Who's going to Berkeley CMAT this year?

Does anyone have any info on the tournement in April. What styles can compete? what the sparring rules are? Anything?

Shaolin36

[norther practitioner]

April 2002 13th, Berkeley, CA - 10th Annual UC Berkeley Chinese Martial Arts Championship, hosted by the UC Martial Arts Program and the Cal Wushu Club.

http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~calwushu/tournament/
http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~calwushu/tournament/faq.htm

[SanHeChuan]

what about the san shou toury in chicago in april?

thanks for the reply Northern,
Unfortunately they havent updated it yet!

[wushu chik]

I will be at this tourney, and the Golden Gate Classic!! WOOO HOOO...gotta love tourneys (yeah right)!!

~Wen~

[NorthernShaolin]

If it is like last year and all the past years, the tournment is open to all CMA which includes also includes CMA internal styles. The usual break down is internal and external and then within this is traditional and Wu Shu. Wu Shu has its own set of standard rules and pattern after China's point system while the traditional is what most of us are use to. Point system with a range of 10, i.e. 8.0 to 9.0. Usually they try to separate southern styles and northern style. Weapons are broken down to short (Sabers, fans, canes, and swords) and long (Staff, Spear and Quan Do). Once in a while chains and other weapons compete. The traditional includes classical and traditional WuShu so it makes it tough on the real classical styles because the sets are not fancy with flips, etc., so the forms are judge on speed, power, fluidness, balance, flavor, etc. In the internal side, different styles of Pa Kua, Tai Chi and Hsing i are found here. Also Tai Chi pushing hand sparring is here too. There is a section call open form where sparring sets and group sets are done. The tournement usually is one day with six rings going on at once.

[Raffi]

I'm biased of course, as I've worked on this tournament a lot in the past . Its by no means a perfect tournament, but definitely a lot better then most out there. Its entirely run by student volunteers, which amonst other things means you're not making some already rich school owner richer - the focus isn't on extracating as much money from your wallet as possible. The turn out is usually pretty good, about 300-400 competitors, mostly from the northern california area, but usually a few come from further (canada, east coast, europe and asia even).

The focus is on taolu mostly, the application events are limited to push hands, chisao (I'm /pretty sure/ they're doing it again this year) and weapons sparring.


The other good thing is that this year, for the first time in like 4 years, they're getting Haas Pavilion (formerly Harmon Gym), UC Berkeley's main basketball arena, which is huge, so a lot more floor space and spectator seating (last few years were getting crowded while the gym was being renovated).

-Raffi

cool, thanks for the info, I will be attending and most likely competing in the sparring.

Wushu Chick- can you tell me the date of the Golden Gate Tourney you menioned.

THanks,

Shaolin36

[GeneChing]

LUcky 13 just after April Fool's: 13th Annual Berkeley Chinese Martial Arts Tournament (http://www.calwushu.com/)
I hope to be there in the afternoon and evening. If you're from the forum and see me, say 'hi"!

[NorthernShaolin]

I'll be there at 7:30AM.

[cerebus]

Dam! I work 12 hours on Saturday. Otherwise I'd LOVE to go.... though just to say "Hi" to Gene and tease him about Blooming Lotus. :D :D

[norther practitioner]

Can't make it.... will do Jimmy's and maybe USWU in Vegas, if I can make it to a qualifier.

[GeneChing]

It may go late. You may still be able to drop by. Not that I need to hear any BL smack from you. :rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

14th Annual Chinese Martial Arts Tournament (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~calwushu/cmat/home.php) is April 8th, 2006. Anyone here going? I'll be there all day signing autographs, accepting drink offers, scouting for got qi? (http://www.martialartsmart.net/95-036w.html) girls & catering to the needs of my large nachoninjette fanbase. HA! I wish.... :rolleyes:

Seriously, will any other forum members be there? If so, I hope to see you.

[Shaolinlueb]

i would have gone and signed up but it was too close and im lazy when it comes to going places. so much easier if i had a secretary.

[GeneChing]

Rumors of War: The 13th Annual UC Berkeley Chinese Martial Arts Tournament (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=606) by me. If you're planning to compete this weekend, better be signed up.

[GeneChing]

So no one from this forum is headed to Berkeley? Bummer.

Here's my review of 2004 Wushu Conquers the Golden Gate: The 12th Annual UC Berkeley Chinese Martial Arts Tournament (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=607).

[NorthernShaolin]

I'll be there, doing the same.

[GeneChing]

I stumbled across this 2002 Berkeley thread searching the Shaolin archives for something completely different (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11718). I thought it was a good excuse to ttt this thread once more.

[kungfuyou]

I showed up for a few hours in the mid-late afternoon. Had a great time and saw some good performances!! :)

[GeneChing]

Although I must say that one of my favorite moments of the day was when Ming Lum was calling NS a young'en. :p

[GeneChing]

So who's going this year? NS? It's early this year, just like the time change.

15th Annual UC Berkeley Chinese Martial Arts Tournament, Saturday, March 24th, 2007 (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~calwushu/cmat15/main.html)

[NorthernShaolin]

Wow, 15th...Guess I've be going for the 15th time.

Yes I'll be there again, doing the same.

[Siu Lum Fighter]

I'm going. But only to watch.

Maybe next time I'll compete.

[NorthernShaolin]

siu lum fighter,

Hey look for me at one of the Traditional Rings. I'll be one of the head judges. Some of your classmates will be judging either with me or at the other traditional ring. A few will be judging at the internal rings. Stop by and say hello to us.

[Infrazael]

Can I sign up to fight? I have friends in the area and I could stay at their places. I would like to have some light-hearted fights before my Kyokushin tournament.

[GeneChing]

That's the one major downside to Berkeley. There's no sparring except for push hands and two-man forms.

NorthernShaolin, I can't say I've been at all 15, so kudos to you on a perfect record. I have vague memories of competing there and tabling for WLE, but those might be false memories. I know I attended prior to covering the event for Kung Fu Tai Chi - this will be my sixth year of that - I'm just not clear on in what capacity. One of the perks of publishing tournament coverage is at least I know where I've been.

BTW, I'll be scouting for new hobos (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41273) and got qi girls (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16442), as always ;) .

[NorthernShaolin]

I remember it well. In the early years, before it went big time, not only did we have to judge, but Sifu Bryant had a more active role in the tournament and made most of the judges demonstrate our TCMA. He was attempting to draw the public to the tournament and of course who is going to see crazy local do their stuff. So he went outside and asked for representative from Wu Shu to come and demonstrate. Since Wu Shu was a new curiosity that everyone wanted to see, the rest is history. The traditionalist judges were pushed aside to two little rings. It wasn't until the last 8 or 9 years that TCMA has returned to almost equal status at this tournament. To the general public, the draw is still the performers who do Wu Shu.

