Shaolin Wahnam Kungfu Classes in London

Open Class

2009-08-07T15:19:00.008Z

Sign up for classes!

The next chance to join the class will be on Tuesday 27th July. This is a practical session where you can discover how we train traditional Shaolin Kung Fu for health, combat efficiency and spiritual joy. To participate in the session, you must agree to abide by the Ten Shaolin Laws. The fee for the session is £10.
More information about Shaolin Wahnam can be found at the main London site.

Class Details

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Regular classes take place:

Tuesday evenings, The Tab Centre, Shoreditch

New students will have the chance to enrol at the start each of month. If you wish to register, you may do so using the form above.

Classes are run by Sifu Nick Jones, a certified instructor of the Shaolin Wahnam Institute. Nick is assisted by Assistant Instructor Martin Do.

For more information on the Shaolin Wahnam Institute visit Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit's website at www.shaolin.org

What To Expect?

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The first couple of months of your training will cover the fundamentals of Shaolin kung fu. By fundamental we mean, the most important, not the most basic aspects of kung fu. This covers stances, foot work, the first four patterns of attack and defence, chi kung and examples of the application of what you have learnt.

The classes will be hard work but we certainly don't believe that throwing people 'in a the deep end' is a good way of helping you progress.

Fees

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The classes are taught in three month blocks that follow academic term dates. Classes take place on Tuesday nights.
The cost of each term is £200. This will cover membership of the Shaolin Wahnam Institute, insurance by and affiliation to the British Council of Chinese Martial Arts.

Map

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The Tab Centre, Godfrey's Place, London E2 7NT - Entrance on Godfrey's Place

Syllabus

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Shaolin Wahnam does not have a system of coloured belts or a grading system. This more relaxed approach is a good example of Chinese culture contrasting with more formal Japanese traditions. What we do have in Shaolin Wahnam is the syllabus set out below. This basically just ensures that students learn to walk before they can run. Each new level builds on techiques and skills developed in the level below and allows students to keep track of their progress.

Programme for Regular Classes

Level 1: Fundamentals of Shaolin Kungfu

Form: Basic patterns, stances and footwork.
Application: Specific Techniques.
Force: Zhang Zhuang (basic stances), One Finger Shoot Zen, Leg Stretching.
Philosophy: Dimensions, aims and brief history.
Note:

8 basic patterns of hand attack and defence.
Basic stances -- Horse-Riding, Bow-Arrow, False-Leg, Single-Leg, Unicorn, Goat.
Footwork -- forward, backward and sideways.
Specific Techniques against simple punches, kicks, holds on wrist, and throws from standing position. Use Mirror Hand against punches, retreat Bow-Arrow against kicks, circularhand against holds on wrist, and Bow-Arrow stance against throws.

Level 2: Lohan Asks the Way.

Form: Basic set -- Lohan Asks the Way.
Application: 4 basic hand attacks and defence from poise patterns.
Force: Zhang Zhuang with hand forms, Spacing, Timing, Breath Co-ordination.
Philosophy: Principles of Attack and Defence.
Note:

Sparring mode-- pre-choice and self-choice.
Principles -- Three Arrivals, Ask the Way, Safety First.

Level 3: Black Tiger Steals Heart.

Form: Applicaion Set 1 -- Black Tiger Steals Heart.
Application: Hand attacks in three-step sequences.
Force: Flow of movement, Quick decision making, Instant modification.
Philosophy: Principles of Force Training.
Note:

Sparring mode -- changing patterns.
Principles -- Gradual Progress, Perseverance,Techniques and Skills.

Level 4: Fierce Tiger Speeds Across Valley

Form : Application Set 2 -- Fierce Tiger Speeds through Valley, Patterns for kicks and defence.
Application: Further hand attacks in three-step sequences, One-step kicking attacks and defence.
Force: Leg-Stretching Exercises.
Philosophy: Techniques, Tactics and Strategies.
Note:

Sparring mode -- left or right, run-on sequence.
Principles -- Soft against hard, Exploiting opponent's weakness, Avoiding his strong points.

Level 5: Happy Bird Hops up Branch.

Form: Application Set 3 -- Happy Bird Hops up Branch.
Application: Combat sequences with kicking attacks.
Force: Breath Co-ordination., Sinew Metamorphosis Part 1.
Philosophy: Use of Tactics.
Note:

Tactics -- Feign weakness, Pressing attack, Breaking opponent's momentum.

Level 6: Felling Tree with Roots.

Form: Application Set 4 -- Felling Tree with Roots.
Application: Combat sequences with holds and falls.
Force: Sinew Metamorphosis Part 2.
Philosophy: Use of Strategies.
Note:

Strategies based on "Know Thyself, Know your Opponent".

Level 7: Shaolin Staff

Form: Flowing Water Staff or Chin Wah Staff.
Application: Against staff and other weapons.
Force: Hit, Thrust, and Eye sight training.
Philosophy: Principles of weapon combat.
Note:

Safety, certainty and decisiveness, Avoiding strength and attacking weakness.

Level 8: Shaolin Knife

Form: Plum Flower Single Knife.
Application: Against knife, spear and other weapons.
Force: Accuracy and "knife force" to cut an apple.
Philosophy: Characteristics of major weapons.
Note:

Major weapons -- staff, knife, spear, sword, dagger, Big Knife, trident, soft whip.

Level 9: Unarmed against Armed

Form: Empty Hands Enter White Blade.
Application: Unarmed against dagger, staff and knife.
Force: Countering feign moves.
Philosophy: The principles and practice of Apparent and Real.
Note:

"Over Bridge, Flow with Water".

