Senior Instructor - Cardiff Central (UK)
I started my journey into martial arts at the age of just seven. My father was keen for me to learn an essential skill and art that would teach me discipline and to defend myself. I am a direct disciple of Sifu Lai who through himself and his senior black belts have taught me for over 25 years.
I was one of the youngest ever black belts at the age of just 12 and in the same year I became the national junior NPC champion. I am now a sixth degree black belt and one of my Sifu’s senior instructors.
Through my time learning martial arts, I have trained under a number of instructors including those of other disciplines such as Judo, Jujutsu, Aikido and Taekwondo. One of my great life ambitions and achievements was to train with Si Gung (grandmaster) Quek in Malaysia. These encounters have given me an invaluable insight into the diverse and extraordinary art that is Shaolin Kung Fu. In addition I have also had the opportunity to train with Si Gung Leow Cheng Koon and his modern approach to combat strategy and the art.
I have entered and trained teams in many competitions in my time and I was proud to produce the next national junior champion, who hailed from my current class Cardiff Central.
I have also used the art to work as a doorman for a security firm and have taught many seminars on the art of self-defence regardless of age or gender.
I am an advocate of keeping up with the current knowledge and techniques of keeping fit and healthy and my classes offer a balanced approach from fitness to self-defence. Our classes, whilst rich in knowledge, are fun and are a great way to socialise, so you are welcome to come and train with us at any time.
Instructor - Aberaeron, Wales (UK)
My name is Alun Rishko, and I have been practising and training in Nam Pai Chuan since 1992. I began learning and gained my black belt from NPC Cardiff. In 2003 I moved to Aberaeron in West Wales, to pursue a career as a GP. I opened my own centre, and have had the pleasure of teaching NPC there since. My classes are of mixed ages and abilities, and I teach children from six years and older in a dedicated children’s class.
I travel to London frequently to continue my education of NPC from Sifu Lai and his seniors, and I currently hold a fourth degree black belt from the system. It gives me great pleasure in passing my knowledge of Nam Pai Chuan on to the next generation of practitioners, to help secure its future, and hopefully give other people the same enjoyment, physical and mental benefits, that I’ve had from learning and practising the art.
Instructor - Cardiff Roath (UK)
I first started training in Kung Fu during a very difficult period in my life. I had been suffering with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia for over three years and my body had been ruined through a self-destructive lifestyle of drugs and ill-living. I wanted change and sought ways to better myself and make myself stronger.
I first started training in a very traditional style of Kung Fu in 2007 and came to discover Nam Pai Chuan in 2008. After training in NPC for four months, I decided to dedicate myself to this system. I found that NPC challenged me, never in a way that left me feeling demoralised or frustrated, but somehow in a way that built my confidence with each session. I felt myself progressing and the steady decline that was so apparent in my life slowly became reversed. The training proved to me that with the application of hard work, improvement is possible and this gave me hope for the future and the confidence to change other things in my life. I can say honestly and without any exaggeration that training in this system saved my life.
To me the content of NPC feels limitless. It manages to include both traditional and modern training methods and techniques. It is both artistic, in its beautifully crafted forms, and realistic, in its focus on practical self-defence.
Training with NPC awoke within me a passion for movement and I now hold multiple qualifications in exercise, fitness and personal training. In my current job role I have become an authority on the use of exercise to improve mental health and I deliver lectures and seminars on this very subject.
Training in and teaching this art always provides me with something new to learn and ways to develop, grow and become stronger. It is my hope that this journey will continue for the rest of my life.
Instructor - Cardiff University, Wales (UK)
I started training in the system with Sigung Lai in 1994 at the Hodford Hall Centre in Golders Green.
I started helping out with instructor duties since 1996 and finally became instructor at the Cardiff University Club in 1998.
Since starting at Cardiff we have managed to grow the system’s presence in Wales from one club to five throughout Wales.
My class focuses on functional fitness not only for martial arts development but also for a healthy lifestyle. I have a keen interest in both the traditional and contemporary aspects of Kung Fu. I have ran several self-defence courses and taken part in many local and national sparring competitions.
I have a keen interest in all martial arts and have been lucky to train under a few different styles over the years.
I enjoy running, swimming yoga and pilates in my spare time.
Instructor - Newcastle Emlyn (UK)
I first started Kung Fu when some friends and I saw a poster for Kung Fu classes starting in our local town of Aberaeron. Having spent a large amount of time in our teens watching Bruce Lee films we thought this was a great opportunity to learn how to fly kick! It wasn’t long before I realised that the classes had a lot more to offer than just a kick.
I had some experience as a youngster with Karate which helped as learning patterns of movement was a little more familiar than otherwise. The classes and syllabus are structured in such a way that anybody can learn and develop within the art. I have and continue to enjoy the emphasis placed on continuous learning, regardless to grade.
I recall shortly after my passing my black belt grading that whereas before the end goal was getting to my black belt but now in actual fact it was a new beginning of learning and development.
In 2011 I successfully graded to second degree, then in 2013 opened a club in Newcastle Emlyn. This I feel is a privilege to be able to pass on to others what I have learnt and continue to learn. Over the years I have trained with many sifus within Nam Pai Chuan each one of them contributing to where I am now.
As well as teaching my classes in Newcastle Emlyn I continue to train with my Sifu in Aberaeron, and attend training weekends as and when they happen. I believe it’s important to challenge yourself both mentally and physically so whilst working within their boundaries I encourage all my students to push towards their personal goals. I think about Kung Fu throughout my daily life and it, without doubt, shapes my decisions in many different ways. For me Nam Pai Chuan Kung Fu is all-encompassing.
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