Angus Low
64 years young.
Having taken up martial arts somewhat late in life, I think I can look at Australia Tiger and Crane kung fu from a different point of view from the younger members of the club. Coming from a non-athletic background and having been a chair-bound office worker, I have found many benefits resulting from the weekly training sessions.
In General I am much fitter and tend to view the world from a different perspective.
Achieving the above has not been easy for one who has "two left feet" and is still a little overweight. I could not have gone far without the support and unending patience of Sifu Gilbert Broadway and the other members of the club helping me to master the varied and complicated moves of Kung Fu.
As any observer can see from the class make-up, the very young and the not-so-young can take part in training. It is the patience and understanding of the individual that makes the learning easier and I can whole heatedly recommend Australian Tiger and Crane Kung Fu to all.
Liz River
40 yrs old.
Training for 3 1/2 years.
When I first started training in Australian Tiger and Crane Kung Fu, my body went into shock. I wasn't used to this hard work, I was calling on muscles that hadn't been called upon for years. I also had very low self confidence and would often leave the class in despair, thinking that I would never been able to remember everything, never be able to do the graceful and powerful movements like the other students. But I loved classes so much that I kept going, and been won through, as always. Slowly but surely I remembered more and more, and became more confident as my body gained strength through the regular exercise. I became more interested with my health and well being and began swimming as well as looking more at my diet. The movements of Kung Fu are not just for fighting, there are exercises which encourage energy (or chi) flow though the body, and you also get a release of endorphins (hormones released from the brain by physical exercise) after each class, which make you feel great!
There can be many issues for women doing a martial art as it is predominately males that teach and take part in classes. We grow up in this society with strong conditioning around males being encouraged to play more aggressive sports and women to do other things, such as dancing and gymnastics, rather than learning a fighting art. It can be difficult to get past those barriers when we join a class and feel comfortable practicing aggressive movements with other people, as well as developing the confidence to overcome your own limitations. With the right environment and teacher, learning a martial art such as king fu can be an amazing pathway to breaking through your own barriers and those set up by society. Having come from an abusive child hood, learning Australian Tiger and Crane Kung Fu has been an important healing process for me. I've slowly become more in tune with my body, increased my fitness and well being, developed confidence and made good friends. Now when I watch the advanced students going through their forms or techniques, I don't think "Oh, I could never do that', instead I think, "if I keep practicing, I reckon I could do that too!"
Reuben
20 years old
Training for 5 years
Martial Arts have changed and shaped my life to such a degree that it is difficult to imagine who I would have been without them. In my opinion, the most valuable gift martial arts has to bestow on its students is immediacy of mind; the nature of combative training leads the student to live whole heartedly in the present, fully aware and alive of his surroundings and the possibilities contained therein. It is a mistake to think that a martial art is a commodity: a belt or skill we can earn if paid for in tuition fees and study time. True martial arts is a process, a path. In the fire of training we purify our hearts, strengthen our bodies, temper our will, sharpen our minds. We do not do so in order to be 'better people' or to become lethal weapons. We do so in order to become aware of who we are and what we can do. Exploring the limits of your possibility and expanding your awareness of reality are the key reasons of training. Australian Tiger and Crane kung fu showed me this path and helped me begin my travel. I recommend it both for the completeness of its system and the consistent high quality of instruction. It is the perfect place to start a journey.