This blog is the result of a kept New Years resolution, to spread the word of a little known, yet phenominal branch of the martial arts. Many have started the journey into this obscure, incredibly effective and dangerous system of fighting.
Relatively few have gone the distance to become proficient, and even fewer have gained a mastery of this ancient, beautiful art.
Until 1959 the United States was bereft of all but a few martial arts to be practiced, or allowed to be practiced by non Chinese folk. In this year it all changed with the immigration of Grand Master Alan Lee, who, against the wishes of fellow Chinese martial artists, began teaching western people the eastern way.
My instructor, William C. Roy began his study in this year and carries the tradition proudly into the 21st century. Under the Lee Hambu, the Roy branch consists of a few die hard, dedicated, and utterly formidable instructors. Eight black belts in all, spread from California to Nevada, New Mexico to Missouri, and a new school in Amsterdam.
I am the director and head instructor at the Las Vegas Chinese Boxing Center, and have taken this task on in hopes of letting the cat out of the bag, as it were, and stir up some curiosity among the ever growing number of folk getting into, or just interested in the martial arts. With the advent of the MMA explosion, schools have come ten fold all over the country, leaving little room for the traditional martial arts school.
We are a dying breed, traditional kwoons and do jos are closing at an alarming rate, unable to hold a student base because the rigors of a traditional art hold no glamour compared to the knock out charm of MMA.
I am not in any way knocking mixed martial arts, only pointing out the obvious. Some of my own students and collegues either want to or are preparing for MMA competition, it's just the amount of work it takes to become a black belt in our system, at least, is overwhelming, if looked at from the outside. A minimum of 8-10 years to achieve a junior grade black belt is incomprehensable to most would be martial artists. The rewards of such work, though, are amazing. Where else in the USA can you learn about chi? There are very few places that even touch on the subject. Where will one go to learn a near doctorate level of anatomy, barring 7 years of university?
Our students gain a complete understanding of the history of our system, hence all systems.
As my instructor told me, as his instructor told him, two things will destroy the martial arts as we know it, ego and greed. We are the oldest Chinese Kempo system in existance. Tiek soo Chang was known as the thieves art, we stole techniques and practice from other systems, put them to use, and made it work. Without the ability to adapt, there is no hope of surviving the ravages of time.
When a martial artist puts himself in front of his system and instructor (sifu) he is letting his ego lead the way to destruction of the system. When a martial artist puts money in front of his system and sifu, he is letting greed lead the way to the destruction of the system. The system only survives and flourishes when it is promoted for itself and not the individual.
Our adaptability has led us away from the commercial limelight, and into the shadows of small kwoons (schools) usually at the home of the individual sifu or at a low rent type of establishment.
My kwoon is at my home, my instructors home is his kwoon, a beautiful school in the high mountains of New Mexico. At 9,000 feet, it makes a veritable haven of endurance training. My sifu is now retired but the school lives on through the apt tutelidge of 3rd degree black belt, Ben Beem. Sifu Beem, an imposing figure, tightly muscled and fast, is scary at first, but an excellent teacher of all ages. Patience is his secret.
Sifu Angel Roy 2nd degree black belt, wife of my sifu, the only female black belt in the Roy branch, is also a formidable instructor. Ruthless in the cardio workouts and tortuous stretching classes she shines as a beacon of hope to the student who, flailing in attempt of the seemingly impossible, sees her as the model and example of possibilities.
Sifu Colin Hubbard, a tall, strong and lightning fast 4th degree black belt , puts the emphasis on Art. He is the Director and head instructor of the Taos New Mexico kwoon, and has one of the few, large flourishing, commercial establishments. An awsome fighter, holder of many different state championships, almost always finishing as grand champion in tournament competition, is the grueling taskmaster of this wonderful, spacious school. After boxing with some of the worlds best, and former world champions, he has gone semi pro and is pursuing the MMA world.
Sifu Nick Burger runs the school in St. Louis Mo. Sifu Burger is one of the most senior black belts in the Roy branch, 35+ years, and still the scariest, most intimidating figure you ever want to meet. Being Japanese, his first discipline is his family system Kashiura-Ito-Bujutsu-Katsu-Do.
A 5th degree black belt, head instructor and director of the Hidden Dojo, offers a wide variety to students of all ages, ranging from jui jitsu, kickboxing, cardio and flexability and traditional Tiek Soo Chang Ch'uan Fa.
In this picture we have all the participants from the 3 schools, from left to right 1st row (bottom) Sebastian Richardson, Jorden Spaulding, Josh Parken, Courtney Richarson, Roheen Despande and Nick Katz. In the middle row, Alexandra Sobin, Ben Beem, Rob Ruddick, Colin Hubbard, Angel Roy, Matthew Nielson and in the rear Sifu Willian C. Roy.
