Bulaimei Bremen 1 - 7 points
3. Shaolin Velbert 1 - 6 points

A hearty congratulation to all winners and to all teachers and helpers, participants a warm thank you!

Oh yes: the "after-show party at our club was also very nice and cozy. We still had plenty of catering and the groups of Christian and Holger Meyer Kubiak came with a time to celebrate and to chit-chat. All very relaxed.
We will provide the tournament in the next (or the end of this) year again. It was, in our view, a resounding success.

A special Thanks goes out to my teacher Mike Martello, who came from Antwerp to Germany for judging and leading the Event. Thank You Mike Sifu!

For Photos watch HERE

Interview with Mike Sifu

2009-01-08T02:18:00.000-08:00

Here´s a great interview on a eZine I held with Mike Sifu some Weeks ago: Interview

Happy Holidays

2008-12-31T07:54:00.000-08:00

All the student got this nice message two weeks ago from teacher Mike, we all wish our teacher a happy holidays too. Before the end of year, I manage to squeeze in some time to put this up.

Thank you Laoshi!

Dear Everyone,

Happy and Healthy Holidays to All.... I want to thank everyone for a great year of training and support for the new club...!

The space really feels like a home to everyone and I am proud of that!!! I really want to make 2009 a year for growth for everyone and myself... I really want the club to grow and promote our mentality for training to others around Belgium and Europe...

Many challenges and changes are to come with great results for all of us... Some changes for 2009: A change of club Name, new website, new clothes, club structure for belts, these are just a few I want to

make...

2009 will also have more seminars here in Antwerp; like; Mantis, San Cai Jian, Miao Dao, Qi Gong, Shuai Jiao and more... I look forward to working with everyone....

I want to especially thank teacher Wang and the Beijing teachers for all the support and help !!!

Reminder: Classes will be on a holiday schedule for the Xmas and New Year holiday weeks as Dieter wrote in and earlier email...

See everyone in class.

Happy Holidays

mike laoshi

Thoughts exchange: The one detail.

2008-12-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

Kung Fu has always been a bit different than any Japanese Martial Arts, the Japanese are experts in applying a skill as many times as possible, until they turn it into art. One of the criteria to master a skill is the complete dedication on one technique by the practitioner. The positive side of this kind of training is that the practitioner will be able to reach good structure in his training (that is, with the guidance of a good teacher). However, there comes a point, where the practitioner is no longer a beginner and embarks his journey as a fully trained martial artist. The question is, what's next? A good example would be the one where I left Karate school after I realized that the sensei doesn't know how to adjust the training for those who have reached the 1st dan. To those who were beginners in karate, he told them to make their stances as low as possible, to train their leg muscles. Of course it is a good training, but after 4 years or so, Some of them have done the training needed for getting a proper karate basic structure. And yet, they were never allowed to stand higher, so the purpose of the low stances changed from muscle training to actual self defense, which is unrealistic. This is a classic example of one of the problems with rigid thinking as a martial arts practitioner.

Kung Fu instead, is all about individualism. When I saw Mike Laoshi and the other teachers, I can see they all perform the same technique, yet all three of them would do it differently, with their own flavour. Depending on the styles they have done, their bodyweight and structure, their philosophy on life, all this changes that one simple technique into three different interpretations. And yet all three are equally powerful. That notion of individualism, is Kung Fu.

Understanding this, makes it also understandable why Kung Fu is much harder to learn. Kung Fu is about self expression. But how to achieve that if the student doesn't even know how to begin? So the Japanese way, erm... actually the Chinese way of learning in a rigid way, has its place in correct martial arts training. It should not be underestimated for the beginner student in any arts. Unless one can walk, one shouldn't learn how to fly.

It is with this thought I came up with the idea to ask each fellow student at the Belgium Wu Tan club, who has trained for more than a year, the following question: "Which detail, should be trained and improved upon after a year of training, according to you?"

The question is to challenge the fellow students to think clearly for themselves and express it in a way, that could be helpful for others. Thus classic answers like "body alignment", "movement",... will not be good enough. Masters like Mike Laoshi truly understand words like alignment, movement, the notion of the body... But for us, students, the mind needs to be in tune with the body and not ahead of it.

For the following weeks, I will ask several fellow students the question as written above and as exited as I am, I will put the results up for you to see. To other students, I hope we can do some exchange and learn from eachother and to teacher Mike, your correction is much needed!

Name student: Ken

Student Wu Tan for: 3 years

Which detail most important to you: Backfoot in Kon Po (attacking stand)

Name student: Magaly

Student Wu Tan for: 3,5 years

Which detail most important to you: Knee alignment (Kon Po as example)

Stretching and Basic Yue Jia San Shou 10 min vid

2008-12-14T07:33:00.000-08:00

A video from teacher Mike himself, on stretching and basic Yue Jia San Shou. Old style wrist locking techniques, rooted in the martial aspect of the arts. Nice to see Rene as well, my Kung Fu brother as Teacher Mike's assistant. Enjoy!

Taichi fan for little girl (太極扇) 2006 Taipei

2008-12-06T15:53:00.000-08:00

A little girl show Taichi fan. The 1st.world Tai Chi Chuan championship in 2006 Taipei City.

Beautifully executed! One of the best Tai Chi fan performance I have seen online.

The progress of Kung Fu students

2008-12-06T04:45:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's training with teacher Mike was hard and fun, refining our basics yet putting the details into places. It was as usual, without nonsense. Some thoughts came to me after the training, and perhaps it is good to share this to all. Although each student have their personal growth, the progress of Kung Fu practise is not solely based on mythical predictions. We also have to be realistic to realise that hard training alone does not garantee a correct progress. In Japan, I have met Aikido teachers who trained and taught for more than 15 years, realizing they have been practising the art totally wrong. It was only when they met Hitohiro sensei, whose aikido is top noch, that they understood how much they have wasted their time.

No, correct progress needs correct methods of training. Training hard is an element of correct methods, it starts with going to the class often and listen well to the teacher. But there is more, which I would like to share.

Meeting teacher Mike was in the first place a wake up call of the meaning of true Kung Fu. Suddenly, chi power is no longer a myth, yet it is not something you can pick up just because you can do some fancy moves. So instead of asking: how do I get such power as teacher Mike?, I started to ask: How should a correct progress look like for the student?

Now, every intelligent student would answer this question with: duh! we are all individuals, so we all will progress differently, no need to think.

This is the part were I will risk my head and protest: The problem with being too laid back when confronted with a question is that we get lazy, or blind, or taking a bad habit into the training. Just because we are too focused on individual/natural progress and thus like to avoid rules, doesn't mean we should not think and calculate our own path. A flower will grow naturally and spontaneously, only if the soil is good and the amount of water is right.

If growing free and peacefully and zenlike (spiritual naivity) is what you want, you shouldn't be doing Kung Fu anyway, as training extremely hard and live an experienced life is necessary for true spiritual growth with Kung Fu. Being with your mind in clouds for the rest of your life is not Kung Fu, nor is it a true path of spiritualism.

Of course I believe and support personal growth, but personal growth is the least we should worry because it will happen naturally. What we should be aware of is the training methods and goals, only through understanding the possibilities we will be able to train correct and thus progress correctly.

So, what I am intending to say about my findings is the following:

1) good body alignment and structure is more important than relaxation, if a student who doesn't focus on structure and alignment puts relaxation at first, he/she will progress as a potato bag. No more.

2) respect the identity of each art: If one is training long fist, then use the right intention and balans of power/relaxation to do long fist. Long fist is not tai chi, nor yoga. It is in the first place a fighting art. Respect its identity, this counts for each discipline taught by teacher Mike.

3) chi power, the holy grail of all martial arts, is achievable when understanding that we have to go through what other master have gone through: hard training, with mistakes, with victory, with correct methods. The bottom!! But understand this: Mike's chi is invisible linked with his structure, yes it means as an opponent, you don't see where his power is coming from. That is too advance for us. So it is important for us to go back to the basics and have good structures, stances, punches, kicks... the mechanics, gentlemen!! Not the chi is our holy grail at the moment, but proper mechanics... this is the only way to get somewhere. After we have trained hard enough to call ourself "ok" in our mechanics, I am sure teacher Mike will open the door and lead us further. But before you understand proper mechanics, you won't get anywhere and you won't even know why.

4) when teacher Mike tells us: "it is all about movement, don't be stuck with the form", he is absolutely right. But first, we need to be able to do a form "ok" before we understand movement. Pretending we are doing movement without understanding the mechanics/alignment/application is ignoring the basics.

5) DON'T: train hard but wrong. DO: train hard and right.

Voila, I have said it. I have been analysing the teachers from China and teacher Mike. They all share some common traids: healthy pride, dedication, hard work, intelligence, openmindedness. But unless we are now accepting the path at the bottom of the mountain and ready to climb, we will never reach the top.

ps. the question on the order of progress started during the Belgium Camp, where I observed my fellow Kung Fu student Dennis, who gave me the feeling that he could have the biggest chance to experience his first true faji. Because he has gone through the training of basic body mechanics. His progress is obvious.

Superbouncykid

Great Baji-Pigua! (recommended video by teacher Mike)

2008-12-02T23:46:00.000-08:00

Since teacher Mike knows I am looking into Baji and Pigua, he mailed me the link of a great Kung Fu master: Lü Baochun. There is a series of master Lü Baochun's pigua exercises made on youtube. I selected 2:

The first one is from a gathering in Oostmalle, Belgium. I choose this video because you can clearly see the power generation called fa-jin. It is not stiff, muscle power like most other martial arts forms. The power here is soft, agile, relaxed and yet powerful. The power is also generated from his whole body, from feet, knees, waist and whipping out to the arms, elbows, shoulders...

To my friends in other martial arts disciplines who do not understand the concept of chi, this one is a nice example. And yes, in my eyes, teacher Mike has it too and I would dear to say that his chi can be both applied in an "explosive" ways as in a more invisible way. When you touch hands with teacher Mike, you know that even with chi training, it doesn't stop once you achieve some chi power. Instead, chi too has many levels and has room to progress. Basic chi power is a visible power with clear and correct usage of body alignment, whereas the next step would be hidden power. Hidden power means that body alignment becomes less visible to the opponent, and the movement is fast but soft. Thus fooling the opponent. The last known chi power is like the power and the body becomes one, no visible structure (although there still is) and the body is extremely sensitive of the opponent's touch, form and movement is no longer first place. Grandmaster Wang, teacher of Mike Laoshi, has the third type of chi. Now imagine that the video is showing only the first type of chi power (still very very powerful and high level) and you can imagine how many martial artists are just waving their hands and don't have the "soya sauce". To us, students, understanding and accepting the first type of chi (visible structure and power generation) is more than enough as a focus for the training.

ps. the music in the video might not be everyone's taste, if you turn it down, make sure to turn it up again at the last few sequence of the video were master Lü Baochun demonstrates the power generation (fa jin) through body movement.

Video number 2 is a basic Pigua exercise, one we also practise in our club. The relaxed shoulder when applying the movement is nicely demonstrated and because of that, the power is not blocked but has the chance to sink in:

Baji from Grandmaster Liu Yun Qiao

2008-12-02T03:53:00.000-08:00

More Baji, from what I have noticed, Baji Kung Fu is an excellent mid range and close-quarter fighting art. Emphasizing on close-quarter body attack and take downs. The punches are soft (but alive and present), fast yet powerful and penetrating. Baji, Pigua and Tongbei all compliments eachother. So it is useful to first understand the 3 art forms on its own. Here I found a nice classic video from the Grandmaster Liu Yun Qiao himself demonstrating Baji.

