Here is a wonderful excerpt from a book written by my first teacher, Dave Kovar. He is directly responsible for revolutionizing the way Martial Arts are taught in America. In fact, I would dare say that almost any positive teaching method used that builds students to higher levels of self confidence and morality began with him. I am honored to have been a member of his school at the time when he was initially developing these methods.
Why Martial Arts Will Help You Raise
a Healthier and Happier Child
Excerpted from Dave Kovar’s Book
“A Dad’s Toolbox for Better Parenting”
The benefits of enrolling your child in a martial arts program extend far
beyond self-defense. Martial arts will help your child in nearly every
aspect of her life. It will improve your child’s health, fitness, athletic
abilities, confidence, concentration and behavior. Does this sound too
good to be true? It’s not. Many experts agree that martial arts is good
medicine for the escalating childhood obesity, increased violence at
school and deterioration of the family structure. There is a reason
why Dr. Phil, Jillian Michaels (expert from the television show The
Biggest Loser), Tony Robbins, pediatricians, child physiologists and
educators the world over all recommend martial arts as one of the
most valuable activities in which your child can participate.
Self-Defense
The self-defense benefits of martial arts could be described as practice the
fight so that you don’t have to. As your child trains he will become more
confident in his ability to defend himself. As this confidence increases the
need to defend himself will decrease naturally because he will begin to carry
himself in a more confident manner. He’ll project confidence to everyone
around him and will be less vulnerable to predatory behavior.
Martial arts training includes strategic or preventative self-defense as well
as physical self-defense. Your child will learn how to recognize potentially
dangerous situations and how to avoid confrontations.
Athletic Enhancement
There is a reason why every professional sports team in every major
sport supplements their training with martial arts. Martial arts training
offers several advantages. It is amazingly effective in enhancing general
coordination because it uses every part of the body in a balanced way. Upper
body, lower body, right side, left side, forward movement, lateral movement
and rotational movement are all included in martial arts training.
Fitness
Fitness has three components: strength, flexibility and endurance. Martial
arts training demands a balance between the three. Therefore, a child who
trains in martial arts will find her weakest areas greatly improved. Because of
her greater balance of strength, flexibility and endurance your child will be
less likely to injure herself while participating in other athletic activities.
Health
While martial arts training improves health for people of all ages, it is
especially effective for children. It’s great exercise and it’s fun so kids don’t
mind doing it. And part of martial arts training includes discussing diet and
lifestyle habits so children who grow up training develop healthy habits that
stick with them for life.
Concentration
Very few activities engage the mind, body and spirit more than martial
arts. Because of this a child’s ability to concentrate is greatly enhanced by
his martial arts training. He’ll bring this ability to concentrate to other
activities, too.
Respect and Courtesy
Martial arts techniques are, by nature, designed to injure others when
applied. Because of this, martial arts instructors greatly stress the importance
of respect, courtesy and restraint. It has been proven time and again that
children who are skilled in martial arts tend to be extremely respectful,
considerate and composed.
Confidence
Martial arts training always increases a child’s confidence for two specific
reasons. First, there are no bench sitters. Every child participates and
competes against her own potential rather than against the other students.
Second, martial arts training is built on the concept of setting your child
up for success by giving her a series of realistic, short-term goals that she
can attain quickly while keeping her focused on an exciting long-term goal.
Each time she experiences success her confidence improves until she begins
to believe that she can accomplish just about anything with hard work and
dedication.
Master Croley along Shifu Jim Green and several students will be attending George Xu’s China Camp from December 7-23rd, 2010. This is an exciting opportunity to train with some of the top Grand Masters in the world! Just for fun, here is a list of the Grand Masters that will be at the camp. This information is from www.GeorgeXu.com.
George Xu (Xu Guo Ming) started martial arts training in 1966 with Zhu Hong Bao, in the three Muslim styles in China: Xing Yi 6 Harmony, 10 Animal Cha Fist, and Chi Shu 7 Postures. Following that he studied with Zhang Qing Lin, a Snake Bagua Master, in this very unique system. He studied the Lan Shou System with Qing Zhong Bao; Cotton Fist with Yang Tian Gui; Chen Style Taiji with Shuong Guang Ren, a student of Chen Xiao Quai; Yang Style Taiji with Shi Wen Deu; and Xing Yi Master Yu Hua Long. His boxing teacher, Zhang Li De, was the undefeated Middleweight Boxing Champion from 1951-57. He graduated from Shanghai Normal University in Mathematics.