[Infrazael]

That's the one major downside to Berkeley. There's no sparring except for push hands and two-man forms.

NorthernShaolin, I can't say I've been at all 15, so kudos to you on a perfect record. I have vague memories of competing there and tabling for WLE, but those might be false memories. I know I attended prior to covering the event for Kung Fu Tai Chi - this will be my sixth year of that - I'm just not clear on in what capacity. One of the perks of publishing tournament coverage is at least I know where I've been.

BTW, I'll be scouting for new hobos (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41273) and got qi girls (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16442), as always ;) .

No fighting, lame as usual. :rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

I've been happy to see the traditional stuff coming back to Berkeley. I hope there's even more this year. It was strange how the bay area got dominated by sport wushu with most of the local tournaments. I think after Lily Lau and Tat Mau Wong stopped promoting events, and with the massive influx of mainlanders over the last few years, that was inevitable. But the traditionalists are still here, as always, and seem to be coming forward again. It's encouraging.

BTW, did you hear about the 4th Eagle Cup Tournament (see 08-11-2007 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/news/index.php?month=08&year=2007))?

[GeneChing]

...but maybe some new got qi girls. It's all up to them now. Will they follow through or will they go home thinking 'who was that dude and what did nachos have to do with anything?'

NS: Sorry we didn't get a chance to chat, just that 'head nod' greeting from afar. Everything I looked at you, you were busy, and then suddenly, you were gone. I heard there was some difficulties finding judges for the traditional rings to give you first string guys a break. By the end, I noticed several judges with an extra red shirt on top of their green or yellow one.

[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj4kcmnDSzY&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvp8vBnUTdM&mode=related&search=

advanced forms.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAt9DCn4b7k

intermediate forms.

[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Dhj326CThY

long fist beginner forms at another comp.

[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mSjsLSW8jQ&mode=related&search=

group long fist.

:)

[brothernumber9]

This is not a dig on the competitors themselves or thier performances. I just think the design of the form itself is worse than the old compulsory one (not saying the old compulsory forms were bad at all). It clearly shows the slow change of wu-shu towards gymnastics with kicks and floor slaps. There were hardly even any punches.

[SPJ]

some friends are talking about the apps of the routines.

both hands on the ground, I said that it can be to avoid the attack at high and grabbing some sand to toss into the eyes of the opponent etc.

jumping and running, I said it is to persue the runaway opponent.

flipping and tumbling, eh eh eh.

:D :)

[zhangxihuan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zajm7hYPJo


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40riagA_GiU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwIl6I6KxpE


those are better...

berkeley sounds good, either way.... traditionalist or not...its just a competition anyways... I'm not sure why people get all ticked off about it being "traditional" or "modern," Its like someone trying to say "i'm more Chinese than you are," when you are both from the mainland....you know, "big deal," so there isn't any sanshou at this one...

[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUIppshrfak&NR=1

highlites.

:)

[GeneChing]

That's me in the back of some of the group demos - sitting on my arse - fiddling with the camera.

My camera style kung fu
is very good,
but still,
it lacks the power to kill.

[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bazeDtD_R3k&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHQaBywF-Pw&mode=related&search=

look who is there, too.

:)

[GeneChing]

16th Annual UC Berkeley Chinese Martial Arts Tournament (CMAT16) (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~calwushu/cmat/16/main.php)KFM roll call.

We'll be there. And we're giving away a 12x8x2' Forbidden Kingdom standee (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=847335&postcount=138).

[GeneChing]

Not only are we giving away the standee at Berkeley, we'll be giving away two tickets to an advanced screening of Forbidden Kingdom (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42599).

Come on now, will any KFMer be at Cal? If so, please, no more youtube vids of my fat ass posing. ;)

[Shaolinlueb]

already have plans, sorry.

[Ravenshaw]

I'll try to drop in to say hi.

If I do, we should try to grab lunch/coffee if you're not too busy, but I have a feeling you'll have a full schedule.

Knowing you, you'll probably find me before I find you... :cool:

[GeneChing]

What? Just Ravenshaw? NorthernShaolin are you coming? kungfuyou? Siu Lum Fighter? hskwarrior?

I know gregdread will be there. He's coming early to help me set up the Forbidden Kingdom standee.

P.S. It'll be good to see you Ravenshaw. I'm eager to catch up with how you've been doing.

[GeneChing]

Meet me at Berkeley CMAT at the Tiger Claw booth and get a ton of free FORBIDDEN KINGDOM schwag (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=851987&postcount=161). See you tomorrow!

[Siu Lum Fighter]

I'll be there, competing in traditional wushu. It's actually going to be the first time competing for me. It should be fun.

[Ravenshaw]

What? Just Ravenshaw?

Hey! :mad:

Also, I figure NS is a foregone conclusion.

[NorthernShaolin]

Confirm...Yes I'll be there. From what I understand from last year, for whatever reasons, there not many Traditional judges who want to judge anymore.

[GeneChing]

...I'm bummed out about that. Rvs, did you make it out?

I saw NS, dutifully manning his post, as always. All the power to you, big bro, you judges are the backbone of our community.

And I had a nice chat with SLF. We had a good chuckle about the knuckleheads on our forum, didn't we? Chuckles on knuckles...:rolleyes:

It was a really long day, but fun as always. After getting there at 7AM to build that monster Forbidden Kingdom standee, I called it a day at around 10:30PM. I hear they went to midnight. It was a lot of fun passing out those Forbidden Kingdom tchotchkes. :D

Any youtube clips yet? Anyone?

[xcakid]

And I had a nice chat with SLF. We had a good chuckle about the knuckleheads on our forum, didn't we? Chuckles on knuckles...:rolleyes:



I don't like it when people talk behind my back :mad:

[Siu Lum Fighter]

Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
And I had a nice chat with SLF. We had a good chuckle about the knuckleheads on our forum, didn't we? Chuckles on knuckles...

HAHA That we did! I'm kind of bummed I didn't let you know earlier that I was competing in Northern Traditional Hand Forms so I could get your assessment of it. Some of the kids I was up against were really good, but their forms didn't seem too traditional to me. I remember that being slightly controversial amongst some of the judges when they were announcing the winners. I'm hoping my Si Hing, Scott Jenson has a video of the whole thing.

Later, one of the judges I knew told me that he felt I should've taken third place, but I was just one point off (I think it was an 8.6 that killed me). It also didn't help that the guy who came in first was one of those kids from China. One judge I knew was telling me they were sort of their "farm team" of B list athletes that they send out here to show everyone up. And I believe that's what they pretty much did, placing in the top two or three spots in every event.