Bagua training with teacher Mike

2008-12-02T03:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, we had a 2 hours of "dynamic stretching" training. When you embark the journey of martial arts training, one key element is often missing in many clubs: that martial arts techniques only works if the body is strong and agile enough to yield it.

I have trained with many teachers, some better than others. All have good understanding of the techniques, but only few has the structure (car chassis) and the inner power of chi (the engine). Kung Fu would not work if only techniques were trained. So yesterday training with Mike Laoshi reminds us again how useful his lessons are, the exercises called basics are very advance for us. Just because our basics sucks. Yet, I can not find a different club who can give me such intense and worthwhile training.

The dynamic stretching we did is emphasized on the relaxation of the whole body. On the same time strength and agility building of the legs, as it is the legs that make most of the hard work in our daily life.

After the stretching the group was split in two: one group for Hsing Yi training and the second group for bagua. I was at the bagua training so I can't comment on the Hsing Yi training. But when I compare bagua with aikido training, the bagua is at first sight boring because students are expected to do only cicle walking for one or two years before training any locks at all. Whereas with aikido, locks are essential from the start. In the past, I have doubted the bagua training often as living in the contemporary times, one would hardly have any time at all to make circle walking for 2 years as a preparation for jointlocks etc...

How wrong I was! With each lesson, teacher Mike would give us small demos and strip the myth of bagua. Instead, we were shown very powerful ways of applying locks and throws using spiraling movements of the body. Many techniques remind me of aikido, it is that close!! But upon closer inspection, bagua is much richer in its movement and generation of power. It is not a surprise since bagua is an older martial form, and had time to mature by many great masters of the past. Second, although aikido seems to have as much external circular movement as bagua, it lacks the small internal circle that is driven by years of alignment training and proper usage of chi. These internal spiraling of the body takes years to develop but is exactly what makes bagua powerful. I am sure, if aikido (or any other martial arts) would be trained this way, it will make the art complete.

So next week, we will be happily circle walk again...

Baji-Pigua in many exercises from teacher Mike

2008-11-30T23:21:00.000-08:00

Since training under teacher Mike, I have noticed that many of his warming-up (proper word: basics) contains the foundation of his power-building and body structure. His basics are part of the complete Kung Fu training, yet it is so easy and complex that it is like an art on its own. One can easily only focus on basics and get really strong with his body.

The most common and frequently exercise is the one where we stand in mabu (horse stand) and swing the relaxed arms from left to right and right to left (continuous). I am fascinated with this simple looking exercise, because apart from not being simple at all, it is also the foundation of pigua Kung Fu. The exercise we do generates power and corrects body alignment for all kinds of martial arts. Baji-Piqua remains for me a fascinating fighting art. Here I found an interesting example, though not from teacher Mike:

Group flow 2: Twenty four form, sent by Mike Laoshi

2008-11-23T12:27:00.001-08:00

A nice poem, sent by Mike Laoshi

2008-11-23T11:17:00.000-08:00

"Tai Chi Chuan is plain, yet rich;

Pa Kua Chuan is changeful yet subtle;
Hsing Yi Chuan is simple yet strong.
Tai Chi is calm as an old scholar;
Pa Kua is as bright as a youth of genius;
Hsing Yi is as confident as a learned scholar.
This is to speak symbolically -- one should not be trapped by the words."

"The excellence of Tai Chi is to be smooth, soft yet not weak;
to be continuous from the beginning to the end;
to be plain and calm without a bit of temper.
The excellence of Pa Kua is to be flexible yet well-balanced;
to be unpredictable; to be in great harmony without a bit of arrogance.
The excellence of Hsing Yi is to be strong yet not clumsy;
to be distinctive in motion;
to be serious in appearance without a bit of roughness."

-T.Y. Pang

The missing photos: Mike Laoshi's birthday

2008-11-02T08:01:00.000-08:00

During the Belgium camp, we celebrated teacher Mike's birthday, which was on the 5th of October. We tried to surprise him, but as usual, he was ahead of the game. Lesson number xxxxx: never try to fool your teacher ;).

Anyway, we got him in the room with all the teachers and the students and we gave him our best wishes. I waited to put the photos on the blog because the camp info needed a bit of time to digest. Here they are, the missing photos!

A poster of teacher Mike composed of little pictures of his students.

A scroll which teacher Mike has been looking for but was hard to find.

A card signed by all of his students and a high end photo printer (Teacher Mike is a skilled photographer in his free time).

Mike Laoshi: "Pass the card and the photo to the students so they can see it."

From the German students: a nice bottle of whisky (one of the students: "Pass this one too, Mike Laoshi!")

More photos! Xing Yi group

2008-10-19T08:09:00.001-07:00

more coming....stay tuned

More photos! Tai Chi group

2008-10-19T07:12:00.001-07:00

Coming soon...

More photos! Shuaijiao

2008-10-19T06:36:00.000-07:00

Coming soon...

More photos! Tongbei fist

2008-10-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

Coming soon...

More photos! Xing Yi Jian (straight sword)

2008-10-19T06:31:00.000-07:00

Coming soon...

Report Martial Arts Camp (ongoing)

2008-10-06T01:38:00.001-07:00

I have just come back from camp B (which is for 2 weekends and camp A lasts for nine days) and this is a little report of the first weekend ....Bare with me for more info, I am writing on the fly... Let me check out some photos and put it up. It works easier for me to write. Here photos of the 1st and 2nd day:

1st Day: Welcome speech (Wim, René, Mike Laoshi, Sun Laoshi, Yu Laoshi),

notice the humbleness of the teachers.

Loosening the body using Pigua exercise and Yang style chi kung.

More Chi Kung, back to basics and grounding.

With Mike Laoshi going through each student's movement.

After breakfast and some rest: Groups are made for different styles.

I did Tongbei: here Zhang Laoshi demonstrates the same usage between

a block and a elbow strike.

Some groundwork tips from our fellow student.

After lunch and some rest: Xing Yi sword: Sun Laoshi demonstrates that

weapon forms and hand forms helps eachothers (Xing Yi straight sword)

More Xin Yi sword from Sun Laoshi, but this one is from day 1 and the one above from day 2.

End of the first day training: advance dynamic stretching by Mike Laoshi.

Evening treat: A lecture on Chinese history by Rene.

Some photos from outside the training:

Some thoughts on Kung Fu, by Kim Henderickx

2008-10-03T09:45:00.000-07:00

Dear all,

I would like to tell you some thoughts, that helped me understand a little more about kung fu and life on itself.

First of all, to me, kung fu is more an artform that helps you understand basic principles of life and how to do the things you do in harmony with your environment. The consequence of this, is that you can read this statement backwards: your kung fu will reflect the way you are during the interaction with yourself and with the outside world, your kung fu will reflect your personality.

From this, the second point flows: the easiest way to stand in life or practice kung fu is the one in harmony. Harmony means balance, balance between hard and soft, taking control and letting go, keeping your boundaries without pushing away or falling in… yin and yang.

Now, as everybody knows, this state of harmony isn’t so easy to archieve: everybody has issues, difficulties with certain things, events… why? Wouldn’t life be easier without having to defend yourself, watch out for certain situations? Would we have to fight if the world was in harmony? Would you have to learn kung fu if you knew exactly how to keep your balance at all time?

In my opinion, all the things that bring you out of balance, can be retraced to fear. Eventhough blunt anger can do weird stuff too, this can also be brought back to some basic fear. This fear is translated into our system as something we know to be a lack of self confidence , that in itself will give birth to fear of losing control, fear of making mistakes, …

A person who will for example fear losing control, will not be able to be led by his partner when practicing pushing hands. Losing control means first of all being able to trust yourself and your partner. It also requires an empty mind to be able to feel the otherone’s energy and intentions, instead of trying to figher it out with reasoning and stochastics! If there’s one thing I learnt the hard way, is to stop thinking once in a while, and believe me, a whole new world opens! If you stop thinking while doing kung fu (with or without partner), you will feel the energy or Chi, as it can be called. If practicing alone, you will feel butterflies all over your body, you will be able to play with it as if it where pizza dough between your hands and much more. If you practice with a partner, try to blend in with the otherone’s energy and you will feel the energy moving between you as waves going back and forth. Follow these waves, take responsibility for it, without overpowering your partner’s energy by going against it or forcing it, or shrinking away and being led as a puppet. Eventhough you’re not thinking at that moment, it will require an awful lot of concentration!

The second thing about losing control is losing control for yourself and the general outside world (representing the way you are for yourself) reflecting in grounding. This might seem a weird statement, but look at people who are too hard on themselves, who don’t love themselves (which in turn will give a lack of self confidence), who don’t love being in the world: shoulders at earlevel, skinny, thight stomac, thight ass, high breath… you know the picture! If you relax yourself, think that it’s all ok, give yourself over to the moment, lose control (but keeping it all in balance of course)… your breath will go down, as will your shoulders, your neck will elongate because you know you deserve your space, your muscles will relax and you will sink into the ground.

It seems like I’ve written a whole lot, but the general thought is: have confidence in yourself and your partner (whatever that may be), relax, think less feel more, remember you are always loved unconditionally and your kung fu will flow more easily, as will your life!

The magic trick !!! (and if that doesn’t help, try something else :-D)

Belgium Camp next week!!

2008-09-26T03:52:00.000-07:00

For more info about the invited teachers: click here

General info: click here (PDF)

Registration and payments: click here (PDF)

Special offer... join the Belgium trainingcamp for 1 day

Yes, in about a week the Belgium International Trainingcamp will be held.

Allmost 30 participants from: the Netherlands, France, Germany, Norway, England and offcourse Belgium will be training serveral styles under tuïtion of not two but three excellent teachers from China.

Teachers Zhang Xinbin, Yu Shaoyi and Sun Ruxian will be coming to teach their fields of expertise (they arrive on September 30th).

Not to forget that also Laoshi Mike Martello will be teaching!

More good news! We can allow a few extra people.

Book your ticket for one day to become a part of this camp.

The Belgium trainingcamp is from 4oct until 12oct

Practically:

Fill in the registration form (see attach) and sent it to info@movingasone.be before September 20th!

So you have only one week to decide.

7-8hours of training = 100euro (incl. breakfast, lunch, 4 o' clock snack)

Payment info can be found here: http://www.movingasone.be/site/event.php?detail=7 full payment before September 27th!

Many thanks and looking forward to seeing you in October!

Regards,

Mike Martello

Zhang Xinbin

Rene M F Ho

Wim Stultiens

0498769629

New training space, first impression

2008-09-23T03:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we trained at the new space for the first time. Even though there were a lot of people, we had enough room for us to train. First we did about an hour and half dynamic stretching. For teacher Mike, this stretching exercises are basics. For us, it is already very advance. Then after a small break, two groups were formed, one doing the basics for Hsing I (internal power generation and linear strikes and split strikes) and the second group for Bagua (circle movements to achieve joint locking and contra joint locking, the style that has influenced Ueshiba's Aikido). It was a very good class, as teacher Mike never held back with his knowledge. It was as usual a lot for us to digest. But this is Kung Fu training at its best!

After the classes, Kim treated us a very tasty home made cake (honey and walnut). Thank you very much indeed! Now I will stay away from supermarket cakes.

