Tai Chi and Kung Fu in Worthing and Shoreham 2012/2013- An Article by Shafagh Amiraftabi Instructor WCMA

Tai Chi 

The end of the Year 2012 and the beginning of the Year 2013 have been particularly significant. Mark Cunningham is yet another student in Worthing who has studied hard and completed Bai Her Rou Rouan Suang Yang (White Crane Frost and Sun Tai Chi form). The beginning of the year saw Donna Polson completing Suang Yang. We are all sad to see Donna leave Worthing, but I am sure she will pop in to see us when she is in town.

As well as teaching Suang Yang, Robert Lyne, Christine Pirrie, Chris Linscer and Mark Cunningham have started studying the Tai Chi Jian (straight sword) form. This form is very technical and complicated, however these students have embraced this pattern, and I can see the enjoyment they have in progressing with the Jian.

2013 begins with an interest the Suang Yang students have in studying the martial applications of their art form. They have started by progressing from the Butterfly on the Orchid flower to sticking and pushing hands exercises.

Jason lee has been improving his understanding of Suang Yang by assisting Ann Feloy and Nicola Sanderson in learning the pattern. Well done to Ann and Nicola who are progressing very well.

I would also like to welcome all our new Tai Chi students who have joined and I hope that you will enjoy your journey with us.

(Photograph is of Mark Cunningham, Shaf and Donna Polson celebrating the completion of the Suang Yang form)

 

Kung Fu 

I have to start by writing about the dedication of the Kung Fu students in Worthing and Shoreham. These guys have trained regularly, mostly twice a week without fail. This is exactly the way to approach the Martial Arts, regular and continuous training through thick and thin.

Chris Linscer who has been training with me the longest will be grading on the Shaolin Perfect Staff this year. I am very proud to have instructed a student to nearly half way through the system.

Darren Haynes and Jason Lee have been training with Mr Russell Suthern, our Chief Instructor, but also supporting the Worthing and Shoreham Clubs, getting to know all the students and their presence is an inspiration to them. Jason competed in the open hand sparring, semi contact and full contact competition as well as the forms section in the 2012 White Crane competition. He looked like Mr T at the end with the number of medals he won!

Alex King our straight A student, who is outstanding in her abilities through hard work has moved to France. We miss her already, but she is going to continue training with White Crane and I look forward to seeing her very soon.

Matthew and Caleb Cooper,  Jon and Rajan Allenby (father and son teams) make me very proud. Both teams train very hard and have huge expectations of themselves. I don’t need to push them, they push themselves. It is a great pleasure to have them in my class.

Mark Cunningham has, as well as his Tai Chi and Kung Fu training, embraced the cultural and philosophical sides of the art form. He has attended the calligraphy sessions and at the Christmas Dinner the manager and staff could not believe the beautiful calligraphy Mark produced for the event.

Ant Couzens joined us in 2012 but he has already scored an A grade in his first grading and competed in the 2012 Competition. He has been supporting both Worthing and Shoreham clubs.

Welcome to all the other students who started training last year and the beginning of this year.

We have begun the year by working on our fitness and strength, especially after the Christmas festivities. It is useful to get rid of some of those mince pie calories! Although the 2013 Competition is not until November, training has begun. It would be great to increase the number of medals won for Worthing and Shoreham. The beginning of the year is an excellent time to consolidate on all the forms learnt, as there will be several gradings coming up in the future.

2013 will be an excellent year for Worthing and Shoreham. We will see a doubling of our membership numbers and our existing students will have progressed further through the syllabus.

Shafagh Amiraftabi

Instructor WCMA