In 1981, he came to the United States and began a long career of teaching and bringing Chinese masters not only to the United States, but also exposing the art of high level practitioners to Kung Fu enthusiasts worldwide: Zhou Yuan Long, Chen Style; China Heavyweight Champion Liou Wan Fu (full contact); Ye Xiao Long, Lan Shou Master, Yang Style Taiji Master; Ma Hong, Chen; Wang Hao Da, Wu Style (student of Ma Yueh Liang); Lu Gui Rong, Wu Hao Style; Qian Zhao Hong, Xing Yi; Wang Zhi Qiang, Yang; Yun Yin Sen, Liu He Ba Fa; and Ji Ah Dong, Yang StyleTaiji.
Master Guo Shu Pu· Pi Gua Style, Ba Gua Palm, Chen Style Tai Ji, Tao Style, and Bagua Form
Master Guo Shu Pu is a Taoist master from Tianjing City. He was born February, 1946 and was in the Beijing army from 1964 to 1969. When he was very young he started training with Pi Gua master Guo Jin Wu, and also at the Beijing White Cloud Temple with Qu Kei Zhang Ke, a Taoist master, and practiced Taoist martial arts, taiji,and bagua Wind and Thunderstorm, White cloud palm form, and also chasing the wind palm form. Additionally, he practices Pi Gua fist, which is a chopping and uppercut fist form, Yu family style spear, Wu Dan Sword, and many other styles. He has written many articles, more than ten on Wu Dan sword, palm, and internal training. He is one of the top Wu Dan masters–famous in China–on the cover of many magazines. If you want to understand Chinese Wu Dan Style, then you must come train with this master. Many Wu Dan masters received their training with him.
Master Liu Bo Xue· Yang Style Taiji and Tong Bei (from Grandfather).
Master Liu Bo Xue specializes infamily style of Tong Bei, Gorilla Style. This style is direct from the Zhang Zhu lineage. His granfather was the Beijing Security Chief of the Nine Gates of the Forbidden City. Master Liu is a great fighter, each hit is deadly. When he does form, his palm is red like fire, his speed is like the wind, his action in and out is like a monkey, his power is like lightning, very deadly. He will share authentic, knowledgable, traditional Tong Bei with students.
Goriilla = qi through the back. His grandfather taught in Tianjing and Beijing whole lifetime, and was undefeatable. he held classes in the park with many challenges, but remained undefeatable.
Master Shi Shen Lin (from Beijing)
Master Shi Shen Lin studied Ba Ji Quan, Xin Yi 12 animals, Ba Gua form.
Master Shi Shen Lin was born in 1951 and started martial arts training with his father when he was eight years old. In 1965 he started training with his taiji and baji master along with xing-yi and bagua palm. He studied with master An Shu Bao who was China’s Taijiquan Martial Arts Association President before the revolution. He also studied with grand master An Ji Hai before the revolution. He was a China central government kung fu acadamy master learning long fist, six harmony fist, drunken fist, and monkey fist. In 1984 he studied with Taoist grand master Qu Ku Zhang Wu Dan sword and Wu Dan style. In 1986 he studied Dong Hai Chuan Bagua Palm with master Gao Zhi Ying and all the bagua weapons. His school is called Rang Fong City Bagua Kung Fu Acadamy. His many students get gold medals in national bagua competitions including 180 students winning in the first six places in national, city, and provincial competitions, 13 first place in national competitions, 8 second place, and 15 third place winners.
Master Yu Pei Kuan (from Beijing)
Master Yu Pei Kuan specializes in Xing-Yi 5 Element, Ba Gua, Shao Lin, Yang Style Tai Ji and Wu Style Taiji.
Master Yu Pei Kuan was born in 1949. He began studying martial arts at the age of 13 with master Wang Na Fa. He has practiced xing -yi and all kinds of weapons. In 1975 he began his study of Le Style Taiji with master Zhang Wan Shen. Also after 1980 he studied with master Zhu Gang Fa and Zhang Shu Chen xing-yi, bagua, tong bei, and taiji. Then in 1984 began studies with bagua master Gao Zhi Yong and Wu style master Wang Pei Shen.