I also had the chance to hear teacher Mike's thought on the space and how to improve it: There will mirrors in the future, a weapon rack and other martial arts equipments. For stretching, there will be Yoga mats... These are just a few thoughts, but it is already happening. Thank you Laoshi!

click on the photo to enlarge (sorry, no wide angle lens, so I have to assemble something together) photo KL.

New training schedules and time

2008-09-21T01:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our New Location in Antwerp:

Wu Tang Center Antwerp

Marnix Straat 25

2060 Antwerp

Training Schedules and Times:

Monday:
Stretching: 7 pm - 8:30 pm
Bagua Zhang (8 Basic Palms): 8:30 pm - 10 pm
Hsing-I Chuan (5 Basic Elements): 8:30 pm - 10 pm

Wednesday:
Long Fist (Jiben Gong): 7:30 pm - 8:45 pm
Tanglang (Jiben Gong): 8:45 pm - 10 pm
Weapons (Jiben Gong): 8:45 pm - 10 pm

Thursday:
Taiji Chuan: 7 pm - 9 pm
Qi Gong: 9 pm - 10 pm

Friday:
Longfist: 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Tanglang: 8:30 pm - 9:45 pm
Basic Sanda & Shuai Jiao (subscription required): 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm

Sunday Morning
All Internal Styles: 10 am - Noon

Sunday Afternoon:
Open to All Groups and Levels: 1:30 pm - 4 pm
Weapons: 4 pm - 5:30 pm

For more information, please email: info@wutang.be

Call for info in Dutch: Dieter De Potter 32(0)48 611 2963
Call for info in English: Mike Martello 32(0)48 545 0831

Training at the new location

2008-09-21T01:24:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody,

As some of you already noticed Mike arrived safe and sound back in Belgium.

And now that he is back we made the decision to change the training place and finally start training in our own training space in the Marnixstraat 25 2060 Antwerpen.

We will start our training there Monday 22th of September.

Not only the space will be new but also the training schedule will be new.

The new schedule you can find on the website, if you have any questions feel free to call me. (0486/11.29.63)

If you see there are persons missing in the e-mail please tell me as soon as possible. So I can let them know the new place and schedule and add them to my e-mail list.

As closure, I hope to see everybody in our new and beautiful new space for some great training.

Greetings

Dieter

Teachers at Belgium Camp and October Seminar Germany

2008-09-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

Zhang Xin Bin:

Master Zhang was born in Beijing in the year 1954. In his late teens, he became a student of Master Zhang Guizeng and started his training in Baiyuan Tongbei.

In addition to Master Zhang Guizeng's teachings, he also studied traditional Chinese wrestling (Shuai Jiao) from Master Yang Guozhen, pushing hands (Tui Shou) from Master Jiang Qimin and Internal Fist (Yiquan) from Masters Li Jianyu and Yu Yongnian.

Master Zhang is currently a 6th Dan Wushu Coach and Chief Instructor of the Beijing People's Martial Arts Association. He is known for his excellent methods of building martial power and superb fighting skills. His first visit to Europe was in August 2005 and since then he has enthralled students and instructors with his depth and passion for the Chinese Martial Arts.

This autumn, Master Zhang will be back in Europe to teach various skills from the Tongbei system, including Tongbei Neigong Internal Power Cultivation Methods, Tongbei Fighting Applications and Double-Handed Saber.

Master Zhang Xin Bin demonstrates a Tong Bei drill. (photo KL)

Yu Shaoyi:

Master Yu Shaoyi, one highest ranking masters of Chinese judo (known as "shuaijiao"), is currently the Vice-Chairman of the Beijing People's Martial Arts Association and also Chief Instructor of the Beijing Shuaijiao team.

Born in the year 1955, and started his martial arts training in 1970, learning the art of Chinese-Mongolian wrestling called Shuaijiao from renowned wrestling expert master Wang Ruiying. From 1973 onwards, he also learned the styles of Xingyi and Bagua from Master Sun Ruxian.

In 1975, he became the disciple of Tongbei master Zhang Guizeng, from whom he learned the art of Muslim Baiyuan Tongbei. Apart from the above-mentioned styles, master Yu has also trained extensively in Sanda (Chinese boxing).

As a member of the Beijing Shuaijiao team, Master Yu has participated in many martial arts contests throughout his career and has won numerous awards. He was two-times regional Shuaijiao champion of Beijing for the period of 1981- 1982. In 1999 Master Yu received two Awards for Outstanding Performance at the Taizhou International Martial Arts Competition. He is currently the Vice-Chairman of the Beijing People's Martial Arts Association, and also Chief Instructor of the Shuaijiao team.

Having mastered the battle-hardened techniques and old-school training methods of traditional Shuaijiao, Master Yu is now one of the highest ranking Shuaijiao experts in Beijing . He is famous for his excellent fighting skills and also widely respected for his knowledge of the shuaijiao system and its traditions.

Master Yu Shaoyi helping a student. (photo KL)

Sun Ruxian:

Master Sun Ruxian has dedicated his life to the pursuit of Chinese martial arts excellence, having studied several systems from famous masters in Beijing. As a youth, he became a student of Liu Qingquan, the son of Liuhemen master Liu Caichen, learning the arts of Liuhequan, Tangquan and Yueshi Lianquan.

Master Sun then went on to pursue the arts of Xingyi, Bagua, Shaolin and Six Harmony Praying Mantis from various masters including Masters Men Huifeng, Liu Jingru, Qin Qingfeng and Du Jinguo. Furthermore, he has intensive training in the arts of Iron Palm and Red Sand Palm. His specialties are Xingyi and Shaolin Five Forms Eight Methods Boxing.

Apart from teaching in Beijing, China, Master Sun has also taught Chinese martial arts in Japan and Switzerland. With his knowledge in various martial arts systems and his extensive teaching experience, Master Sun continues to dazzle martial arts practitioners within China and abroad.

Master Sun Ruxian teaching the Shaolin stick.

Mike Martello:

Mike Martello is Director of the Wu Tan Federation of Belgium. Recently awarded the Taiwanese Kuo Shu medal of achievement for his work in Chinese martial arts, Mike Martello has been studying and teaching martial arts for over twenty five years.

Mike grew up in New York, where street fighting was a regular occurrence. "In New York City, kids had to be tough and know how to defend themselves; otherwise you'd just get clobbered."

Following years of training in gymnastics and sports, he began to learn martial arts for practical reasons. "First, it was to learn how to fight, but it really saved me when I was a teenager. It taught me both discipline and respect." Twenty years later, Mike Martello appreciates not only the practical aspects of martial arts, but also the beauty of the art form and culture.

Mike began his early training with classical boxing from his father, then at the age of 11 was introduced to kung fu by Teacher Teddy Wong (New York City). He later became a disciple under the tutelage of Master Su Yu-Chang, specializing in all styles of Tanglang (Praying Mantis), Baji Chuan, Bagua Zhang, Pigua Zhang, Hsing-I Chuan , Tai Chi Chuan and Weapons. Mike also co-teaches with the Wu Tan Organization in Taipei Taiwan. In 2001 he was appointed by Mrs. Liu Yun-Chiao and the Taiwanese Wu Tan Organiztion as a Wu Tan Director.

Today still, Mike continues to travel and study Chinese Martial Arts in Taiwan with Grandmaster Wang Chieh, specializing in Yue Jia San Shou (Yue Family Style), Ba Bu Tanglang (Praying Mantis), Bai He Chuan (White Crane), Joint Locking (Chin-Na), Tai Chi, Push Hands (Tuei Shou) and Shuai Jiao (Chinese Wrestling).

Master Mike Martello demonstrates gently a throw whilst locking the head. (photo KL)

Seminar with Mike Martello Sifu

2008-08-31T11:25:00.000-07:00

Seminar with Mike Martello Sifu

This weekend was another seminar with Mike Sifu. The plan was "Six Roads of Mantis," a compilation of basic techniques in most Mantis styles like Qi Xing, Mei Hua, Liu He, Ba Bu and Chang Chuan Tang Lang. And also JiBenGong and applications.

Because at the two days, Saturday was for all levels and on Sunday only advanced were present, only a small group participated in the seminar, it was more intensive training, and all participants felt this as very positive. Also, I had the impression that Mike Sifu was not only accepting this situation but took this as chance to give everyone as lot of corrections and tips as possible.
On Saturday, we were able to learn all 6 Roads of Mantis, and then still techniques / applications from the Pai An (press and slap) Partner form. These techniques took Mike as occasion to explain applications and the importance of Shen Fa and Bu Fa in applications.
It was very exciting to see how Mike turns the simplest technique in an extremely effective attack situation.
At the end of the first day Mike then showed some ShuaiJiao techniques which caused a lot of fun.

The actual end of the day then was at home with us for a nice BBQ. Launch was the showdown of Nemo versus Picard, a second time Picard could decide for himselve! ;) But we have eaten very well and entertain us very nice, because once again a few new faces and stories were there, like Markus from Hanover, Puja from Cologne, Christian from Oxford and Ben from Hamburg.
After a lot of interesting stories were exchanged and when the students tired and satisfied found their way into the club rooms, Mike took the opportunity to give me a little (until deep into the night) Extratime. Or, in other words, there were a few very enlightening, practical instruction!

On Sunday, then gave it an even smaller circle still more intensive lessons. The 6 Roads were once again deepened and Mike added the applications to practice. Again, Mike was not tired to stress the essence of applications: applicability of the fight is only be achieved if the techniques were alive and practiced with intention, if timing and step work is correct and if the connection to the body exists! It was Topnotch!
After Mike then in a small Intermezzo did some QinNa with me, the Idea took place, and the second training session that day was QinNa. Even more than before Mike wanted us to be "Relaxed" and to use "Circular Movement". It was fun as always.

With two large pizzas we closed the day and Seminar! And all with the firm intention, to join the next seminar in October, when Mike is going to come with 3! other teachers from China!

A warm thanks goes out to all participants for joining and of course a big thanks to Mike Martello Sifu!

Group flow

2008-08-23T02:25:00.000-07:00

A great example of large group training and not breaking group energy flow...
truly important for our group to feel and get energy from the group and club...

Mike Laoshi

Yang Tai Chi, 24 form

2008-08-23T02:12:00.000-07:00

1. Commencing (Qǐshì)
2. Part the Wild Horse’s Mane (Yémǎ Fēnzōng)
3. White Crane Spreads Its Wings (Báihè Lìangchì)
4. Brush Knee and Twist (Lōuxī Àobù),
5. Hand Strums the Lute (Shǒuhūi Pípā)
6. Step Back and Repulse the Monkey (Daojuan Gong)
7. Left Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail (Zuo Lan Quewei)
1. Ward Off (Peng)
2. Rollback (Lu)
3. Press (Ji)
4. Push (An)
8. Right Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail (You Lan Quewei)
9. Single Whip (Danbian)
10. Wave Hands Like Clouds (Yunshou)
11. Single Whip (Danbian)
12. High Pat on Horse (Gao Tan Ma)
13. Separate Right Foot (You Dengjiao), Separate Right Foot
14. Box ears (Shuangfeng Guaner)
15. Turn Body and Separate Left Foot (Zhuanshen Zuo Dengjiao)
16. Snake creeps down left (Zuo Xiashi Duli)
1. Single Whip Squatting Down, Snake Creeps Down,
2. Golden Cock Stands on One Leg
17. Snake creeps down right, Golden Cock Stands on One Leg (You Xiashi Duli)
18. Fair Lady Works with Shuttles (Yunu Chuansuo)
19. Needle at the Bottom of the Sea(Haidi Zhen)
20. Shoot Fan (Shan Tong Bei)
21. Turn Body, Deflect, Parry, and Punch (Zhuanshen Banlanchui)
22. Apparent close up (Rufeng Sibi)
23. Cross Hands (Shizishou)
24. Closing (Shoushi)

Click on the image to enlarge, you can print it out and use it as a support.