Oh well, I had a blast though. For me those tournaments are like being in a virtual kung fu/wushu wonderland. I actually made a lot of new friends this time too.

[GeneChing]

...we had a lengthy discussion about BSL, kung fu and the meaning of it all.

Check this out: A Newbie's Take on Berkeley CMAT (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=763) by Lauren Laks

[GeneChing]

17th Annual UC Berkeley Chinese Martial Arts Tournament (CMAT17) (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~calwushu/cmat/17/main.php)KFM roll call. It's April 11, 2009, same day as Shamrock vs. Diaz (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=920965).

[Shaolinlueb]

one of these days before I am an old gray man, i will go to this berkley tournament. i also dread the thought of being in california.

[NorthernShaolin]

I'm in. You know I'll be there for the 17th time.

[Siu Lum Fighter]

Ugh!! I've got a big problem. On the night of Fri., March 20th, I got my competitor ID number. When I went to pay I realized it was $55.00 for only one event. If I wanted to to enter four events, so I could have a chance at winning the Adult Traditional Wushu All-Around Championship, I would have to pay $91.00. When I realized this, I stalled on paying because I needed to make sure everything was squared away with my checking account and I had to leave the house that night. I figured it would be OK since CMAT's website said, "All event changes and additions must be completed by 11:59 PM on March 21, 2009." Saturday morning comes along and I'm unable to pay online. I've emailed the CAL Wushu Club and I've called and left multiple messages and nobody has gotten back to me.

The thing is, I'm sure they didn't fill up all of their events in the traditional category since the whole tournament is really more geared towards nandu and contemporary wushu competition. I'm sure they're busy but they've pretty much left me hanging at this point. I've almost given up. Which is a shame because I was really training up for this one. It's hard for me to believe that they don't want my money! Oh well, there's always the Tiger Claw Kung Fu Magazine Championship. I'll be super bummed if I can't compete in this one though:(.

[Lokhopkuen]

I'll be there and maybe a few students as well. I wonder if a Wu Shu practitioner will win first place in traditional again?:rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

All the wushu competitors at O-Mei (http://www.usaomei.com/) are getting fired up for this. It's fun to watch them work. One of my classmates in our Shaolin class asked me if I was going to compete. I told him I retired from competition in '95. :p

[GeneChing]

NorthernShaolin and Lokhopkuen are always easy to find.

Siu Lum Fighter, did you ever get your application issues resolved? We want our forum members to win...always! ;)

I'm cutting out early to get to Strikeforce (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53448). I want to see Terry's bout since he's one of Cung's fighters and he's up early on the undercard.

[Siu Lum Fighter]

Gene,

Yep, I'm all set:D I'll be competing in traditional Northern hand forms, short weapons, and long weapons. I'll also be competing in the "other" hand forms category. If I win or get high marks in all of these events, I could win the adult traditional all-around championship. That would be a personal best for me:o Especially since I think I'll be up against wushu extraordinaire Kenny Perez himself.

I was wondering: is anyone going to be filming my division? If so, I'd love to get a copy. I believe my Si Hing Scott Jensen will be getting most of it. I'm just wondering if there will be some sort of other "official" video made of the whole thing.

[GeneChing]

Unfortunately we only do still photos at CMAT. Hit up Scott Jensen.

[xcakid]

Guess I'll have to wait for the next issue of KFM for the pics or can we get a preview?

[GeneChing]

I wasn't the primary photographer this year so I didn't shoot too much. Plus I left early for Strikeforce (but you knew that).

[GeneChing]

The camera went home with Jonathan "Jr. Claw". He said he'll bring it tomorrow, but he was a tad sick today, so be patient. Plus I got a ton of stuff on my desk, as always...:rolleyes:

Of the whopping four of us that said we'd be there, I saw each of the other three. I saw SLF compete in broadsword, spear and mantis. SLF your spear form is almost exactly with the BSL form I used to do. I think I caught a decent shot of that. I also shot your broadsword form but I don't think I got any good shots out of it. My timing was off. I saw NS judging and was trying to get to chat with him but either he was busy or I was busy. Such is the case for us working fools at CMAT. LHK caught me just before I was about to leave so we had a short chat. I was pretty tired by then and getting ready to shift gears form silky flowery wushu to kick ass bare-chested MMA.

[NorthernShaolin]

Gene,

Yes CMAT hadme going all day. Like every year, they were short of Traditional Judges and that places triple duty on the few Traditional Judges that do show up.

Anyway, Fong Sifu (Bryant Fong) was telling me that the next chance that Wu Shu will be considered for the Olympics will not happen until 2016 and if we are luckly maybe 2020. TKD is being consider to be kick out of the Olympics to made way for Japan's Karate who have priority over China's Wu Shu. Again the problem with Wu Shu as it stands now is that no one is willing to support Wu Shu. He even told me when the subject topic of Wu Shu for the Olympics came up, the US Olympic Committee thought it was some food product that people ate.:(

Already, many of the young Chinese practitioners in China are giving up practicing Wu Shu in favor of studing Karate in preparation of Karate being accepted to the Olympics before Wu Shu.

[GLW]

Wushu in the Olympics is dead until the IWuF decides it is going to financially support the development of the sport outside of the PRC.

The IOC is not going to give the nod to a sport where a single country supplies almost all of the judges, does the judge certification, can almost assuredly field a team that would not only take home all of the gold but also most if not all of the other medals.

The Olympics is about international competition not about one country being able to shine in its chosen sport (OK...the US team and basketball are excluded :) ).

Also, the way they set things up, the appeal is not going to be there. No one outside of the sport really will get the rules. Then, no one really wants to watch hours of basically the same routines over and over.

Sanshou has a better chance of making it since it is more 'unexpected' but it has to contend with making itself be different from boxing and wrestling/judo while avoiding the negative aspects that are being put out there concerning NHB fighting.

Doubtful that the PRC is going to kick in money for this.

The IWuF had their chance...and they messed it up.

[lkfmdc]

Wushu in the Olympics is dead until the IWuF decides it is going to financially support the development of the sport outside of the PRC.



you are expecting the organization that "forgot" that women are supposed to have an equal opportunity to compete in order for a sport to be eligible for the Olympics to do that? :rolleyes:





The IOC is not going to give the nod to a sport where a single country supplies almost all of the judges, does the judge certification,




you also forgot to mention that outside of CHina they seem to overwhelmingly certify only other ethnic Chinese!




No one outside of the sport really will get the rules.



Nor will they appreciate some of the Stalinistic, communist undertones




Sanshou has a better chance of making it



if by better chances you mean two, slim and none :D

[GeneChing]

Gotta agree with lkfmdc on that one. Sanshou was already on its deathbed prior to the Olympics. It was part of the Wushu Tournament Beijing, but almost as an afterthought. It was never part of the Olympic bid. Sadly, sanshou has been steadily loosing support ever since the Olympic bid was made. All the IWuF's attention went to taolu and sanshou was left to die on the vine.