Master Zhao Ya Jun (from Beijing)
Master Zhao Ya Jun specializes in 5 Element Tong Bei, and Chen Style Taiji.
Master Zhao has practiced Tong Bei and other martial arts from a very young age with master Lu Yong Che including 5 element tong bei and Yang and Chen style taiji. His teacher is in direct lineage of grandmaster Zhang Chu. He is an learned tongbei usage, fighting, and weapons from Lu Bao Xu. He is Hu Bei province Rang Fong City Wu Shu Association Vice President and Tongbei Association Vice President.
Master Zhou Hong (from Beijing)
Master Zhou Hong· Le Style
Le Style taiji comes from Ching dynasty master Le Rei Dong who was the king’s brother and royal family martial arts teacher.Le style taiji has 5 element hammer fist. He is an expert at Wu Gong taiji called 8 strategy unique fist, taiji spear, broad sword, and taiji sword. He practices Shaolin internal fighting as well as xing-yi 12 animal and taiji fighting mixed together. He is kung fu chief instructor of Le style taiji in Rang Fong city and Wu Shu Association Vice President. He is a Zhang Wang Shen indoor student, known as a very powerful explosion master.
Master Jin Qi Rong (from Beijing)
He is the chief instructor of International Yi Quan Assoication. He Studied Ba Gua Palm, Yi Quan (Da Chen Quan), weapons, push hand, fighting, and internal training.
Master Wu Ji · Shi Chuan Wumei Mountain Lan Shou Shaolin
Master Wu Ji used to be in China’s special army where he defeated all other specialists. His nickname is “Copper Skin-Iron Bone Man.” He is one of the best fighters. He will teach whole body unified power, body conditioning, Chinese 23 fighting principles, and also two man fighting training, Shaolin fundamental fighting basics, single line exercise training, six direction power, and power stretching.
Master Wang Lian Fu (from He Bei Lan Fan)
Master Wang Lian Fu studied Tong Bei, Yang style Taiji, Yang Shao Hou fast Taiji, Taiji sword, big broad sword, Chan Shi Taiji, and push hands.
Master Wang started practicing martial arts at 12 years old with his father doing tong bei. Later, he studied with older village masters tong bei, yang style taiji, taiji sword, Wu Dan, Chen and Yang Sword. His specialty is Yang Shao Ho taiji alive step, fast usage form, early traditional taiji Yang style. He is prominent at many kung fu competitions and research meetings and is a well known martial arts master.
Master Gao Fi
Wu Dan master Gao Fi is a pure internal master. He is alive like a monkey. Inside he moves like a cat. In fighting he fights like a predator.
Master Yuan Bao Hai (yello silks student
Master Yuan Bao Hai was born in 1948 in Hunan province. He has studied martial arts since 1967 with many masters. He is expert in xing-yi 12 animal, taiji Yang style, and Shaolin kung fu. He is a member of Beijing Wu Shu Association, a national judge, and President of Beijing Pao Style Martial Arts Association.
We are very pleased to have officially booked Grand Master George Xu to come back to Asheville this year! He will be joining us on July 24th and 25th, for two full days of training in the arts of Chen Tai Chi as well as 10 Animal Hsin Yi. Most importantly attendees will be learning to apply his undefeatable secrets. Space is limited, so reserve your spot quickly. Go to www.GeorgeXuAsheville.com.
Liquid Unit Force is when your entire body has a fluid, liquid quality, works in harmony as a complete unit, and uses this to generate force. This is a very important skill to acquire for several different reasons. Mostly as this is the foundation to achieving higher levels of power and the other aspects of martial arts skill such as gravity, space, expand and contract, and up and down.
Liquid Unit Force begins with Structure. Structure means that you are using your skeleton to hold your body up and your muscles to move it. Most people have a tendency to use their muscles to hold their body up. This is not good as it leads to head and neck tension, back problems, knee problems, etc. Anytime a muscle group is doing the job of the skeleton there is a chance for joints to wear and torque improperly, leading to injury. Most of the runners, triathletes, and Adventure races that I train have issues with this. Most of them are so mentally tough that they just fight their way through the pain. However, the kind of pain generated from improper use of the body needs to be corrected, not fought through. Other people that have trouble with this are, well, everybody else. I don’t recall having ever met an untrained person who didn’t have too much tension in their neck and shoulders and their hip structure held incorrectly.