Seminar in Germany

2008-08-12T05:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody,

I like to invite all my fellow belgium Kung Fu Brothers and Sisters to Germany.

Mike will give an Seminar about some Tang Lang and QinNa. So I hope a lot of you will join and we can have some fun together (like BBQ etc in the evening!).

Here is the schedule:

Sat, 30 August, 12-5 pm
Tang Lang, Jibengong, QinNa
50 Euro

For those who are interested in staying over Night, there will be an extra Training with Mike Sifu on Sunday. (30 Euro) You can put your head down to sleep in the Clubs room: plenty of place, shower and mats.

Please send me a small note if you want to join!

Hope to see you all at the 30th of August!

Greets Jochen

Message from Mike Laoshi: Beijing to Belgium Update

2008-08-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

Dear All:

Hope all has had a great Summer so far.... The camp was a success with the high point of 38 people attending and training... Everyone trained hard and ate well... Hot long days but great as usual like last year... Thank you all who attended and trained hard...

I will return Aug 6th and hope to see everyone in Training Thursday Night at the Docks....

Zhang, Yu, Sun and Rene all say hello and will see everyone end Sept and really hope many join us for the training Camp in October....

They are really excited about traveling to train with everyone, so please extend your Hospitality to them...

Okay and see everyone very soon...

best,

laoshi

Happy Birthday Dieter! (our Kung Fu brother back from China! Wu Tan Martial Arts Camp)

2008-08-03T08:15:00.000-07:00

Value of training basics? (a short notice)

2008-08-03T06:42:00.000-07:00

Teacher Mike has been teaching Magaly and I the details of Erlu Maifu Quan, a long fist form. Once we get the corrections, we go often training by ourselves and helping eachother. Corrections were on alignment and correct movement. For every move, we try to work on the applications. Even though we are novices. It helps us to execute the moves with the right intention. When a move is executed with the correct martial intention, it looks more beautiful. Whenever there is extra time, we would do other drills. I would practise Tongbei and Magaly Shaolin.

Before in Beijing, I wasn't very convinced with Magaly's Shaolin form, only because there wasn't enough time for her to go through the form properly. Also, we didn't trained enough on the basics. Thus all movement were sloppy and looking ineffective. But recently, I saw her practicing the Shaolin form, and although not perfect, I could clearly see more crisp movements and strong rooting in her form. Suddenly, the form looks interesting.

This is a positive experience for us as students, it encourages us to train the basic (Ji ben gong, Long Fist) more.

True Martial Spirit, domo arigato gozaimasu/Thank you for showing us what it means.

2008-07-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

Don't say: I suck at Kung Fu. But do say: I suck at Kung Fu because...

2008-07-27T13:57:00.000-07:00

When training East Asian Martial Arts, we all know it is more then just learning how to fight. There is a lot of Eastern philosophy and the way of life integrated in the training. My mother used to say: "a good Kung Fu teacher is very important, as his role is like that of a father and will pass on his wisdom and moral judgment to you". This involves self-discipline, righteousness, focus, loyalty, self-growth, physical and mental strength, but also... humbleness. When someone is genuinely humble, his/her talent or skill is outshone by his/her personality.

Humbleness in Asian society doesn't mean one has to be submissive. It is a sign of having good manner and staying with both feet on the ground. Since it is not the same as being submissive, it means that the person is in fact always looking to improve oneself.

Often, when having a conversation with my fellow students, I hear many of them say: "I am not good at it". It, referring to what we trained before, it could be about being bad at Long Fist, Tai Chi or simple stretching. I am sure you and I have also been there and said that a few times. The logical solution is of course to tell yourself to train harder. But what exactly are you going to train? Where should the focus of the training be?

If one can only say: "I am bad at it", but not understanding what exactly is wrong, it is like being ill and not knowing how to find a cure.

In Kung Fu training, it is important to acknowledge your weakness and faults. But it doesn't stop there, as it would only create frustration at this stage. Truth is, it is unlikely you can improve during self-training without knowing what the mistake is. The problem lies in using the wrong phrase, instead of just saying that you suck at Kung Fu, it is much more productive to be able to say why you suck at it.

For example:

"I suck at always forgetting to put my back foot on a 45 degree angle".

Solution: focus on the 45 degree angle.

"I suck at mabu because I am sticking my butt out".

Solution: try not to look as if you are shitting.

Imagine you just say: "I suck at Kung Fu", there is no way you can focus on improving without first understanding what exactly you are bad at.

Self training vs training together

2008-07-26T08:51:00.000-07:00

Students who have trained with teacher Mike know that he gives us lots and lots of info alongside the exercises. Often he points us the importance of basics, other times he introduces us to movements and power very few ever heard of. What I have learned so far increases my ability to observe and to think about my own training methodology. To think about one's own methodology of training is important if one wants to improve his/her Kung Fu. Ask yourself this question: What would you like to achive for yourself in a year, two years, three years,...?

"Kung-fu is demanding. It requires the full attention and participation of mind and body. ... Another less obvious element seems to be lacking in many people's practise, however. Many practitioners don't have a clear idea of what they are trying to achieve." (Adam Hsu in The Way of Kung-Fu)

What has achievements and methodology to do with self-training and training together? Simple: because the more you know about what you really want, the clearer it become to know what you need to train in order to get there.

Achievement = finding the right methodology + training

1) Now let's say that you know you want to improve, and you train a lot by yourself:

Self-training is the first logical way to practise, when you want to improve yourself. But self-training can be very bad if one doesn't have a clear idea what he is doing. What you improve is bad habits. The first 2 years of my training, I did a lot of home exercises, however, I didn't improve, nor did I understand where I am going to. I always have the bad habit of overstretching my elbows, but no fellow students could help me because I was training by myself. In short terms, I was fooling myself with the general cliche of: "if I just train, I will get better".

Mike's note is that self training is very important, "one should always train". But he also made the remarks on the danger of students trusting only their own interpretation, and not seeing their own mistakes (Mike's corrections forgotten, mistrusting fellow students, not watched Mike's correction properly). When the student is in such narrowminded state (believing only in yourself), then self training can easily become training of "bad habits".

2) What is the benefits of training together?

Self training is easy, you just have to stand up and do it. But self training in a correct way is hard, because unlike laoshi, we don't have the understanding of what is correct and what is not. Truth is: we all know a little, and yet not the same. That is what makes Kung Fu students so unique and that is also why training Kung Fu is a combination of self discipline and being social towards eachother.

For example: I know that in our school, one can be good in Long Fist stances, then someone else is talented in linking the postures so it looks fluent as a movement or form. If those 2 students would believe in self training only, they would be good. But they will never improve beyond their own limitation, because they never meet up for training together. That is the difference between self training and training together. I believe that only by understanding that both self training and training together is equally important, that there is room for improvement.

Self-training = repetition of movements and exercises, extremely important, but with the danger of creating bad habits.

Training together = the opportunity to correct your movements by training with students of different levels.

So far, I can say that we all work very hard on self training, and the prospect of taking it further by taking advantage of training together often will make the Kung Fu only better.

Belgium training time remains

2008-07-06T05:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Kung Fu brothers and sisters, the training time and place in Belgium for the month July remains unchanged. This is a good opportunity to practise the stuff you have learned from teacher Mike so far, either by yourself as a free training or together with other Kung Fu siblings, if you like.

The training time and place as for the month July:

Thuesday: 19.30 - 22.00 (free training, repetition of ji beng gong, drills and forms)

Thursday: 19.30 - 22.00 (tai chi, qi gong, fan) classes led by Ollie

Friday: 19.30 - 22.00 (free training, repetition of ji beng gong, drills and forms)

Place of training is Kattendijkdok, Antwerpen. (the usual mini harbour)

Note: I cannot attend Sunday training due to work. But I will check with other fellow students to see if someone has the time and interest. Sunday and Saturday evening is also an option.

As for the duration of the training, it is possible to keep training after 22.00.

Have a good journey teacher Mike!!

2008-07-06T05:24:00.000-07:00

Today Mike Laoshi left Belgium to organize and teach at the annual Beijing Martial Arts Camp. We (his students) wish teacher Mike a save and pleasant journey, and a succesful Kung Fu camp. As part of the Chinese community in Belgium I would also like to emphasize the great job teacher Mike does every day: to cultivate and to promote true Chinese Martial Arts, not letting this beautiful art form pollute or die out. Thank you laoshi.

If any Kung Fu brother/sister out there who is joining the camp and would like to write or put some photos from the camp on this blog, you are more then welcome! Just let us know.

The straight sword as known in the movie "Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon". Wu Tan's San Cai Jian

2008-06-29T06:11:00.001-07:00

Recently, I got my straight sword back from Ollie, my Kung Fu brother. Taking it out and holding it in my bedroom, I remember the time my grandmother bought me a plastic toy sword and got an uncle to bring it back for me in Belgium. I was a little child then but already crazy about Kung Fu movies. The Chinese straight sword, timelessly associated with Tai Chi and movies such as Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon, is a gentleman's weapon. The people wearing this type of sword in classic Chinese soaps are all either generals, taoists or intellectuals.

Unlike the broadsword, which is a tool for the battlefield, the straight sword needs a different approach to yield. I have never met anyone who has mastered the straight sword. That is of course, before I met teacher Mike. Watching teacher Mike's performance with the straight sword is like watching the light waves at a calm sea, and feel the light breeze moving the waves gently but with a consistent drive. Yet in its unmeasurable depth, you know the storm is never far away. For the untrained eye, the straight sword is like an extension of just waving the arms, legs and body... for health purpose. The chi that flows, the firm legworks, the cunning sword play and body movements are difficult to see. There is really no use to explain to the novice, how the chi could transfer to the tip of the sword. These concepts are too abstract. As teacher Mike would say, if you don't understand these things yet, or can't do it... then practise mechanics first and do it well.

After much looking, I have found a video with a clear example of how the jian is used mechanically. I believe this video from Sifu Tsou can help us, the students to understand what they are actually yielding when practising the form.

Amsterdam competition

2008-06-03T03:26:00.000-07:00

Some of Wu Tan's students went to an annual traditional Chinese Martial Arts in Amsterdam. The competition is solely based on hand forms and weapon forms. I have to say it is not easy to perform in front of a big group of audiences, as nerves are the biggest obstacles for such performances. Our group did extremely well for they are mostly considered inexperienced competitors. Their forms are well executed and almost without mistakes. I couldn't do it better that is for sure. But as a Hong kong Chinese doing Taiwanese KungFu, I have noticed very interesting differences in the approach of KungFu during the competition.

Before I continue, I want to clearify that it is not my intention to offend any other KungFu styles nor people, especially practicioners, students and teachers. As much we are all KungFu brothers and sisters around the world promoting the good art of Kungfu. To dismiss differences would be the same as trying to respect male and female identity without acknowledging their differences. It is not only the styles that I am trying to compare, but also the training mentality and methodology due to the location where the art have develloped. My remarks are that of an idiot, an absolute beginner who doesn't know better. However, is therefor an exiting time for people like me, the beginners. As not knowing better means I have to look harder to discover and there is so much to be discovered.