It's a shame really. I stalwartly believe that sanshou has something very unique to offer the fight game - the leitai. Being fought on a leitai instead of in ring or cage opens up a whole vocabulary of unique street-worthy strategies, as well as adds a unique level of excitement for spectators. I love watching people get tossed off the leitai, especially when the fighter with his back to the edge manages to toss his or her opponent off with a reversal. That's just awesome skill.

Here at the magazine, we've been fighting to keep sanshou in the media. It may be a losing battle, but we're going to support it as long as possible. Unfortunately, we can't even hold a sanshou at our upcoming Tiger Claw’s KungFuMagazine.com Championship (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53126) because it's illegal in California.

Some recent threads started by lkfmdc about our sanshou coverage:
Gene's coverage of the CA Sanshou/San Da situation (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53304)
Bravo to Gene and the magazine! BRAVO! TWO THUMBS UP (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52785)
Also note that I have two sanshou articles in our present issue, May June 2009 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53654):
The Professor of Sanshou
Sanshou in the UFC: Patrick Barry Steps into the Octagon

Still haven't got the camera yet...

[lkfmdc]

Gotta agree with lkfmdc



why that is sig worthy! :D

[GeneChing]

Can't forget the "on that one". It implies that it's a singular occasion. ;)

But we do see eye-2-eye on sanshou for the most part. We both love it and want to see it thrive. And we're both totally frustrated at the mess it's become both in America and internationally.

[GLW]

Notice I did NOT say what kind of a chance Sanshou had...just that it was better than Taolu for the Olympics....

But I would rather bet on a snowball's chance of survival in he11 than on either Sanshou or Taolu making it...even by 2020.

Just another example of the group of CMA folks getting together and agreeing to pi$$ on each others cornflakes until no one could benefit.

Sanshou was given short change from the very beginning...and it has gotten worse.

In the US, it didn't help that those who were chosen to promote and develop Sanshou were only REALLY interested in promoting and developing their own names and wallets.

[lkfmdc]

Sanshou was given short change from the very beginning...and it has gotten worse.

In the US, it didn't help that those who were chosen to promote and develop Sanshou were only REALLY interested in promoting and developing their own names and wallets.

and also didn't know how to train fighters, how to run fighting events or know anything about fighting at all... don't forget those little detaisl ;)

[Lokhopkuen]

HAHA That we did! I'm kind of bummed I didn't let you know earlier that I was competing in Northern Traditional Hand Forms so I could get your assessment of it. Some of the kids I was up against were really good, but their forms didn't seem too traditional to me. I remember that being slightly controversial amongst some of the judges when they were announcing the winners. I'm hoping my Si Hing, Scott Jenson has a video of the whole thing.

Later, one of the judges I knew told me that he felt I should've taken third place, but I was just one point off (I think it was an 8.6 that killed me). It also didn't help that the guy who came in first was one of those kids from China. One judge I knew was telling me they were sort of their "farm team" of B list athletes that they send out here to show everyone up. And I believe that's what they pretty much did, placing in the top two or three spots in every event.

Oh well, I had a blast though. For me those tournaments are like being in a virtual kung fu/wushu wonderland. I actually made a lot of new friends this time too.

I taped your Spear form and scores. That form is one of my specialties but we do it a little different as does Gene's branch.

[Lokhopkuen]

I wasn't the primary photographer this year so I didn't shoot too much. Plus I left early for Strikeforce (but you knew that).

Hey did they catch that guy that was grabbing people's behinds while they were taking pictures with would-be celebrities and associate magazine publishers?:eek:
Lotta Pervs in and around the Bay Cities....

[Siu Lum Fighter]

Originally Posted by NorthernShaolin
Already, many of the young Chinese practitioners in China are giving up practicing Wu Shu in favor of studing Karate in preparation of Karate being accepted to the Olympics before Wu Shu.
That's...the ultimate wushu sell-out maneuver. That's really sad. I can't believe it!

Lokhopkuen
Thanks for recording that. I know it's a little different than you and Gene's. I actually added a move of Wing Lam's (Gene's branch) though. I saw him do an outside crescent kick in a video in the first half of the form and I thought it would be even more cool if I turned it into a full-on lotus kick.
Bryant Fong actually gave me a pointer on that form too. He showed me one of the original ways to do the behind the back spear toss. I didn't learn it that way and I went back and forth considering doing it that way in the competition. It was a last minute change and I shouldn't even have considered it. Because I still tried to shoot it out from above the shoulder, which I can usually do pretty well, I sort of botched the whole move. That's what must have caused me to get the bronze. Since I still caught it though and I thought I did an extremely difficult form pretty decently, I thought the judges were a little harsh on me (all 8.5's and an 8.6, what!?:mad:). I still may change my view on that after seeing the video though. Oh, I still haven't mentioned how Sifu Arthur Chin helped me with that form. Jeesh, a lot went into that one.

All in all, it was a valuable experience for me. There will be more to come for me (especially the KF Magazine / Tiger Claw event). Once again, I have to thank all the sifus who helped me gear up for this one. Especially Arthur Chin, Steve Ryan, Scott Jensen, Bryant Fong, and Rick Wing.

[Siu Lum Fighter]

I should also mention that my competition was top notch. Michael Shaefer is definitely a true TCMA lifer. He also makes some of the most awesome swords I've ever seen. The broadsword he used in our short weapons event was pretty sweet. He definitely had me beat in that one!

Hey, did anyone see that monkey stylist? His stuff was...interesting to say the least! I stuck around and saw him in a few other events later that night. Some of those events were way cool. I recognized some of the wushu players. My girlfriend was psyched that all the Filipino's kept winning (she's Filipino). One Filipino of note was Tiffany Reyes. She won the gold in every event I saw her in. I remembered her being in that Zero Gravity Stunt Team a while back.

[GeneChing]

I was a bit off in my photography at CMAT, mostly because we had someone else doing photos so I only put enough energy into it as a back up. I shot a lot of SLF actually, but I've attached the only one that looks any good that I can see.

Tiffany trains under Ding Wei at U.S. O-Mei (http://www.usaomei.com/) (as do many of the top nandu competitors now). That's where I train under Yan Fei, so I see her all the time. In fact, I'm headed there now. She's also one of our top got qi? (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16442) models. ;)

I have no idea what LHK is talking about. I think all the pervs are down in So. Cal... :rolleyes:

[bakxierboxer]

I have no idea what LHK is talking about. I think all the pervs are down in So. Cal... :rolleyes:

Nothing to do with pervs, but definitely "ill-advised":

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090416/D97J9SB80.html

[Lokhopkuen]

I was a bit off in my photography at CMAT, mostly because we had someone else doing photos so I only put enough energy into it as a back up. I shot a lot of SLF actually, but I've attached the only one that looks any good that I can see.