Therefore, step one is to line the skeleton up correctly. First, stand sideways in the mirror. Try to position your body so that there is a straight line from the middle of your foot to the middle of your hip, to the middle of your shoulder. If you are like most people, your hips are pushed forward and your shoulders are hunched up.
Step two is to unclench and relax the trapezoid muscles on top of your shoulders, the erectus spinae muscles on the side of your spine in your lower back, the hip flexors on the front of your hips, and the quadriceps on the front of your legs. To relax these muscles you will have to set your shoulders down and in, lift your head, straighten your back, and set your rear end like you are about to sit in a chair.
You should use the lat muscles that are next to the shoulder blade, the leg biceps on the back of your leg, and the calf muscles. Do not hold these muscles in a state of tension, but use them when you wish to move. It is important to use the correct musculature. The muscles in the back are all connected, therefore allowing you to use your entire body from head to foot as one unit and not a series of parts. It is also important to relax the correct muscles as using the wrong muscles will just get in the way of correct movement.
The absolute key to liquid unit force is to be melted, or relaxed. The Chinese call this quality “song.” The old masters are always saying “fa song! Fa song!” Relax more! Relax more! The more that you are able to relax and unclench the muscles in your body the better you will use your skeleton and then the correct muscles for movement. Not only that, but you will find that when you release this unnecessary tension in your body everything will work more smoothly. You will feel less stressed, more clear and focused, and you will find that many of your joint related pains will improve of not go away. You can never be too melted.
Last evening wrapped up a series of seminars on internal martial arts with the University of North Carolina Asheville for the semester. Here is one of the listings:
Demonstration on Martial Arts by Derek Croley
Martial Artist Derek Croley will give a demonstration on martial arts and it’s relation to various philosophical themes including mind-body dynamics to the students in HON 179: Philosophical Questions: East and West.
Next semester I have been asked to do a class at UNCA on Internal Martial Arts.
Class on Internal Martial Arts
Focusing on the principles of high level internal Chinese Martial Arts, this class will teach beginner, intermediate, and advanced students how to properly align their physical structure, chi body, and mental intent as well as how to apply these principles into the movements of Tai Chi and other similar arts. The information presented in this class is consistent with the teachings of the Worldwide Association of Chinese Internal Martial Arts (WACIMA) and will be taught by WACIMA VP Derek Croley.
New ASTM International Subcommittee to Focus on Martial Arts Providing for the safety of children taking martial arts classes is the purpose of new ASTM Subcommittee F08.29 on Martial Arts, part of ASTM International Committee F08 on Sports Equipment and Facilities. According to Derek Croley, a Master Instructor, and James Green, PE, also a martial arts instructor and a longtime member of Committee F08, standards for both safety of equipment and the credentials of personnel will be developed by F08.29.
“The concern of reputable school owners in the martial arts industry has always been that no standards exist to protect the general public,” says Croley. “This will have far reaching implications on the martial arts industry in that a level of safety will be defined and practiced by those schools choosing to follow the ASTM standards. Without any standards, individual states cannot regulate these schools.” Green notes that standards developed by F08.29 will be “an enormous positive first step in terms of safety and instruction. Currently a child daycare facility has more safety standards than the martial arts industry. The martial arts industry instructs thousands of children per year without having any operating safety standards in place.” The final objective of the standards will be operating criteria for individual schools regardless of the martial art being practiced. This operating criterion will include standards for the level of expertise for the personnel, including mandatory criminal background checks, training at a level defined by the individual art and adherence to safety standards for all equipment in the training hall. When a martial arts school adheres to F08.29 standards, the public will know that the best safety standards available in equipment and personnel are present in that school. Both Croley and Green say that owners and operators of martial arts schools, as well as other interested parties, are welcome to join in the standards developing activities of F08.29.
