Student Journeys

Every martial arts student is on their own journey. They find their path by various ways and for many different reasons. We share some of our students' journeys below and encourage you to begin your own journey.

"Kung Fu is like a drug...
except it's actually good for you!"

Hi, my name is Craig, I'm 27 years old and I started NPC Kung Fu in January 2004. I'd never done a martial art before and got the idea from a friend who loved "The Matrix." While he never showed up to class, I found the courage to give it a go... having no idea how it would positively impact my life.

I wanted to get fit, learn self defence, and have more confidence. I'm not a big guy (5'10" and 64kgs) and always felt slightly uneasy being out on the town late at night. I definitely liked the idea of kung fu giving me a fighting chance against guys a lot bigger than me. Plus, I'll admit I thought the fight scenes in "The Matrix" were cool too...

I vividly remember doing these "strange" press-ups in my first class. I remember being able to do about 10 before my arms refused to lift me off the ground again. But I'm happy to say that changed quickly and soon I was amazing myself with how physically fit and strong I'd become.

I had a friend of a friend whose famous party trick was doing 7 one-handed press-ups. After doing kung fu for a few months this became quite unimpressive though I never had the heart to show him up. Kung fu is about suppression of your ego after all...

Kung fu also led to many unexpected benefits. It started my love of travel when some of the students and I went to Malaysia to train with 82 year old Master Quek and England to train with Master Lai. I stayed in England for just over a year travelling Europe thanks to this trip.

It also gave me the confidence to move to Spain by myself with a very basic knowledge of the Spanish language. While there, I taught English which involved standing in front of classes teaching important business people nearly twice my age. Not bad for someone who lacked confidence a few years before.

Although I was unable to train for 2 years while in Spain, the kung fu bug stayed with me. It's like a drug... except it's actually good for you! On return to New Zealand I took up training again and haven't looked back. I know that kung fu will always have an important place in my life.

All that remains is to thank Sifu, Simo, and my fellow students for what they've contributed to my life. I couldn't be happier I made that one little decision to try a kung fu class that day!

Craig Dewe, 1st Brown Belt, 12 January 2009

"I have attended all community events like going out to Highland Home to do Tai Chi with children affected by cancer."

Hi, I am Kelsey I am twenty years old, I have trained in Nam Pai Chuan for the last 14 years and have given each training session 100%.I can clearly remember training in both the children’s and adults classes three nights a week from the age of 12 until I turned 14 when I was no longer able to train in the children’s class simply due to the fact that I was too big for that class.

I have attended every grading we have ever had in Palmerston North. This is because Sifu has explained that we are all one family and need to support each other which I agree with, so I have attended every grading, even if I myself am not grading, to help any other students who need help and to stand in where Sifu asks me too.

Kung fu is a huge part of my life and I love sharing it with as many people as I possibly can, whether it is through demonstrations or community events I am more than happy to attend.

I have attended all community events like going out to Highland Home to do Tai Chi with children affected by cancer. I was in attendance every time the chill out kids came to the Kung Fu hall during the school holidays, the self defence classes at the IRD, fundraising for the S.P.C.A. and woman’s refuge. The Hokowhitu kindergartens Chinese New Year celebration for the last two years, Intermediate Normal’s classes in the hall, self defence at Girls High, Massey physical education students for the last 3 year and many more.

I must admit my success has a lot to do with my role models Sifu and Simo. They are excellent teachers and they explain everything in such detail that misunderstanding is impossible. I model my teaching on them and if I get stuck I stop and think about what they would do.

Kelsey O'Sullivan, Black Belt, 12th December 2009

"I’m so glad that I decided to look for a Martial Art for the family!"

Hi, my name is Wallace,I remember the 1st time I walked into Song Shan in 2004, it was after I’d rung enquiring about starting my girls up to do Nam Pai Chuan.

I walked into the kwoon, I could hear all the people talking inside, suddenly as I stepped into the kwoon, Silence pierced the air, I could hear a spider crawling up the wall next to me, it was like the world had come to a sudden halt. I turned round and noticed a woman behind the counter with the biggest smile I’d ever seen so I waltz on over with two scared little girls in tow and introduced myself to her.

This wonderful woman turned out to be “ Simo “, and thus the journey had begun for the girls firstly, as after watching them for two weeks I became intrigued with this Martial Art and started to think, Heyyyyyy, this is really cool maybe I could do this too. So I walked up to to this gentleman who everyone said was the head Instructor and boldly asked , “May I train tonight?”, To which He said “yes”, and who may you ask was this gentleman – It was my “Sifu” - and so MY journey into Nam Pai Chuan had begun.

This journey has taken me to places people sometimes dream about ,Ive been to Malaysia , and Ive been to Japan, and it’s because of Sifu and Simo and the system that I’ve been lucky enough to travel abroad to foreign countries doing something I’m very passionate about and now after all these years I'm an Instructor myself teaching my own students in my own school the etiquette and values Ive learnt from my Sifu and Simo to my own students.

I’m so glad that I decided to look for a Martial Art for the family, I’m so glad after watching the girls I decided to join as well, I’m so glad I have this in my life , I’m so glad for everything Nam Pai Chuan has done for me and my family, I’m so glad to be a student of Sifu.

Wallace Stirling, blackbelt aged forty something! January 2010

"I truly believe that involvement in a good martial art and specifically Nam Pai Chuan is good for people."

Hi, I am Garath, I began training under Sifu in March 1996. Since that time I have trained at least twice a week. When school, work or other personal commitments have allowed I have trained three times a week. I have never “taken a break” or allowed “life” to stop me.

I know that I still have a very long way to go in my own development. Seeing and training with Tai Si Gung, Si Gung and Sifu serve as constant reminders of this fact. I know that if I train hard for the rest of my life I will never “master” it all. I can but train hard, apply myself to everything I do and hope that my Sifu, Si Gung, Tai Si Gung and other seniors will continue to share their knowledge with me and continue to guide me on my journey.

I love Nam Pai Chuan. I truly believe that involvement in a good martial art and specifically Nam Pai Chuan is good for people and society as a whole. I know this through my own experience; NPC has enriched my life in countless ways. Because of this I am committed to helping others experience the same benefits in their lives.

I was not born a leader. I did not come to Nam Pai Chuan a leader (I came because my brothers did, I came as a follower). However the way in which Nam Pai Chuan has helped me the most is that it has given me the confidence and the skills to become a leader. There are many opportunities in Nam Pai Chuan for people to take on leadership roles.

I strive to always lead by example, both in my own training and in my teaching. I have never asked someone to do something that I cannot or would not do. I have high expectations of my students because I have high expectations of myself.

Garath Roberts, blackbelt aged twenty one January 2010