Tiffany trains under Ding Wei at U.S. O-Mei (http://www.usaomei.com/) (as do many of the top nandu competitors now). That's where I train under Yan Fei, so I see her all the time. In fact, I'm headed there now. She's also one of our top got qi? (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16442) models. ;)

I have no idea what LHK is talking about. I think all the pervs are down in So. Cal... :rolleyes:

Savage:rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

I just got this press release from CMAT:

CMAT Publicity

CMAT is coming back on Saturday, May 1, 2010! CMAT 18 stands for the 18th annual Chinese Martial Arts Tournament. It is the largest Chinese martial arts tournament in the country held at UC Berkeley and hosted by Cal Wushu college students. This entirely student-run tournament has become one of the most successful tournaments in the nation with a cap of 550 competitors each year. Not only does the competition have a wide variety of events, ranging from internal to traditional and contemporary wushu, but it also welcomes competitors of all ages and practitioner levels. With a wushu-centered focus in mind, CMAT has truly become a wushu mecca for those who wish to test their hard work and training, meet others with the same interests, and make lasting friendships.

Past guests have included members of the US national team, coaches from professional teams in China like Hong Kong and Beijing, along with other foreign competitors from countries such as Russia and Singapore, as well as the legendary Wu Bin.

Cal Wushu invites you to join one of the most wonderful experiences you can have in your martial arts pursuits!

Registration closes: April 16

For more information, please visit http://cmat.ucmap.org/

Also see they're promo vid at http://vimeo.com/9908593

We'll merge this with our Who's going to Berkeley's tournament this year? thread (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36106&) when it's done.

[GeneChing]

Roll call time. Who will be at Berkeley this Saturday? Say "hi". I'll be the guy rocking the KFTC gear (http://www.martialartsmart.com/kung-fu-tai-chi-gear.html) snapping pix and schmoozing.

[GeneChing]

NorthernShaolin (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/member.php?u=7281)? Lokhopkuen (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/member.php?u=9782)? Siu Lum Fighter (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/member.php?u=13465)? Anyone?

I know, I know, you're all saving up for our event, TCKFMCII (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56385), which will be held on June 12, 2010 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in downtown San Jose, California. ;)

[NorthernShaolin]

Gene,

Yes, I'll be there and to your event too. You can always count on me.

[GeneChing]

Looks like it's just going to be us. Maybe we'll actually get a mutual break so we can chat this year (and maybe we'll win the lottery too!) Look forward to seeing you!

BTW, there will be a special goodie bag for the first 40 people who request it at the Tiger Claw table. Go to the table and ask them if there are any of Gene's special goody bags left. :cool:

[stma]

I will be there, at least in the morning.

[GeneChing]

I didn't take that many pics as we had a photographer on location, but I'll post a few on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kung-Fu-Tai-Chi-Magazine/135964689362) & MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/kungfumagazine) later. If I get ambitious, I'll pop them up here too.

NS and I did get a chance to chat a little. Shoulda bought that lottery ticket.

[NorthernShaolin]

Gene,

Missed the goodie bag. Maybe next time.

[GeneChing]

We make sure all of our judges walk away with a goody bag. See you at TCKFMCII (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/info/tournament/index.php).

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/147/l_888ef62f24024fd4890befd3d8edfc87.jpg

[GeneChing]

Who else is in this year?

[tungmojingjung]

I'll be there, representing Hung Sing Goon Grandmaster Salvatera

[GeneChing]

Wushu CMAT Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89Gu71G4f5w)

[Punch.HeadButt]

I'm out this year. I usually spend the day there to support some of the old O-Mei students, but I'm not going to be able to make it this time around.

I hope whatever students are left have a good time. :o

[NorthernShaolin]

Gene,

I'll be there.

[GeneChing]

Gigi was packing special gift bags from Tiger Claw (https://www.tigerclaw.com/home.php) for judges yesterday. It was a special last minute request from Sifu Bryant Fong. Make sure you get one this time. :cool:

I'm not sure where they will be handed out exactly. See you tomorrow!

[GeneChing]

I posted a few pix on our facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kung-Fu-Tai-Chi-Magazine/135964689362). I'll post more tomorrow.

There weren't enough forum people there. Typical. :rolleyes: But here are the two aforementioned members, who, good to their word, represented us there very honorably.

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/230673_10150244078669363_135964689362_8796493_2721 769_n.jpg
I love this pic. Defending Tiger Claw (https://www.tigerclaw.com/home.php)! Loved the red spear pole too. That's just old skool!

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/228293_10150244079229363_135964689362_8796501_8031 292_n.jpg
The traditional judges (at least the ones that got there early). Again, defending Tiger Claw (https://www.tigerclaw.com/home.php).

Want me to take your picture at a tournament? Stand in front of the Tiger Claw (https://www.tigerclaw.com/home.php) banner. ;)

[GeneChing]

Like KFTC20YEARS (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61402), this is CMAT's 20th too. It's next weekend, 3/24/2012.

Who am I going to see next Saturday?

[tungmojingjung]

Hey Gene,

I'll be at Berkeley, this will be my last though, all the time I've been competing it's always been with Hung Sing Choy Lee Fut, i'm closing it out with northern style, which was what I started to learn first. Yeah i'll do the seniors division Pek Kwar Mat Min Hand Set, My Jong Bot Sin Gim Short Weapon, Sil Lum Chan Mei Gwun Long Weapon.

[GeneChing]

Remember, defend that Tiger Claw banner! ;)

[GeneChing]

No NorthernShaolin? Say it isn't so.

[NorthernShaolin]

Yes, of course, I'll be there under the Tiger Claw Banner.

[GeneChing]

As soon as I clear my desk of morning chores, I'll sort pix and have an album up on facebook. I'll embed the judges photo and tungmojingjung's pic here like last year, assuming they came out okay.

[GeneChing]

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/564198_10150773930634363_135964689362_11650666_811 714028_n.jpg NS and some traditional judges

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/301890_10150773945534363_135964689362_11650754_192 3459911_n.jpg tungmojingjung defending the Tiger Claw banner with his dao (http://www.martialartsmart.com/weapons-chinese-weapons-broadswords.html).

See the whole album on our facebook (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150773927854363.471959.135964689362&type=3).

[Lebaufist]

Haven't these things become horribly passe' these days?

[GeneChing]

No, Lebaufist, people still compete. :rolleyes:

[Lebaufist]

No, I mean these trite forms competitions in an empty high school gym. Its become kinda' ren fair like.