For technical Information, contact Derek Croley, Croley’s Martial Arts Center (phone: 828-713-0765; DCTAI@bellsouth.net); or James Green, PE, The White Oak Institute Inc., Asheville, N.C. (phone: 828-216-0518; green3176@bellsouth.net). Committee F08 meets Nov. 19-21 during the November committee week in St. Louis, Mo. For meeting or membership information, contact Christine Sierk (phone: 610-832-9728; csierk@astm.org). Release #8041/August08 Providing for the safety of children taking martial arts classes is the purpose of new ASTM Subcommittee F08.29 on Martial Arts, part of ASTM International Committee F08 on Sports Equipment and Facilities. According to Derek Croley, a Master Instructor, and James Green, PE, also a martial arts instructor and a longtime member of Committee F08, standards for both safety of equipment and the credentials of personnel will be developed by F08.29. “The concern of reputable school owners in the martial arts industry has always been that no standards exist to protect the general public,” says Croley. “This will have far reaching implications on the martial arts industry in that a level of safety will be defined and practiced by those schools choosing to follow the ASTM standards. Without any standards, individual states cannot regulate these schools.” Green notes that standards developed by F08.29 will be “an enormous positive first step in terms of safety and instruction. Currently a child daycare facility has more safety standards than the martial arts industry. The martial arts industry instructs thousands of children per year without having any operating safety standards in place.” The final objective of the standards will be operating criteria for individual schools regardless of the martial art being practiced.
This operating criterion will include standards for the level of expertise for the personnel, including mandatory criminal background checks, training at a level defined by the individual art and adherence to safety standards for all equipment in the training hall. When a martial arts school adheres to F08.29 standards, the public will know that the best safety standards available in equipment and personnel are present in that school. Both Croley and Green say that owners and operators of martial arts schools, as well as other interested parties, are welcome to join in the standards developing activities of F08.29. For technical Information, contact Derek Croley, Croley’s Martial Arts Center (phone: 828-713-0765; DCTAI@bellsouth.net); or James Green, PE, The White Oak Institute Inc., Asheville, N.C. (phone: 828-216-0518; green3176@bellsouth.net). Committee F08 meets Nov. 19-21 during the November committee week in St. Louis, Mo. For meeting or membership information, contact Christine Sierk (phone: 610-832-9728; csierk@astm.org).
I am very excited to announce that our school has been named as the official East Coast WACIMA- USA Training Hall! In this new capacity we now are among the highest level Chinese Martial Arts Schools in the world, with access to all of the WACIMA Grand Masters while working directly under WACIMA’s International President, Grand Master Guo Ming (George) Xu.
In this process, Grand Master Xu has awarded me a 7th Degree Black Belt in Xu Shen Chuan (The Undefeatable Secrets of Guo Ming Xu) and a Master Instructors Certification in the system. After a grueling test by all of the WACIMA Masters in China and then a personal test with Grand Master Xu himself, Shifu Jim Green has been awarded a 6th Degree Black Belt in Xu Shen Chuan, and has been granted the title of Shifu. Shifu Willie Smith is also being promoted up to a 4th degree Black Belt and the official title of Shifu in Xu Shen Chuan.
As a team, we are absolutely thrilled to now be in the position to provide our students with the absolute highest level of instruction available in the world with Grand Master Xu.
Welcome to my new blog! You may wish to go to http://derekcroley.blogspot.com/ to look at entries from my previous martial arts blog. There you will find various informational articles as well as what has been going on in the martial arts!
George Xu (Xu Guo Ming) started martial arts training in 1966 with Zhu Hong Bao, in the three Muslim styles in China: Xing Yi 6 Harmony, 10 Animal Cha Fist, and Chi Shu 7 Postures. Following that he studied with Zhang Qing Lin, a Snake Bagua Master, in this very unique system. He studied the Lan Shou System with Qing Zhong Bao; Cotton Fist with Yang Tian Gui; Chen Style Taiji with Shuong Guang Ren, a student of Chen Xiao Quai; Yang Style Taiji with Shi Wen Deu; and Xing Yi Master Yu Hua Long. His boxing teacher, Zhang Li De, was the undefeated Middleweight Boxing Champion from 1951-57. He graduated from Shanghai Normal University in Mathematics.
Master Guo Shu Pu 
Master Shi Shen Lin (from Beijing)
Master Yu Pei Kuan (from Beijing)
Master Zhao Ya Jun (from Beijing)
Master Zhou Hong (from Beijing)
Master Jin Qi Rong (from Beijing)
Master Wu Ji · Shi Chuan Wumei Mountain Lan Shou Shaolin
Master Wang Lian Fu (from He Bei Lan Fan)
Master Gao Fi
Master Yuan Bao Hai (yello silks student