OK... here are my observations:

The first thing I have noticed was this: How come there are differences between Wushu, Southern styles (Hong Kong) and Taiwanese KungFu? What I keep seeing as the identification of these styles are:

1) Wushu: acrobatic, fast, beautiful, lots of jumps and light bendy weapons (changed by the communist regime).

2) Southern styles KungFu: Hard, fast but brutal, not beautiful, unnatural and street effective (Hong Kong's way of life).

3) Taiwanese KungFu: Original Kung Fu that is not changed by the communist regime and focused on softness, agility, finesse, body alignment and soft chi power.

So far these basic observation. Most of the KungFu practitioners will have noticed the same. When taking these information to the form competition like the one in Amsterdam, I believe it is a very difficult thing to judge good Kung Fu based on all those differences.

Wushu: I love watching modern Wushu, it is pure spectacle. The athletic grace of the performers, the beauty of the moves, the speed and entertainment value. But take away the grace, the acrobacy, the accuracy, what is left over of modern wushu? Then my uncle's words comes to my mind: "Fa Kuen Sauw Theu" (flower fist thin legs), which means looks beautiful, but useless. My uncle didn't use these words to comment on wushu, actually, I bet he is a wushu fan too. But I cannot see any person using modern wushu to fight against my uncle. All I can say is, if that person wins, it surely won't be by wushu.

No, my uncle uses these words to express the bad quality of a practisioner who merely does forms to be pretty, without spending enough time to train jibeng gong (basics). Forms are only dictionaries, one has to learn the alphabet, the reading and writing before embarking on poetry. Most of us are learning forms as in reading aloud from the dictionary, without knowing the weight and usage of every word (moves) and without the skills and conditioning needed to use these words and make it into poetry (to make the form yours* *quote from teacher Mike).

However, modern Wushu is also a populist art in my eyes. It is the spectacle, we expect to see incredible jumps, high kicks, butterfly kicks, in short.... it is an entertaining art. This too, influences the audiences when observing a competition, the performer does a spin in the air and comes back with a split on the ground whilst the arms are posed as a classic warrior does many good for the audiences.... and the points. My question is: Fantastic to watch... but is it true KungFu?).

Southern KungFu:

As some of my family are Choi Lee Fut stylists, and having experience with audiences from Hong Kong, I believe if the judges are Southern stylists, the favour would go to "focus, intention and muscle power". The reason for places like Hong Kong to devellop such a hard style mentality is an understandable thing. Hong Kong has never been a place of calm. It has always been a place of flux, changes, survival and uncertainty. The Hong Kong triads are well known for its brutality. Capitalism is everything (though less after the handover) and within that environtment, children are pushed to be "seng ti!", cantonese expression for "get smarter!". Street smart of course, because if you don't, you won't survive. Hong Kong is all about trends and the faster you can follow, the better. It is a stressful environtment. Learning KungFu is not a matter of looking good or even moving natural, it is about be able to defend yourself (if the intention is right) or basically be the strongest.

Within that mentality, KungFu is effective in the eye of a Hong Kong Chinese only when it is useful, but it has to be quick to learn as well. As Hong Kong Chinese practise "time is money", Southern styles are suitable for their needs. Of course Hong Kong Chinese are aware of the true mastery of soft styles like Tai Chi Chuan, just like the movie KungFu Hustle, where Tai Chi was seen as one of the supreme styles. The truth is, a lot of the soft chi power in KungFu has been lost in Hong Kong. And the Southern styles are at best using a soft-hard chi combination to cultivate their chi. Even so, it is only comparible with Fajing from Chen Tai Chi, which is known for its exploding power. But the invisible, subtle, soft but extreme powerful chi is hard to find in a place where speed, trend and money is everything in life.

Taiwanese KungFu:

Although I have never been to Taiwan, I have some Taiwanese friends, what struck me is that they are much calmer than the Chinese friends from Hong Kong. There is more time spent on the quality of life, the appreciation of small things...

The Taiwanese culture as seems are also not changed by the communist regime. And it is within these two elements, that the KungFu has an important place to be cultivated. Not only do the Taiwanese have the original source of KungFu, but the mentality and the environtment are suitable to keep the quality training right. As one of the most important training method is relaxation of the shoulders and in order to train that, one has to embrace softness. It is however difficult for me and some of my KungFu brothers/sisters to understand the combination of being relaxed, yet being present. By training a long period of time in relaxation, a student risks to forget that a fighting form is in fact... a fighting form. Thus, the hardest thing for a student is to understand that there is a different between training methodology and the attitude when doing a competition or performance.

In training, one has to train getting rid of bad habits and cultivate good ones. In competion or demonstrations, one has to CONVINCE. It is here where the confusion starts. Learning KungFu is not only a physical matter, but also a mental training. A big mistake we often do is to copy a move or a philosophy of a teacher and take our own (limited) interpretation as the only truth. I see it when fellow-students are trying to teach eachother, unlike the teacher, who observes and reads the intention of the student in many ways, the student who tries to correct only sees it in one way without reading the situation properly. So the same "understanding the different approaches" mentality should be applied when doing form competition: Should we perform the way we practise? Of course it has to be relaxed and not dead, but would it convinced the audiences and the judges to fear you? When I watch teacher Mike performing forms from the external styles, I feel not just impressed but actually feel: it is fearsome. Same with my uncle, I rarely see him doing a move, but when he does, you know your distance.

So what happened if the judges are Southern stylists who only read power through intention and fire in a form, but the student performer takes his habit of training with relaxation in the form to the competion? Yes, it is without mistakes, yes it is graceful, but is it fearsome or convincing as a warrior?

Again, it is not my intention to offend anyone or styles. Rather, I believe part of the training is to understand different approaches as well as understanding weaknesses and strength. My observation might seem for you to be all over the place, but as I have clearly stated: It all happened on that one day of videoing the competion. I have so many questions, both about the styles, about the students, about the teachers and judges.

Summary of questions I have on watching the competition:

Towards judging:

1) How do you judge different styles?

2) What about stamina and body allignment (especially the knees and feet) Are these taken into account?

3) Can teachers of the competitors be judges (without disrespect)?

Towards KungFu brothers and sisters:

1) Should one perform a form at all if the body isn't ready for it and lacked the important basics such as allignment, strecthing, structure, finesse, power, stamina?

2) Is training the same as competition and performance? Understanding this is understanding how to avoid thinking in a rigid way.

3) What are the positive elements of other styles and are there any similarities? e.g. Choi Lee Fut uses Northen Long Fist as their armwork for real fighting, whereas in China, Long Fist is seen as a preperation for body structure and power generation. However, for me, watching Choi Lee Fut stylists perform helps me to understand my Longfist. One thing opens up the other....

If I am too yang in my forms, what can I do? Look at how Wushu people approach their movement and add that little which is necessary to your movement....

Taiji 13-Postures Form

2008-05-31T00:32:00.001-07:00

Hen Hao! Very interesting: the 13 Basic Principles in Taiji, in each direction. Very good.

This is Baji Quan

2008-05-31T00:24:00.000-07:00

Most of the Wu Tan students from Belgium know the teaching of Sifu Mike is very traditional based, with lots of Jiben gong (basics/structure/dynamic stretching/balance/etc...). Long Fist and Tan Tui being the very basic training for building up the body and mind from scratch. The advance students are practising Mantis, teacher Mike's speciality. As Sifu's mastery in other Kungfu styles is so perfect (accurate in powergeneration, body allignment, battle effective, philosophy), it is almost uncanny. One of the styles he also master is called Baji, As an absolute beginner, I have very little idea of Baji as a Kungfu style. All I know is I once had to try hitting teacher mike with a tsuki shodan (karate fist to the head). Of course I missed, but when in the collision I was realising the miss, I was already hit three times by teacher Mike. It was also scary because any one of those hit when used with chi would have send me flying and cause serious damage. That move was from Baji Quan.

So I went browsing and found a great video (to my beginner's eye) of different Baji forms. The power generation through the body, the firm stances whilst the body in motion.... remember the training from standing up (inhale) to mabu (exhale), where we were not allowed to jump but using the whole body to shift up and down instead? Well, I think these Baji Masters are doing it all the time: the changing of stances are swift, yet the feet remains sucked on the ground.

Further, hehe... do you also see small resemblance of Hsing I, Tongbei and Long Fist?

UPDATE: Thanks for the comment, Mike Laoshi. As you have said many times; training is not only a physical aspect, it involves the mind too. One can copy the moves, but this will result in shallow and weak postures. Instead one should DO the moves. Therefor one must embrace to correct teaching and get rid of bad habits in their movements and postures. In order to embrace is to see, think, accept and let go (of your own weakness), this is mental training. The next step is getting rid of bad habits by training, go over the mistakes xxx times until it is right.

Thank you for teaching us with your heart.

2008-04-25T07:03:00.000-07:00

The official blog for the

1st International Martial Arts training camp Belgium October '08 is online!

A cultural exchange between East en West will take place during the camp. This training camp on traditional Chinese martial arts will enhance the friendly relations between the martial arts organizations from around the world and will improve your health, wellbeing, energy and practical skills.

Sunday, the 25th of may at 7.30 pm there will be an information evening. We will set out the vision and a few guidelines with regard to the camp. (time for Q&A afterwards ) Where: Marnixstraat 25, Antwerp. Registration is required.

Look regularly to our KungFuCamp blog for news, incoming talks with interested people, etc: www.kungfucamp.blogspot.com

By providing this Belgium training camp teacher Mike Martello and the Wu Tan team wish to support all the people who would love to join the teachers and fellow Kung Fu brothers and sisters in Beijing but can't make it. So they bring the best of China to Belgium!

Don`t miss this great training opportunity, KEEP your schedule open for OCTOBER 2008.

If there are any questions, please let us know and we will try our best to answer them.

For now warm regards,

Mike Martello

Zhang Xinbin

Rene Ming Fai Ho

Wim Stultiens

link:

http://www.kungfucamp.blogspot.com/

5th Kung Fu Trainingcamp in Osnabrueck

2008-04-06T09:25:00.001-07:00

We had a lot of fun and work with Mike Sifu. Watch the clip and have fun yourself.

Exclusief interview with Mike Martello Laoshi by Mokuren Dojo

2008-04-05T02:09:00.000-07:00

During the past year, Judo and Aikido Sensei Patrick Parker, author of Mokuren Dojo has published a series of excellent interviews based on a quick question that he posed, "Who is the most amazing martial artist you've ever personally worked out with?" This led to posting a light-hearted Mokuren Dojo Hall of Fame, and several of the inductees granted him interviews. Click here for the complete hall of fame list.

Wu Tan Belgium is grateful to have the permission from Mokuren Dojo to publish the interview with teacher Mike Martello.

Mike Martello is Director of the Wu Tan Federation of Belgium, co-teaching with the Wu Tan Organization in Taipei Taiwan. Having been studying and teaching martial arts for over twenty five years, Mike has taught and performed in Europe, Canada, South America, Taiwan and across the U.S. He is a nationally and internationally ranked competitor in Chinese martial arts (gold, silver, bronze medalists, 86-88, 90-92 and 94-2000 U.S. Nationals and International Competitions).