[GeneChing]

And UC Berkeley is a university, not a high school. :rolleyes:

[Lebaufist]

Just as empty.

[GeneChing]

Forms competitions have never been great spectator sports. Trickers, modern wushu and duilian are really the only forms competitions that are of any interest to the naive spectator (and the first two are so berated by traditionalists, which is funny to me). The bulk of the spectators at any tournament are friends and family. Nevertheless, for a traditional practitioner, it's still a great showcase. I love seeing good kung fu, and while you have to sift through a lot of poor and mediocre stuff at any tournament, there's usually some shining gems there. Usually. CMAT always has some good stuff because it's the SF Bay Area, after all.

It's funny - at this last CMAT, I was watching one of the taiji forms ring for a spell and it was one of those divisions where only one person entered, so they got the gold just for showing. And that individual was horrible. I mean horrible horrible. The judges tuned out after the first move and were gazing idly at the other rings. That competitor (if that's the proper term when there's no competition) had the gall to do his complete form, which almost went to the max time limit. I support a venue where weekend warriors can present themselves in front of judges, but if you're guaranteed gold just for showing, have the common courtesy of meeting the minimum time requirements and then stop. Please don't torture us with bad taiji any longer than what is required. :p

[Lebaufist]

Trust me, I seen good tournaments. But forms have become a venue on to themselves. In my day, we would do all events: hand, weapon, and specialty as a prelude to sparring. It was a real test. Now, not so much. :rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

Well, the laws changed. Full contact is highly regulated now and for good reason. It has created a split between forms and sparring competition in many states. The only sparring that can be done without involving the commission is light contact, point sparring, chi sao and tui sao.

CMAT is strictly form and push hands. They still do weapons, mostly light modern wushu weapons (http://www.martialartsmart.com/wushu-weapons.html) because it's mostly kids, seniors and sport wushu. I was disappointed that there weren't many exotic weapons this year as in years past. There was still some traditional there.

[Lebaufist]

I see you are leaning toward agreeing that its all become too whimpified.

[GeneChing]

Not 'all'.

There's still some great traditional out there. And there's some strong modern wushu too, especially at CMAT. But when you talk about "in my day", you're talking about history, about when CMA was much less popular. Back then and even on to today, we're always talking about how CMA must grow, must spread. Well, it has spread, mostly to kids and elderly. So in that regards, sure, that's wimpier than back when I first started and it was mostly active practitioners that were fairly serious. I really don't have a problem with that. Forms are great exercise. Tai chi for the elderly - I support that 100%. Heck, I might get there pretty soon. As for tai chi forms competition, there were a few really good people there this year, but most were pretty wimpy. All I can say is bless those judges, who have to sit through all that horrible stuff. They really sacrifice a lot to help our community grow.

Never give up the fight.

[Lebaufist]

They have given up the fight, that's the point.

[GeneChing]

Kids are just learning to fight. Many won't make it, but some will. They haven't given up. How can you give up something you that you haven't quite started at yet. Elderly are fighting age, which is the deadliest opponent of all. They haven't given up. When they give up that fight, they die. Sure, there are plenty of middle-aged martial arts poseurs - there are poseurs in any sport - but at least, they help to support the economy.

The point is that martial arts is not for everyone. But if you define it to be exclusive instead of inclusive, it will never grow.

[ShaolinDan]

Don't worry, in a few years there will be a new demographic showing up at kung fu schools--retired mma guys. :) It'll be great for everyone.

[Lucas]

Don't worry, in a few years there will be a new demographic showing up at kung fu schools--retired mma guys. :) It'll be great for everyone.

lol you've thought about that one too eh?

[GeneChing]

I posed that very question in our March/April 2012 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=1027) with my fav cover story title so far: Putting Balls into Tai Chi (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=1031)

:cool:

[GeneChing]

Who will I see there this Saturday?

[Lokhopkuen]

I was gonna but now I cain't:mad:

[GeneChing]

Cuz if the program is printed as planned, you would have been 'the star'. ;) You might have had wushu coeds hanging off each arm instead of cosplay (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65633)ers. :p

[Lokhopkuen]

I hope I gave 'em enough time to print me out of it :eek: but I was extremely flattered by the invitation.especially after competing and acting as a judge there so many times over the years.

[GeneChing]

If the article (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1038) appears in the program, I'll try to secure a copy for you, cousin. Sorry we'll miss you.

Anyone else going?

[Lokhopkuen]

Cuz if the program is printed as planned, you would have been 'the star'. ;) You might have had wushu coeds hanging off each arm instead of cosplay (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65633)ers. :p

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q69/lokhopkuen/image-2_zpsce566043.jpg

Cosplay ;)

[GeneChing]

Well, there wasn't much of a forum member turnout this year. NS was there as usual. You can see him in the center of the Traditional Judge's group photo below, appropriately right under the word "master". :cool:
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/156535_10151619609859363_1183220351_n.jpg

Oh, Lhk - there was cosplay at CMAT this year. Seriously.
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/483491_10151619612194363_411531984_n.jpg

[Lokhopkuen]

That is really heart warming:D

[GeneChing]

I grabbed an extra program for you too, which features my interview with you: Kisu on THE LEGEND OF KORRA (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1038). I'll mail it to you this week.

[GeneChing]

Alright, who is in this year? Two weeks away.

They had to change the venue sadly. It's at the RSF Fieldhouse this year.

[pazman]

Didn't see sanda on the list of events. :confused:

[GeneChing]

When MMA was legalized in CA (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=769), sanda fell under full contact, and thus, under the boxing commission. We've discussed this here before. (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?53304-Gene-s-coverage-of-the-CA-Sanshou-San-Da-situation)

[GeneChing]

https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1888615_10152367488684363_295409905_n.jpg

This year's director, Joana Pei, came by this morning with her sister Diana and boyfriend Dylan. We're all packed and ready to go for tomorrow. Good luck to all the competitors!



Dang, I should really comb my hair before these freaking facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kung-Fu-Tai-Chi-Magazine/135964689362) shots...

[GeneChing]

The new venue started out a little rough but that was to be expected. It was a gorgeous day.

We've posted an album on our facebook (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152373494609363.1073741855.135964689362&type=3) and will post some more pix over the week.

[GeneChing]

Dr. Zhu Dong was one of the guests of honor at CMAT this year.



