Welcome to Children's Fundamental Gung Fu

Welcome, students! Thank you for visiting our website. We are located on 4524 East Thomas Road in Phoenix, Arizona - Right between 44th and 46th street on the North side of Thomas. Classes are every Saturday from 5:00 - 6:30pm.

You may find links to download our Syllabus, School Moral Code, Weekly Duties List, and Parent-Student Compact on the "FGF Handouts" menu on the left.

Check back often for the latest updates to FGF!

Want more information? Click HERE!

Our Studio is Moving!!

Students! Our studio location will soon be relocated to the following address:

609 North Scottsdale Road, Suite E.
Scottsdale, Arizona, 85257

Classes will be held at this new location starting mid August. Please call for more information: 602.292.1852


Si Fu Chow

July is FGF Summer Vacation

Too much of a good thing can be counterproductive. We are taking the month of July off as Summer Vacation. Please take this time to analyze and reflect on your practice and on the course. Come up with questions to ask at your next class session starting in August. Relax your mind and body, eat and drink healthy and replenish your energy.


Thank you all for your hard work in class and out of class! I will see you on August 3rd, 2010 when classes resume. Please do not hesitate to call me for questions or discussion: 602.292.1852

Blessings,


Si Fu Chow

This Week's Assignment

First and foremost, my apologies for the delay of this post. Yesterday I began to display symptoms of what may be the Swine Flu :( It was so bad that by evening I was more or less disabled and secluded to my bed. I am still feeling terribly sick today and spent the entire day sleeping/flushing out my system - but the virus is so powerful I still feel quite weak.

Here is the assignment given in class on Dec 02, 2009:

We are working on becoming aware of our bad habits and areas for which improvement is needed. You are to brainstorm a list of at least five (5) items or which you need improvement.

Select one item from the list for which you will improve. To ensure progress, we must track our improvement. Set yourself a time-limit of three (3) weeks to make the improvement.

For example, Asemah is to work on making her bed every day without being asked. Her goal is to attain a "perfect week" - making her bed seven (7) days in a row - within three weeks' time. We begin with a simple goal (making your bed without being asked) to let her become accustomed to setting a goal and making positive progress to its attainment.

When you have accomplished your goal, the difficulty of each consequent goal should be slightly higher.

If you have any questions, please E-MAIL me and I will return your mail as soon as possible.

Study hard, train hard.


Si Fu Chow

Block & Punch Combo Drill

This video is a supplement to the material covered during the class meeting on 11/18/09.


Si Fu Chow

Videos on Chinese Calligraphy

Students,

Here are four videos produced by a calligrapher on YouTube regarding how to properly execute Chinese calligraphy strokes using a traditional brush pen.

- Horizontal Strokes
- Sharp Left Horizontal Strokes
- Sharp Right Horizontal Strokes
- Needle Shape Vertical Strokes

These will help you better understand how the Chinese characters are written. She has lots more videos (over 2000) regarding Chinese calligraphy and other art projects on her YouTube page here: http://www.youtube.com/user/yanghaiying

Study Hard, Train Hard,


Si Fu Chow

Understanding Our Training

Bruce Lee is a symbol of top physical conditioning.

When carrying out daily tasks, it is important to understand the motives and reasons behind each task. This affords efficiency and precision of work and allows one to stay on task. In the same vein, understanding and defining the goal or purpose of each training session will ensure an effective workout, allowing one to observe the highest level of benefits possible. Fundamentally, there are two main goals to the physical aspect of any martial arts or Gung Fu training: athletic conditioning and refinement of learned skills.

Athletic Conditioning
Athletic conditioning is the number one most omitted and ignored aspect of training amongst martial artists and martial arts students. Martial arts is an athletic sport. Thus, a practitioner of martial arts is an athlete and must not undermine the importance of proper and adequate athletic conditioning. With only technique and no athletic ability to back it up, one becomes what is known as a Paper Tiger.

There are many different facets of athletic training, including:
-Cardio
-Flexibility
-Speed and Agility
-Endurance
-Reaction Time
-Power

Athletic conditioning should take up approximately 90% of the entire martial arts training regime.

Refinement of Learned Skills
Repetitive practicing will hone one's technical skills in martial arts. As compared to athletic conditioning, this type of repetitive training should take up approximately 10% of the entire martial arts training regime. The goal of this repetitive training is to develop and understand the applications of the techniques such that they may be performed with precision. Over time, this routine movement will be adapted into one's instinctive reactions - it is as when I toss you a ball, you automatically raise your hands to catch it.

Conclusion
There are different training methods and tools to develop each different Gung Fu skill. Keeping in mind the goals and motives behind each training session will allow you to stay on task and observe a much more efficient and effective workout.