Recently awarded the Taiwanese Kuo Shu medal of achievement for his work in Chinese martial arts, Mike continues to travel and study Chinese Martial Arts in Taiwan with Grandmaster Wang Chieh, specializing in Yue Jia San Shou (Yue Family Style), Ba Bu Tanglang (Praying Mantis), Bai He Chuan (White Crane), Joint Locking (Chin-Na), Tai Chi, Push Hands (Tuei Shou) and Shuai Jiao (Chinese Wrestling).

Patrick Parker: Some of my readers have told me that you were the most amazing martial artist that they'd ever gotten to personally work with. What do you think are your particular strengths as a martial artist and as a teacher of martial arts?

Mike Martello: Pat, amazing is a gracious compliment by your readers, really I am nothing compared to my teachers and mentors and the many others I have met during my travels over the years. I have had the chance to meet some amazing people who helped me, inspired me and taught me beyond dreams; these are the ones who should get the accolades; my Father, Wang Cheih Laoshi and many others. I would like to thank them all!

The second part of the questions is tricky, Pat; it takes more than one idea to better understand your question, I will try to sum it up.

Well, my life experiences and all my mistakes in life are my strengths. As my Father told me, mistakes are the keys to learning. I had a very early start in training, having been taught boxing from my father since I was 3. I was exposed to the fighting arts from an early age and was able to absorb a lot of information and experiences. I started quite early as a teacher of martial arts, and the accumulated knowledge and experience really helped me develop my understanding of martial arts training, teaching and culture. Teaching itself is a very important aspect of the learning process. It forces one to delve deeper in order to transmit knowledge better, but moreover it makes me want to search deeper to just learn more and more about it all.

I therefore relentlessly strive to achieve deeper understanding of martial arts and its culture for my own personal cultivation and in order to preserve and teach the principles of martial arts culture: To bridge the culture, philosophy and lifestyle into my own life and martial arts teachings, not just the fighting aspects, and to help all people better understand cross cultures to allow a better foundation grow for the future for martial arts. Martial arts is my venue where I can help and teach people these experiences and martial essences.

Patrick Parker: What aspects of the martial arts (i.e. physical fitness, self-defense, self-improvement, competition, etc…) do you think you emphasize the most in your teaching?

Mike Martello: Of course, in a legitimate martial arts school, every above-mentioned aspect should be stressed, with self-improvement being foremost. Physical fitness, self-defense, competition... these are all different forms or channels for self-improvement.

Having said that, I would like to point out that in my teachings I emphasize the aspect of "awareness of oneself" or total body awareness. I stress proper foundational training for my students.

In the early stages of training, the student's body has not been fully developed martial arts-wise. The direction to which the student might develop is also not clear; will he or she favor competition above anything else? Maybe he/she is really interested in Mantis? Bagua? Taiji? This all depends on the student's body type, character and personal preferences. I was fortunate to have started at a very early age and to have learned from many excellent teachers various styles of traditional Chinese martial arts. In my foundation training I do not lean towards one single style; what I am most interested in is the common ground of all Chinese martial arts. It is this foundational training which I teach the students: to condition the physical body, strengthen the tendons and joints, waist power, to develop total body coordination, connection and awareness. Once this foundation is firm, the student is free to explore different styles; the student would only need to adapt to certain stylistic characteristics, but the proper usage of the body will come natural to him/her. That's my approach: I plant the seed in order for the student to grow and develop without limitations, to achieve realization of oneself.

Patrick Parker: What was your first experience with martial arts that got you interested in pursuing this path?

Mike Martello: I started boxing with my father when I was 3 years old growing up in NYC. When I was about 7 or 8, an uncle who had been in the military taught me kickboxing. I was really fascinated by the use of the legs. I moved onto Shotokan, and later TKD. When I was 11 I met a kung fu teacher (Teddy Wong), who showed me that the CMA were the best for me, not the best in general, but the best for me and then I met Su Yu Chang when I was in my early 20s. Even before that I was exploring Muay Thai, Karate, and Eskrima with whomever was around, I was taking seminars, going to schools and doing drop in classes etc.

I really enjoyed fighting, and being small, all my life I had plenty of opportunities to test my skills against kids on the street. That is the reason my father started teaching me boxing at such an early age, as he knew I would be tested on the streets of NYC. But I also had opportunities to try my skills out in the ring where I boxed, and I also competed in many Chinese, TKD, Karate tournaments, and kickboxing events as well. I just wanted to go try what I had learned. Growing up fighting I was not scared of getting hit, but I was scared of not hitting them hard enough! I wanted to learn how to hit harder! Don't get me wrong, before any blows are thrown both fighters are anxious, but once that first hit is in, either me or the opponent being hit (90% of the time I was the one who got hit) then I am in the zone, and I am comfortable. The moment between is the anxious part. My thirst for knowledge knew no bounds though, and so all of these situations were my teacher if you know what I mean. Every loss, every win, every hit taught me unforgettable lessons.

Yet, after having acquired fighting experience inside as well as outside the ring, these same experiences slowly led me away from fighting in order to pursue martial arts truly as an art form. I learned to appreciate the beauty of artistic expression through movement, and this same beauty urged me on a never-ending quest of research and perfection. Just as a painter uses pallet, paint and brushes to create a beautiful painting, as a martial artist one should create magic through movement, rhythm, explosiveness and flow.

The French moralist Jean de La Bruyère once said:

False greatness is unsociable and remote: conscious of its own frailty, it hides, or at least averts its face, and reveals itself only enough to create an illusion and not be recognized as the meanness that it really is. True greatness is free, kind, familiar and popular; it lets itself be touched and handled, it loses nothing by being seen at close quarters; the better one knows it, the more one admires it.

That is one of my favorite quotes; it describes exactly how I perceive movement arts and what a martial artist stands for. How can I not pursue this path?

Patrick Parker: What do you think most interests your students and keeps them coming to class?

Mike Martello: The answer to this question can be three-fold:

Firstly, it is the contents and ideas of my training methods, which interest the students; i.e. the development of total body awareness and the results in physical awareness as mentioned previously.

Secondly, apart from the physical aspect of CMA, I also try to transmit authentic martial arts culture to my students. It is strange that in this era of multicultural societies, information technology and convenient means of transport, appreciation of culture and higher cultural awareness seem severely lacking. Through Chinese martial arts culture, which is a culture based on the ideas of brotherhood, respect, righteousness and honor, a student can reflect on his or her own behavior and mindset, and this can lead to better self-understanding.

Lastly, I teach by example. Martial arts is all about self-improvement. In present-day society, many people are living too comfortable lives and have forgotten about personal struggles, self-improvement and the pursuit of ideals. The world is a tough, cruel place, and we are fortunate that we have the opportunities and means to improve our lives, yet what I see around me are people who waste their precious time and energy through laziness and self-indulgence. I had to work hard for everything in my life, and I still do. My presence, my entire being, is somewhat of a non-stop wake-up call to my students: Life is short, work hard! I try my best to inspire my students and other people around me.

Patrick Parker: How have the martial arts with which you've been involved changed over the course of your involvement?

Mike Martello: Pat, I have been involved with a myriad of martial arts throughout the years and it would be impossible for me to point out the changes, which have occurred. I can only comment on the fact that in my younger days I have studied many styles and even though I may not practice these styles anymore, I have absorbed certain aspects and principles, which I still cultivate in my personal training and life.

Patrick Parker: What does the future of these particular martial arts look like to you?

Mike Martello: Instead of commenting on a martial art in particular, I would like to share my views on the future of CMA in general. Let me start with the famous story of Buddha...

Siddharta Gautama was born a prince, and at his birth it was foretold that he will either become a great king or an enlightened sage. Siddharta grew up in luxury and wealth, and as befits a prince he was betrothed and later married an aristocratic lady, who gave him a son. Yet at a certain point in his life, he forsakes his throne and abandoned his family, leaving his wife, child and wealth behind, to seek knowledge. He began a life of poverty and wandering, seeking out great masters and learning from them, in his quest for enlightenment he studied every form of spiritual cultivation available to him, going as far as leading an aesthetic lifestyle up to the point of near-starvation. Siddharta then meditated for 49 days, in which various demons tried to seduce and distract him, yet he persisted and reached true enlightenment to become the Buddha.

The tale of Buddha is a wonderful lesson and can serve as a metaphor for the martial arts practitioner's journey. In order to become a true martial artist, many sacrifices need to be made. One needs to search for knowledge, and through diligent practice and great perseverance can one succeed. Furthermore, society will distract you, there will be many factors to lead you astray, one single misstep and you might not fulfill your true potential.

In contemporary society, how many are able to accomplish this? I always ask: who are the new masters? We had Yang Cheng-Fu, we had Dong Haichuan... yet who are the new masters of martial arts? Who can be the new icons in Chinese martial arts history?

In order for Chinese martial arts to be preserved as well as evolve, certain boundaries need to be broken. Martial arts are not about fighting, it is about self-preservation and self-improvement. Although not many people can become martial arts masters, martial arts can enrich the lives of everyone. Martial arts can make life more endearing to everyone, but first those who teach martial arts need to re-educate themselves to reach a deeper understanding in order to re-educate the public.

Patrick Parker: Over the course of your career in martial arts, who were the 1-2 most amazing martial artists that you ever got to personally work with? What made them so great?

Mike Martello: Of course, my views are quite subjective. Firstly, my second principal teacher Master Su Yu-Chang who provided me with the tools and arsenal from which I could grow.

Secondly, Grandmaster Wang Chieh who is truly an amazing man. He is now 82 years old and still healthy and strong. He is a living proof of kungfu, an example of correct martial arts training. Master Su made me into a beautiful, streamlined shell of a racecar, but it was Master Wang who gave me the powerful engine to match the exterior. The most amazing thing is that, despite his great level of mastery, Master Wang does not consider himself a master, just forever a student of martial arts who likes to practice.

Last but not least, I would like to mention my father, the Late Rocky Martello, who was known as "The Rock" during his days as a boxer 1940`s. It was my father who taught me "the school of hard knocks", who gave me the guts to tackle anything. Master Su gave me the car, Master Wang gave me the engine, but it was my father who made me a racer, the one who taught me to take the steering wheel of life into my own hands and reach for my goals no matter what.

Thanks Pat for the venue to express some personal thoughts to you and your readers. I hope I answered your questions.

And thank you, Mike. I have surely enjoyed getting to talk with you and glean some of your understanding and experience. I can tell from our brief exchange here as well as from your videos why some of my readers have told me that you were one of the most amazing martial artists that they’d ever met. I hope to get to meet you in person at some point and learn a bit more.

Previous interviews have gone back and forth for several rounds of questions and answers but Mr. Martello has been so busy recently renovating a new club and travelling to Beijing, that I only did the first round of questions. If any readers have questions about the info in this interview or want to pose additional questions, leave a comment below and I'll make sure he gets them.

http://www.mokurendojo.com

New space update 2: list of training material

2008-03-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

As the new space of Wu Tan is on the progress of finishing (at this moment, we need painters!), there is a possibility for you to make list and mail it to our Kung Fu brother Luke. He will process the lists and teacher Mike and Rosa will look at the possibilities to get it for the club. It is important to have a list, so please email it or hand it to Luke after the training.

New space update: Painters needed!

2008-03-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Wu Tan brothers and sisters,
I went to see the new space yesterday and it looks really good, high ceilings, large training area. Great for forms and weapon training... Teacher Mike, Rosa, Vincent, Dieter (and occasionally other Kung Fu brothers and sisters) have put a great deal of work to make this happen; our own training space.