武术学院朱东教授应邀赴美国加州大学伯克利大学讲座和研讨 (http://www.sus.edu.cn/info/1007/8093.htm)
2014-03-20

本网讯 武术学院朱东教授应美国加州大学伯克利大学武术项目组的邀请，于2014年3月12日至17日赴旧金山进行 了武术科学化训练的讲座和研讨。讲座的内容为竞技武术套路跳跃动作及武术训练计划的科学制订，在时长6小时 全英文的理论讲授中，朱教授从跳跃难度的科学研究开始，到跳跃难度的训练方法和具体操作手段，以及如何在大 赛前安排武术套路运动员的训练计划，最后到自由提问，深入浅出的授课方式和自由讨论使在场的所有人感觉收获 很大。在研讨会中，通过对不同运动员完成跳跃难度所出现的具体问题，朱东教授进行了一一的分析和讨论，运动 员及个别教练员参加了本次的研讨，短短的3小时研讨使到场的每一位武术教练和运动员感到这种交流形式很有必 要，使他们学习到了真正的训练方式，开拓了眼界。

http://www.sus.edu.cn/_mediafile/sus/2014/03/20/1xbdjocsxf.png
朱东教授在武术讲座中进行授课

http://www.sus.edu.cn/_mediafile/sus/2014/03/20/2e0nmjhsxp.png
在研讨会中进行跳跃难度的分析

http://www.sus.edu.cn/_mediafile/sus/2014/03/20/23g3bo2sxy.png
朱东教授在美期间，还参观了美国的《功夫太极杂志》社，并与该社主编Gigi女士进行了交流。


在《功夫太极杂志》社与社长Gigi女士及其他人员合影（该照片由Tiger Claw Co.提供）

[GeneChing]

Who here is in this year?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wUXu_90gKA

Man, I hate it when facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kung-Fu-Tai-Chi-Magazine/135964689362) reformats and clips all of our embedded photos. Just look at what a mess that made of this thread above. :mad:

[GeneChing]

I just realized that CMAT falls on Pi Day (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?67385-Happy-Pi-Day!) this year.

There better be pie.

[GeneChing]

Hope to see some of you there. I'll post some pix next week.

[GeneChing]

...at least, no pie for me. :(

It was an amusing event, as always. I'll be posting pix on our facebook album (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153248787319363.1073741880.135964689362&type=1) over this week and there will be coverage in our JUL+AUG 2015 issue.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t31.0-8/11026333_10153248788644363_1235119592485596948_o.j pg

[GeneChing]

Berkeley CMAT (http://cmat.calwushu.com/) is March 12th this year, once again in the RSF Fieldhouse.

I'll be there, as always. Anyone else?

[GeneChing]

Anyone else here going? Looks like rain...

[GeneChing]

See our 2016 Berkeley CMAT album (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10154101090154363.1073741891.135964689362&type=3). More to come. :cool:

[GeneChing]

CMAT 25 (http://cmat.calwushu.com/) is March 25-26, 2017.

Beyond expanding to two days for their quarter century mark, this is also the qualifier for the 2017 Universiade US Wushu Team (http://www.teamusawushu.com/index.html).

Hope to see you there!

[Lokhopkuen]

I will be coming this year I'll be there two days preceding and two days post.
I'd like to order some ninjetts with nacho sauce please ;)

[GeneChing]

'bring your own nacho ninjettes'

Look forward to seeing ya, old friend. I'm still not sure about my schedule the week prior. I'm working on something that I really hope comes through. If it does, I'll be out that entire week but back just in time for CMAT.

[bawang]

I will be coming this year I'll be there two days preceding and two days post.
I'd like to order some ninjetts with nacho sauce please ;)

kisu r u in boulder for realz

I'm in Denver now bro

why u live in boulder bro that place is for squares

[wiz cool c]

Dam bro you so lonely you writing to threads from like 15 years ago and ****


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soDZBW-1P04

[Lokhopkuen]

kisu r u in boulder for realz

I'm in Denver now bro

why u live in boulder bro that place is for squares

Yes Sir I am here I sent you a PM with my number.

[GeneChing]

Oh, to be a fly on the wall for that conversation. ;)

[bawang]

gene if hanging out with kisu is not enough to get me sponsorship for tiger claw, wat about chen xiaowang or shideyang.

do I have to get big daddy chen xiaowang to tell u on video to give me sponsorship or wat

[Lokhopkuen]

It's been interesting some of the interactions I've had here on the kung fu magazine forum. Gene and I four instance have known one another for going on 25 years and I really think these forums lead to mutual respect and a strong friendship. I got a chance to meet the world famous David Jamison when I was in Toronto last year what a great guy .

I recently moved up to Boulder Colorado where I've opened a school and our business is doing quite well . I'm slowly getting acquainted with many of the top people in the local traditional martial art community. I kept hearing the name of one particular guy who was reputed to be pretty good in a certain style Practiced locally and on introduction I come to find out that we were already acquainted. Wombat Kung Fu!
Today I met someone who I always considered a Kung Fu magazine forums legend, Bawang Who I consider one of the most clever and witty writers here. In case you were wondering what a great guy in person and he has some good kung fu skills.

Back on topic I will be at Berkeley for the competition, who here is going?

[GeneChing]

I saw you two on facebook and Lokhopkuen sent me a text pic, but nothing for our dear forum here?

bawang, we aren't sponsoring Chen Xiaowang (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=64) or Shi Deyang (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=89). Maybe you can get KFC (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?22096-the-Kentucky-Fried-Thread) to sponsor you?

[bawang]

kisu is a good guy, he is confident and assertive and it shows in his success in the martial arts business, he earned his way to success, I was very priviledged to meet him in person. he is now honorary member of womatonian inner sanctum.

[GeneChing]

Anyone else joining Kisu & me tomorrow at CMAT25?

Sorry I've been so quiet here this week. I've been super busy with a special project which I'll share more about later, or with anyone I see over the course of this weekend.

[GeneChing]

Such things happen at martial arts gatherings. But in such cases, what happens there, stays there. If you were there, you probably know. If not, well, maybe we'll share if you ply us with drinks (or nachos).

Pix coming (but not of the challenge).

[Jimbo]

Such things happen at martial arts gatherings. But in such cases, what happens there, stays there. If you were there, you probably know. If not, well, maybe we'll share if you ply us with drinks (or nachos).

Pix coming (but not of the challenge).

C'mon, Gene! It's not fair to leave the story hanging! How about I 'will' nachos to come your way? ;)

[GeneChing]

ConfuseUs seh "never reveal secrets on the promise of nachos" :p

Sometimes, you just got to be present at the tournaments to see stuff go down. Even forms tournaments elicit fights outside the rings, in the hallways. ;)

Meanwhile, I've started posting pix on our facebook site. See our new facebook album: 25th Annual Chinese Martial Arts Tournament (https://www.facebook.com/pg/Kung-Fu-Tai-Chi-Magazine-135964689362/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10155258394964363).