Level 10: Single Unarmed against Multiple Unarmed

Form: Tiger Enters Herd of Sheep.
Application: Single unarmed against multiple unarmed.
Force: "Bamboo Man" or "Through the Woods".
Philosophy: "Back-wall battle" and "Dodge-hit battle".
Note:

Agility stamina and endurance.

Level 11: Single Unarmed and Armed against Multiple Armed

Form: Dodge Hit.
Application: Single unarmed and armed against multiple armed.
Force: Dodging skills and using enemy as shields.
Philosophy: "Catch the Leader First" and "Break Through the Weakest".
Note:

Importance of mind and energy control.

Level 12: Introduction to Specialized Training

Form: Composing own form for training.
Application: Sample application of specialized skills and techniques.
Force: Selection from Abdominal Breathing, Sinew Metamorphosis, etc.
Philosophy: Specialization of force or techniques, or both.
Note:

This is an introduction to further training.

Syllabus Details for Grading

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Level 1 - Fundamentals of Shaolin Kung Fu

Form
Basic stances – (Horse Riding, Bow Arrow, False Leg, Single Leg, Unicorn and Goat) Ten breaths just to check form.
Basic Patterns – 8 patterns of hand attack and defence. All done from two tigers at the ready position.
Basic Footwork – Forwards, backwards and sideways in any of the basic stances. Students follow basic instructions called out by instructor.
Arrow Steps (1 to 4). From Lohan into Black tigers. A few times each.

Application
Pre-choice one step sparring based on the following:
Rolling Thunder against holds on wrist. Start standing, stepping back to false leg.
Appropriate Shifting step to Bow Arrow stance against throws. Starting in bow, alternating backwards and forwards stepping back to avoid throw.

Force
Zhang Zhuang – correct form, relax, relax and relax
One Finger Shooting Zen – correct form, sounds and force

Philosophy –levels 1-3 all tested together. Mix of random and targeted questions.
Dimensions
Aims
Brief History
10 Shaolin Laws

LEVEL 2 – Lohan Asks the Way

Form
Basic set – Lohan Asks the Way No arrow steps.
Application
1 step sparring pre-choice. From poise patterns.
1 step sparring self-choice
Defence against self-choice 1 step variations of hand attacks (e.g. partner may attack with a palm or a palm chop using any stances other than the standard ones.) All attacks are slight variations on the basic patterns. Examples: Cup fist, phoenix eye, palm instead of Black tiger. Leopard, straight jab, instead of white snake. Cup fist, angry leopard instead of Precious duck. Chop, back fist, hook instead of golden star.

Force
Horse riding stance or Golden Bridge for 5 minutes. Will be done as a continuation of the earlier stances.

Philosophy To be tested alongside level 1 philosophy.
Principles of Attack and defence
Float high attacks, lean on middle attacks, sweep low attacks, intercept side attacks
Defend then counter – Black tiger/single tiger
Defence + counter combined – precious duck/False leg hand sweep
No defence direct counter – Hang Golden Star/Immortal

Three Arrivals
Ask the way
Safety first

LEVEL 3 – Black Tiger Steals Heart

Form
Application set 1- Black Tiger Steals Heart Arrow steps: start of seq 2 insert arrow step 1, seq 3 arrow step 3, seq 4 arrow step 4.

Application
Self-choice sequence sparring based on Sequences 1 to 4. One at a time. Alternating.
Self-choice sequence sparring with continuation of another
sequence. One person attacking any two seq in a row.
Self-choice sequence sparring with one or two additions or modifications.
Step one: Seq with attacker adding one additional pattern to the end of the sequence, defender defends. This extra pattern will be a pattern found within the syllabus level.

Step two: Defender now defends the attackers first additional pattern and counters. The initial attacker defends and counters with his second additional pattern. Defender defends, end of seq.

Step three: as above but now with use of modified patterns (All attacks are slight variations on the basic patterns. Examples: Cup fist, phoenix eye, palm instead of Black tiger. Leopard, straight jab, instead of white snake. Cup fist, angry leopard instead of Precious duck. Chop, back fist, hook instead of golden star).

Force
Set and Combat sequences performed with good flow
Instant modification and quick decision making tested by students ability to change patterns in response to partners self choice attack

Philosophy To be tested alongside level 1 philosophy.
Principals of force training
Consistent practice (perseverance)
Gradual progress
Techniques
Skills
10 Posts on the Shaolin Wahnam Forum

LEVEL 4 – FIERCE TIGER SPEEDS ACROSS VALLEY

Form
Application set 2- Fierce Tiger Speeds Through Valley

Force
Art of 100 (80) Kicks –Happy bird, white horse, golden oriole, naughty monkey.

Application
Self-choice sequence sparring using Sequences 5 to 8. One at a time.
Sequence-sparring with continuation. Two sequences from 1-8, A attacks followed by B returning attack.
Sequence-sparring with subtraction and addition.
Step one: 1-8 just subtraction of one or two patterns.
Step two: 1-8 additional pattern, one or two patterns at end of sequence (see notes for level 3).
Sequence-sparring with surprised counters using strikes.
Only hands at this stage. Used as attacker first asks the way. Pair then continue with a self choice sequence 1-8.
One-step sparring using kicks.
Left bow to left bow for happy bird, white horse and golden oriole.
Left bow to right bow for naughty monkey.

Philosophy –second part of philosophy test for levels 5-7.
Techniques, Tactics and Strategies
Soft against hard
Exploiting an opponents weakness
Avoiding opponents strong points
Application of above to daily life