At this moment, we need help to do the painting. With a big group, this will be fun and worthwhile. The more help we get, the faster the space will be available for us. So let's do it!

We need painters for: Wed. night starting at 7:30 pm, Marnix Straat 25
(Big Blue Doors), Antwerp, 2060

Please reply Dieter at: dieter dot de dot potter @ g mail dot com

Wear old clothes...

Thank you,
Wutan New Club
photo by teacher Mike martello

Upcoming seminar with Mike Martello Laoshi/Sifu/Shifu

2008-03-27T17:18:00.000-07:00

In May, Mike Laoshi once again will come to Osnabrueck and give a Seminar! Martial Arts practisioners from all levels and styles are welcome!

There will be two Headlines:

On Saturday Mike will be teaching Mantis and probably MiaoDao
On Sunday he will be teaching PushHands from TaiJi and Stuff.

Everybody can join!

Payment will be :
1 Seminar: 70 Euro
2 Seminare: 100 Euro
but Members of WuTang Belgium and Bailung e.V. getting a 20 Euro Discount!

Exact Time:
Saturday, 10.05.2008 13.00 -19.00 Uhr
Sunday, 11.05.2008 11.00 - 17.00 Uhr

Location: Osnabrueck, Germany

Infos: i n f o @ b a i l u n g . d e

Hope to see a lot of you then! Fun is guaranteed!

Greets
Jochen Wolfgramm
-------

www.bailung.de

Mike Martello Sifu visits Osnabrueck

2008-03-27T03:33:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody,

last Saturday Mike Sifu visit our small Trainingscamp in Osnabrueck. He came the way from Antwerp just for one day to help me teaching my Students. And it was a lot of help.

Together with Dieter, Mike came in the early morning (of course they lost at least one time the way ;) ) and after a Cup of tea and a short warm up, he started to get into the important stuff.

So in the morning he taught the first 3 of 6 Mantis Roads. Although it was basic stuff, Mike made it a challenge for everybody. The Details, once more, were the key to understanding!

After a break and Lunch Mike worked in the afternoon at more Basics. This time it was Relaxing Power and a lot of partnering Stuff. He finished with his (and everybody elses) favourite: ChinNa. Well, what could I say? Everybody had plenty of fun and get a deep insight in Mikes way of Gong Fu. It was great. Also, an old Kung Fu Brother of mine, Claudio Fabbricatore, came for a visit. He was not too shy to put on his Training Dress and to train with everybody together, regardless of his Teaching Position since years. He was not only there to visit me, but also eager to meet Mike. And so he really enjoyed the day and the exchange with Mike Sifu.

In the evening we sat down to have Dinner and Mike, in a very good mood, told us a lot about the background of Kung Fu, Forms and History besides his personal Journey through Martial Arts.

It was a great Visit and Mike really helped all of us a lot to improve. So when I gave him a small envelope to cover Gas and other expenses and he rejected, he had of course no chance!

But more of all everybody wants to thank Mike for his great and dedicated training! Thanks Mike Sifu.

Students, teamwork and martial spirit

2008-03-26T15:42:00.001-07:00

I found this movieclip of students performing a basic form of Wudang Style Kung Fu (which is not the same as our Wu Tan). However, I am not writing about differences of styles. As Grandmaster Wang Chieh says "all Martial Arts are the same in the end" (I will try to write a chapter about the differences between Wudang and Wu Tan in the future, but for those who can't wait and would like to know more about Wudang, I refer you to this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wudangquan).
So now, I would like to show this video according to the quality of the performance. I believe that YouTube is a source not to see which martial arts is better, but to see which masters have great skills or what kind of mistakes students (like us) make. Often, one could see students performing on YouTube, whose aim is merely trying to gain attention with some moves they have learned in a hurry, then as reply to be trashed by others (which proves teacher Mike's teaching, that without jiben gong (basics), form will only be as beautiful as a flower without roots, foundation, strenght and finesse- and thus missing the soya sauce). Of course I can't do it better and should not judge, but not saying anything would not help the learning curve either. It can be seen as a denial. At least, the reply should be constructive towards ourselves as students, always in the progress of learning. Thus it's important to be constructive by promoting good training and performance. When I see what I think is a good performance, I believe we should encourage ourselves and other fellow students to see how it should be done. When I saw this video after much browsing on YouTube, the first thing it came to my mind was: "I am embarrassed to be a lousy student, these guys/girls are much better!", then it changed into: "Yes, regardless the different style, they show great martial spirit and teamwork in their form, which we all should be inspired by". Please watch the video, and ask yourself: don't we owe to ourselves, to our teacher and his art to practise and perform with at least half the spirit of these students?
Superbouncykid aka just another grasshopper

My teacher Mike Martello (by Jochen Wolfgramm)

2008-03-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

Since I am often asked how I met Mike Martello Sifu and how he became my teacher, I will now tell the whole story, and give a view of the backgrounds.

It all started in May 2005. At this point, I have invited Jake Burroughs to my former school to give a seminar on Liu He Tang Lang (mantis) techniques. Participants were next to some of my own students, Arne Grandt (Tang Lang teacher from Cologne) and his student Puja and 5 students from Mike Martello. They all came the way from Belgium, because Mike Martello encouraged his students to see and learn from other teachers also.

During the seminar, I took the opportunity to talk with Mike Martello, whom I never met in person, but already know something from forums. e-mails and even some video clips. I heard about him as a very good teacher and martial artists. During the talk Mike was able to speak out what I felt was the exact point but wasn´t able to think about it in that exact way. He was talking about my inner thoughts without knowing me. I was more than surprised.

By this time I was on a deadpoint with my martial arts development. My Taiji was lousy, as only rudimentary and reduced alone on the empty movements of the form, my Mantis also had not really been developed for some time. It was at this time that I learned only more and more variations of the typical 7 Star Mantis sets without learning something fundamental new.

Everyone certainly knows the feeling when he buys the new Album of his favorite band and at home with great disappointment determines that it is only another variation of the preceding. No innovation, no further development. Well, I just felt my stagnation in the martial arts like this.

On this day in early May 2005, however, stood in front of me a person who told of similar experiences, and also how it works for him to go forward. Mike showed that day as good as none of his ability. He exchanged only with me his thoughts. He helped me in conversation to see what my problem (and that of many others as well) was. Only his idea of rooting he demonstrated with Arne Grandt. He asked Arne to push on him in a Kua Hu Bu (Tiger riding or cat stance) over the outstretched arm. Arne managed not to move Mike an inch. I was naturally impressed, I knew those skills stories, but had not met someone, who could really show!

It was a very exciting and, in retrospect, an important day. I agreed with Mike, to visit him soon in his school in Antwerp. 2 weeks later, I was over. To reinforce objective I visited him together with my girlfriend Nadine, who also had a few years Tang Lang and Taiji experience.

During a 4-day visit to Antwerp, we could get to know Mike Martello personally as well as experience him in private training and also in some regular class situations. Everything he showed and explained was very grounded. In addition, his skills were incredible. Not good studied tricks, but real skills and depth of knowledge impressed us in the long term. There was someone who showed things that we only knew from stories and best seen in films. Everything he did goes back on some very basic things: the base (rooting, the use of hip, alignment, etc.) and how to use this basis, then all techniques had incredible power.

It's hard to describe what Mike Martello makes so unique. Certainly, it is his way of personal experience, long decades of martial arts training and enormous dedication to his training and his students. Above all, it´s a solid basis in everything he does.

At that time I realized to my luck that I could learn incredible lot from by Mike Martello. And I did not step back to ask him to accept me as a student. Something that, in my experience, many others simply denied: learning again, leaving the teacher status and be just a student.

Since then, a few years past now and I have in this time much recognized and learned. The relationship with Mike Martello Sifu goes far beyond a mere "apprenticeship". He enables me to learn a lot, to meet and to learn from people who promote good Kung Fu. Therefore, I am very grateful.

I hope I could give a little insight into my reasons and motivations to become a disciple of Mike Martello Sifu and hope that the readers remain objective when they try to understand this!

Jochen Wolfgramm

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www.bailung.de

Introduction of a master #1: Grandmaster Wang Chieh

2008-03-17T16:38:00.000-07:00

Introduction of a master is an ongoing display of (grand)masters who not only have high level skills, but as extraordinary individuals whose integrity, focus, commitment and hard work in life set a good example to future generations of martial arts practitioners. It is my honor to start this series of introductions with Grandmaster Wang Chieh, the teacher of Mike laoshi. Grandmaster Wang Chieh is a rare treasure in Taiwan and China. When I saw Grandmaster Wang in Beijing, it was the image of a kind, humble man with a great sense of humour. Yet his power is beyond words. The following 2 texts are taken from the offical Wu Tan Belgium site: http://www.wutang.be/wtb/gmw.html

"No two flowers grow on the same tree, all martial arts are the same in the end." — Wang Laoshi

Grandmaster Wang Chieh was a disciple of Praying Mantis Grandmaster Wei Xiao Tang, seeing him on a daily basis in the Botanical Gardens Park and at Shifu Wei's home. He specializes in Ba Bu Tang Lang, Bai He Chuan, Yue Jia San Shou, Tai Chi Tuei Shou, Shuai Jiao, and Chin-na. He is in Wei Xiao Tang's definitive Book of Praying Mantis Techniques. Wang served as instructor for the Taiwanese army and has taught at numerous universities throughout Taipei.

Wang Chieh began his study of kung fu as a young child in Hunan province in mainland China. He moved to Taiwan in 1958, and, to this day, can be found practicing and teaching in Shin Long Gong Yuan, Taipei City everyday from 8am till 11:30 or later. His unique contribution to Chinese kung fu is utilizing techniques of both the Praying Mantis and White Crane systems and integrating complex joint locking skills to create a subtle and powerful fighting style.

In spite of his accomplishments, Master Wang does not refer to himself as a Master or Laoshi, he simply says, "One must enjoy the practice of Chinese martial arts and be humble, as we are not Masters but students forever practicing."

- by mike martello -

Translated from - Wu-Lin Magazine Taiwan 2004 -

Master Wang Chieh was originally named Wang Shaochang, born on the 16th day of the 10th month in the 16th year of the Republic (1927) in Xiangxiang County, Hunan Province. Master Wang came from a martial arts family, his father Wang Zinan was a legitimate expert of Yue Family Sanshou.

Wang Chieh was the seventh child within the family. His older brothers and sisters have all passed away, and his younger sister now resides on Mainland China. One of his brothers, Wang Shaoye, was the inner chamber disciple of Hunan martial arts master Liu Senyan. When the Communist Party came to power, both Wang Shaoye and his wife were arrested by the CCP and died from starvation in prison. Liu Senyan too was captured by the Communists and publicly executed as a warning for the local population.

It is said that the case of Liu Senyan had a great impact at the time, not only did the local gentry used all their means to have him released, it also drew the attention of Central Government official Zhou Enlai who sent a letter urging the authorities to postpone the execution, but unfortunately this letter arrived too late, and in the end all efforts were in vain. Alas! For a great martial arts master to suffer such tragic fate saddens the hearts.

Although Master Wang Chieh grew up in a rural village, he was gifted with intelligence and good physical abilities. Because of this, he already received training on the courtyard from an early age on, and his father Zinan was particularly fond of him. At the age of eight he started learning Yuejia Sanshou from his father. During that time martial arts practice was very popular in the rural areas of Mainland China, and this was especially so in Hunan Province. Master Wang often says: "The men from Xiang (ancient name for Hunan Province) are fierce, that's why throughout the history of China no army was raised without warriors from Hunan."

