Cambridgeshire Region
Grading Cambridgeshire Region
St Neots and Houghton Clubs
2nd February 2008
By Instructor Steven Treadaway (3rd Duan)
On Sunday 17th February 2008, Grandmaster Loke and Master Siew Ying Loke visited us in St Neots, Cambridgeshire to conduct a grading examination and hold another technical workshop for some of the students.
Grandmaster Loke taught the lesson before the grading examination commenced. He covered stances and how to move forwards and backwards in the back stance (Hou Ma Bu) showing evasion from an oncoming attack. He also covered some basic techniques and more advanced combination techniques for Orange belt (6th Ji) and above. He showed the importance of the covering hand to protect vital points on the body when performing an elbow attack (Sou Chuor Kong Chee). He also covered some kicking techniques and the importance of the leg position and the recovery after performing a kicking technique.
8th and 7th ji students performing basic form four
and pinan form oneAll the students really enjoyed the lesson and learnt a lot of valuable information from it.
After the hour long lesson conducted by Grandmaster Loke the grading examination commenced. The majority of students that were due for grading were from my more recently opened class at Houghton, Cambridgeshire. All the students have been practising hard during training lessons in the run up to the grading.
High punch: san duan chuen cheeQuite a few students were going for the first grade of Yellow tag (9th Ji) and were quite nervous on the day. Even though they were very nervous they all performed really well for their first ever martial art grading examination. After the grading examinations were finished by all students, Grandmaster Loke commented on how the technical standard of all the students has improved since his last visit and the overall standard of technique here in Cambridgeshire.
He then explained how important it is to train hard and regularly, even though sometimes we feel ill, run down and tired in our ever increasing and busy lives outside Tang Sou Dao. We must discipline ourselves to maintain regular, weekly training sessions. Grandmaster Loke explained, sometimes in our training that we reach a plateau, where we feel we are not improving and not gaining much, he said this is a time to push and train harder to get to the next step. He added, many people can give in when they feel like this and we must focus mentally to overcome these feelings. This is a common feeling when people reach the intermediate stages of training from 6th Ji Orange belt and above. Gradings become longer apart, forms are harder than the first four basic forms and people feel they are progressing slowly and slightly. Every lesson we must focus and push ourselves slightly more for improvement.
Students face each other ready to bow (jie kong)Grandmaster Loke then outlined about the upcoming National Championships on Saturday 28th June. He explained the age and weight divisions of the tournament and how it is a fun day out where winning or losing does not matter. He said the main reason why a tournament is held for all the Tang Sou Dao clubs; to come together for one day and applaud each other’s efforts no matter if they come first or last, in a fun, friendly and safe environment.
Yet again, I would like to thank Grandmaster Loke and Master Siew Ying Loke for taking the time to visit us here in Cambridgeshire. All the students and parents said they really enjoyed the evening.
Tang Sou!
Steven Treadaway
3rd Duan© Ren Yi Wu Kwan Tang Sou Dao, All Rights Reserved
