St Neots Club
Cambridgeshire Region
By Instructor Steven Treadaway, 3rd Duan
Tel: 01480 389 847 Mobile 07779 069 920 / 07731 577 254
e-mail: steven.treadaway@ntlworld.comOn Sunday 8th May 2005, I opened my first Ren Yi Wu Kwan Tang Sou Dao club in St. Neots, Cambridgeshire.
Instructor Steven Treadaway (3rd Duan) with new studentsAfter trying to find an available venue to teach, I finally managed to hire a room in the local leisure centre. The hall is perfect for Tang Sou Dao training as it has sprung flooring, mirrored walls, wall support bars and air conditioning.
I have around sixteen students who have joined so far. I am so impressed with their enthusiasm, dedication and effort they have shown during their training sessions. They are all doing remarkably well and progressing extremely quickly.
Partner stretching during the warm-up session
I started my martial arts training back in 1988 under the Moo Duk Kwan, Tang Soo Do. I gained my 1st Dan in 1991, 2nd Dan in 1996 and 3rd Dan in 2000. I opened my first class in 1997, and was soon teaching 3 classes a week with a large following of students. I stopped training around 2004 for a while due to injury. I went back to training after a short rest period.
Shortly after, I decided to leave the Federation for many different political and personal reasons and I had to give up my classes.
I loved my martial arts training; it had been a huge part of my life for years. I did not want to give up training completely after all this time. I decided to look around for other federations where I could continue my training. It was then I decided to contact Grandmaster Loke who I remembered from years earlier as a superb martial artist and dedicated instructor. He kindly invited me down to HQ where he discussed the Ren Yi Wu Kwan in detail. I was so impressed I joined the Federation there and then. Over the next few weeks I went down for some training sessions with Grandmaster Loke and his daughter and also went to Grandmaster's training sessions. I discussed the possibilities with Grandmaster Loke about being able to teach again and he kindly gave me permission to open a class here in Cambridgeshire.
Learning high block (sang duan tang)I'm enjoying my training and teaching immensely with Tang Sou Dao. I am finding it is more in depth technically and the techniques and applications are more effective and practical. I wish I had made the decision to join years ago! I personally have so much to learn myself and to pass onto my students. It's going to take me time to learn the new forms and techniques, but I am enjoying it no matter how long it takes me. In the very near future I am looking to open another mid week class to give my students the option of training twice a week if they wish.
Steven Treadaway (3rd Duan) InstructingI would like to take this opportunity to thank Grandmaster Loke and his family for their kind support and guidance and many of the senior grades and masters that have welcomed and helped me. I would also like to thank all my students for their support, dedication and enthusiasm shown so far in their Tang Sou Dao training.
Beginners learning middle punch (chorng duan chuen chee)Tang Sou!
Article By Steven Treadaway, 3rd Duan
© Ren Yi Wu Kwan Tang Sou Dao, All Rights Reserved