Since ancient times the soldiers and generals from Hunan have formed the backbone of the Chinese army, for example: Zeng Guofan , Zuo Zongtang , Hu Linji and others were all talented men on which the country could rely on, heroes who change the tides in periods of turmoil. Wang Chieh believes that this is the result of the simple living conditions of China's rural society. In the North of China, each year when Fall sets in there will be frost lasting till Spring in the next year. During this period the farmers could not work on their lands, and would often hire martial arts teachers from outside the village to teach. Training the martial arts was something to make them pass their time and keep the youngsters busy and out of trouble, also it provided them with skills to defend themselves when necessary. After three years, the best fighter amongst the students would have a match with the teacher as a final test. If the teacher won, he would receive a big salary as a reward and leave with pride and honor to teach elsewhere. If he lost he would sadly leave with nothing. Some teachers, to make a living and saving face, would keep certain techniques secret in order to use against their own students. This was the origin of the so-called "Secret Techniques". To be continued.

translated - by ming fai ho -

Legendary masters doing the Horse stand (click image to enlarge)

2008-03-17T05:11:00.000-07:00

Horse stand (mabu) is the most basic yet important stand in all Chinese Martial Arts. If your horse stand is bad: You have no balance, no leg strength, no rooting thus whatever movement you try to do (forms, fighting, health), it will not work and you will be wasting your time. Hence horse stand is a very important jiben gong (basic skills, NOTE: Chinese interpretation of the word "basic" is not the same as the word "easy or less advance". The word basic refers to "foundation" and is of very important value). If a Chinese master tells you that you don't have any "jiben gong", it means you lack foundation and your Kung Fu sucks!

When trying to find a good teacher, watch his stands closely. It is the first visible proof, which can show you if your teacher is a fake or has proper "foundation". But, with high level skill teachers whose internal chi ripens, the movement and structure will become less clear for the beginner to see. The wide, strong stand and the big circle movements of the waist becomes more internal, while the power increases. So if you are not sure about your teacher stands, you need to see if he has great internal power. If both are absent, he might not be the person you are looking for.

Although a horse stand looks easy to do, it is one of those exercises best described with the words from teacher Mike: "Looks easy, but not easy".

The text and photo's above are taken from a forum online, the original source no longer exists. Due to that and the copying nature of internet, I greatfully put this interesting article on this blog.

Second source:http://www.hungkyun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=182&sid=64840ee1f4300e884d9d7c760fab8245

Quote of the day:

2008-03-17T04:10:00.000-07:00

"Beware mysticism. Kung fu is a combat system that offers many physical and mental benefits. While the taoists can fight, kung fu is not a religion in itself--it is a system to discipline the mind and body to maximize energy. Don't get bogged down by someone telling you to "feel the harmony of the life spirit." "

From: http://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Good-Kung-Fu-Teacher

Wu Tan's fashion:

2008-03-17T02:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Dieter came up with a box full of new training clothes, the idea is to get the school more unified. There are both ladies and men's style. Some of the ladies t-shirt are close fitted (not shown) and the men's are baggy (I am sure Maxim would love one of the ladies' t-shirts, Renaat possibly have ordered one, which means I would have to fight for one as well). Just ask Dieter next time before or after training about it, if you wish to buy one.

No, we are not trying to make a fashion statement. Unification is important, and we also want to look good during training... and being comfortable of course. I asked Ollie why the ladies get to wear nice fitted t-shirts, while the men have to wear baggy stuff. It seems the design of the clothing (baggy streetwear) refers to teacher Mike's root in New York. Actually, if you ever see him performing, watch him as he walks to the front. You will notice his "New York" walk (streetwise), a personal touch before his performance.

I wonder if teacher Mike has seen the movie "The Matrix", in this movie the world is fictional, but the protagonists could wear very cool clothes they like just by imagining. As for us students, we can't do the moves yet, but at least we can still look cool.

Sifu or Laoshi?

2008-03-16T14:14:00.000-07:00

When looking at websites from other teachers, many refer themselves as "sifu". At Wudang we would call teacher Mike "Mike" (informal) or "Mike Laoshi" (formal). So What is the meaning of the word "sifu"? As far as I know, there are actually 2 interpretations. The first one is that of the language: "Si" means teach and "fu" means father, it refers to the fact that good martial arts teachers not only teach a student how to fight (health and strengh) , but also how not to fight (mental and moral). A good teacher is like a good father who would point his pupil to walk the right path. In Ancient times it is not uncommon for the teacher to take orphanes off the street and raises them as his own children. Thus in a Kung Fu school, the atmosphere is like one big family.

Second interpretation is that there are 2 ways calling a teacher "sifu", the first way is that of the outsider who whishes to respect the teacher and by referring him as "sifu", the word establish the position of the "master". But on the same time, the outsider is not connected with the word (he is not family) and thus "sifu" used in this context is only a polite form of addressing the teacher (e.g. in Hong Kong, you can address a chef cook with "sifu").

For the student it is a different story, to address his teacher as "sifu" means he is addressing him as his father, which means he accepts his authority and wisdom. It also means to have loyalty as one would have for his/her father. However, there were times teachers have to open up their schools for everyone or it is not always possible to find the right student (in mind or skill), so the teacher usually keeps this relation with a very small group of selected students. When a student is chosen to enter this circle of bond, a ritual (called: "bai si" in Cantonese) will take place and the student becomes a real follower of the teacher. He/she is then an "indoor" student.

As long as you are not an "indoor" student, it is not proper to call your teacher "sifu", due to the weight of the word. The word "laoshi" means teacher (like school teacher) and is much more neutral in that aspect.

The only exception I have seen is that "sifu" is widely used in places like Hong Kong. Regardless you are a stranger, an outdoor- or indoor student, you still use the word "sifu". It is not wrong, as different areas have different habits or rules (so if you practise Southern styles like "Hung Gar", "Choi Ly Fut" or "Wing Chun", it is normal to address your teacher as "sifu" regardless you are an indoor student or not).

Do not confuse "sifu" with "sijou", "sijou" means grandmaster and is extremely high in rank. The teacher of your teacher is your sijou. E.g: Grandmaster Wang Chieh is our "sijou". If you have students you either use "sifu" or laoshi (the pronunciation of laoshi is mandarin whereas the pronuntiation of sifu is cantonese), it is not correct to use sijou when your students aren't official teachers.

Note: Respect and face value go hand in hand within the Chinese culture, which means that it is proper to address teacher Mike as laoshi when other Chinese are around (in case you wonder). As with the way Chinese interpretation of family value: A good son/daughter reflects the goodness of the parents.

(picture: Teacher Mike Martello and his true "sifu" Grandmaster Wang Chieh practising push hands)

Working on the new training hall of Wu Tan! (more news later)

2008-03-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome friends of Wu Tan!

2008-03-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

Hi there! I would like to welcome you to this blog, dedicated to the spirit of real Kung Fu. We are students of teacher Mike Martello (who is too humble to use the word Master, even though he fits the bill plenty). I have been around teacher Mike for about 2 years now, and though I am an absolute beginner in Kungfu, the culture of this ancient fighting art isn't unfamiliar to me. My parents are Chinese, which means I have been fed with kung Fu soaps and movies (yes, with the funny dubbing, in Chinese as well) from early age. I have 2 uncles who are kung Fu fighters (Hung Gar Choy Lee Fut style), one has a teacher level, whose title he earned from his master (unlike the booming of many self declared masters in the West). He is very known for his superb spear form. The second uncle used to be a vicious streetfighter in the UK. Like in the spirit of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, he would use the techniques which suit him most and apply it on the street as a mean of survival. He is the first fighter I have met who can effectively apply traditional Kung Fu techniques in a real fighting situation (most Western Kung Fu fighters I have seen would turn back to kick boxing in a fight).

I have tried many different martial arts from when I was little; As a teenager I got interested in Karate, shotokan style. I did that for about 5 years, then when one day I realised that the Western people are much bigger and stronger than me, I lost my interest in it, as hard muscle force against hard muscle force will always put me into disadvantage.

It was then I have learned Pak Mei Pai Kung Fu in Antwerp, Belgium. The teacher was a great and funny man, who had a great deal of experience and who would let beginners train horsestand for a year before they are allowed to practise anything else. When I entered his school, he changed his teachings by letting beginners punch on boxingbags. Unfortunatly, the horsestand became less important because most of the beginners couldn't cope with the hardship and just left. Although Pak Mei Pai school used chi (breathing) instead of karate's muscles, it was still a hard type of chi. So I quit after a year training (and was better than those 5 years karate!). By 2003, while I was travelling in Japan, the great Pak Mei teacher passed away.

In Japan I was lucky to meet Hirohito Saito sensei, whose late father Morihiro Saito sensei, was the eldest disciple of O-sensei Ueshiba. I have trained at the original dojo of O-sensei Ueshiba under Hirohito Saito sensei, who is a true master in aikido. His style is brutal and efficient. Back in Belgium I was lucky again to meet Wim Van Gils sensei, a very skilled aikido teacher. His aikido style is from the Tissier lineage and though the opposite of Hirohito's approach (hard, whereas Tissier is more gentle and fluent), Wim Van Gils is very possibly one of the best Aikidoka in Belgium.

Finally, one day, I decided to join a gym for 2 or 3 times a week, but instead I came across teacher Mike Martello's school in Antwerp. I thought I would give it a try and see it as a replacement of the gym.

Then 2 things happened: At first I was pleasantly surprised that, in comparison to all the styles I have learned, teacher Mike is the only one, who would give warming-up excercises so thorough and connected to the forms and the applications, that you wonder why no one else are doing that. The second eye-opener happened after about 2 months, I got hit gently by teacher Mike and from a visual point of view it was just a slap, a swing. Yet the pain it caused on my handpalm was like if I was hit by a sledge hammer wrapped with a cotton cloth. The pain went straight through and felt like a thousand needle going through my hand. This power doesn't come from the muscles, it is an internal "soft" power.

What I am trying to say here, is that with my Chinese background, I have heard rumours about soft Chi and the myth of how it feels like when getting hit by a master with internal chi. But I have never met one who could do this effectively.

Even though I have met all these great, vicious, efficient and powerful masters, I have never encountered one who actually is combat effective with soft internal power. Even my uncle believes in the existence of soft chi, but told me that there aren't many master with this type of skill. It is regarded as much more superior than muscle strengh and more powerful than external or hard Chi. It was then I realised that there is much more to teacher Mike Martello than just an ordinary Western Kung Fu teacher.

Yet watching youtube and other websites, I have noticed the increase of many self declared "masters", who have great skills in marketing but has nothing in the true martial arts. Knowing teacher Mike as too humble to speak out (instead, he is too busy with his art and teaching), I feel the need to put up this blog and let people know that there is true Kung Fu. If it happens by chance or because I wasn't thinking properly and something wrong is written in this blog; forgive this young and naive grasshopper for being blunt and unskilled. There is a long way to go and I hope we will do it together.

Apart from that, Kung Fu is also about making friends, have a laugh, train together, eat together and have a good time. This is the blog from the students from Wu Tan and having a good time is exactly what we are doing. Kung Fu is about finding your way of life.

I hope you all will enjoy.

Superbouncykid (aka just another young grasshopper)