[bawang]

gene if u had sponsor me I could've pretend to be u and fite hims

instead I spent weekend rasslin fat iranians

[Lokhopkuen]

Such things happen at martial arts gatherings. But in such cases, what happens there, stays there. If you were there, you probably know. If not, well, maybe we'll share if you ply us with drinks (or nachos).

Pix coming (but not of the challenge).


May the Universe bless my temper🤦*♂️ I was about to kick a hole in that moron but then I looked over at 60 + witnesses ha ha ha! I've gotten older and I imagine a little wiser. Cash me outside habadao😉🤣🙀
It was great to see you brother Gene. I had such a great time in San Francisco!! I saw so many of my kung fu brothers.

The Denver Kung Fu scene is really small and everyone knows well everyone lol. For those of you that have never met brother Bawang, he's really cool people and a true badass. Bawang we need to go and eat some more tasty foods my friend 😁

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tONv4vvqwvU

Cal Wushu (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?36106-Who-s-going-to-Berkeley-CMAT-this-year) @ KUNG FU TAI CHI 25TH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69762-KUNG-FU-TAI-CHI-25TH-ANNIVERSARY-FESTIVAL-May-19-21-2017-San-Jose-CA)

CMAT 26 (http://cmat.calwushu.com/) is scheduled for Saturday, March 24 to Sunday, March 25th, 2018 for the 26th, 2018.

[GeneChing]

Anyone else going to be there this year? I'll be there.

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=9h2NhO5lpHA


26th Annual Chinese Martial Arts Tournament at UC Berkeley.
March 24 - 25, 2018.
http://cmat.calwushu.com for competitors, spectators, & volunteers.

Footage credits:
Matt Choi, Kalon Wang, Kevin Roldan, Nathan Andrus-Hughes
Song: Darkness Dueling [Chrono Trigger remix] by LunarHeart

[GeneChing]

I'll be posting photos from me and Gigi on our facebook album: The 26th Annual Chinese Martial Arts Tournament (https://www.facebook.com/pg/Kung-Fu-Tai-Chi-Magazine-135964689362/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10156429339134363)

https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/29355058_10156429339979363_8456312091988426608_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=bd7b7003b7c51b1a40d7fbbfd85fd3ec&oe=5B3A2DCE

[GeneChing]

Almost all of these photos are ours, poached from our facebook album (https://www.facebook.com/pg/Kung-Fu-Tai-Chi-Magazine-135964689362/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10156429339134363), some of which I just posted this morning. :rolleyes:


中华武术之花盛开美国校园--记美国伯克利大学第26届中国武术锦标赛 (http://www.chinesekungfu.com.cn/html/1803/0e8b4b85-6394-4e63-91ea-069b4aeb4931.htm)
2018-03-27
中国武术在线钱承飞、王子彬摄影报道：3月24-25日（美国时间），第26届中国武术锦标赛在美国加州大学伯克利分校举行，来自于美国各地的420人参赛 ，其中包括来自美国65所不同类型的武术学院学生。大赛首次引进了最新的国际武术比赛规则，旨在推广传统与 现代武术，增强美国武术运动员在国际武术比赛中的适应和竞争能力。据大赛主席方国璇介绍，这是美国历史最悠 久的武术赛事，也是美国西海岸最大的武术比赛之一。今年有少林拳、南拳、太极拳、刀、枪、剑、棍等超过75 种不同类型的武术项目，参赛者最小年龄为4岁幼童，最大年龄的是75岁老人。其中有85人参加太极类的各项 比赛，参赛者热情之高是前所未有的，可见他们对中国武术兴趣浓厚和热爱。现场全体裁判员都是义工，没有任何 报酬。世界太极冠军高佳敏、邹云建和美国少林寺文化中心释延然法师等人带领的武术团队参赛并取得了优异成绩 。24日晚上，来自美国和中国香港等地的武术名师在现场表演了咏春拳、洪拳、太极拳、蔡李佛拳和少林功夫等 精彩节目，专程从中国香港而来的影视功夫明星赵志凌现场表演的洪拳、美国武术队世界锦标赛散打总教练李亿元 的散打、太极名家谢伯宁的太极剑和武术名家伍伟杰的八卦等节目获得现场美国观众的阵阵掌声和喝 彩声。

据记者了解，美国加州伯克利大学连续26年举行中国武术锦标赛都是由本校大学生校队全程组织完成，所有的工 作团队人员都是志愿者，他们在武术名师方国璇的悉心指导下，层层推进武术比赛。在校一拨又一拨的学生传承“ 接力棒”从来没有停止过，年复一年地成功举办了中国武术锦标赛，不仅提高了美国大众的身体素质，还扩大了中 华武术的传播面和影响力。他们表示：在未来的几年里，要继续保持和推进武术运动在美国发展的势头，让中国武 术成为美国更受欢迎的国际体育项目。

http://www.chinesekungfu.com.cn/upfile/images/1803/271211003281250_215367554%E5%89%AF%E6%9C%AC.jpg
http://www.chinesekungfu.com.cn/upfile/images/1803/271211014687500_277244985%E5%89%AF%E6%9C%AC.jpg
http://www.chinesekungfu.com.cn/upfile/images/1803/271211034062500_714965458%E5%89%AF%E6%9C%AC.jpg
http://www.chinesekungfu.com.cn/upfile/images/1803/271211044218750_1132952628%E5%89%AF%E6%9C%AC.jpg
http://www.chinesekungfu.com.cn/upfile/images/1803/271211063906250_1834582986%E5%89%AF%E6%9C%AC.jpg
http://www.chinesekungfu.com.cn/upfile/images/1803/271211024531250_529043201%E5%89%AF%E6%9C%AC.jpg

左为世界太极冠军高佳敏

http://www.chinesekungfu.com.cn/upfile/images/1803/271211053906250_1465548254%E5%89%AF%E6%9C%AC.jpg

左一为本文作者钱承飞、左二为美国功夫太极杂志社社长简琪，右二为影视功夫明星赵志凌，右一为美国少林寺文 化中心法师释延然

Googtrans:

The Flowers of Chinese Martial Arts Are in Full Bloom in American Campus--The 26th Chinese Wushu Championships at Berkeley University
2018-03-27
China Wushu Online: Qian Chengfei and Wang Zibin have reported that on March 24-25 (U.S. time), the 26th Chinese Wushu Championships were held at the University of California, Berkeley, with 420 participants from across the United States, including from the United States. 65 different types of martial arts college students. For the first time, the competition introduced the latest international martial arts competition rules, aiming to promote traditional and modern martial arts, and enhance the adaptability and competitiveness of American martial arts athletes in international martial arts competitions. According to the contest leader Fang Guojun, this is the oldest martial arts event in the United States and one of the largest martial arts competitions on the West Coast of the United States. There are more than 75 different types of martial arts programs such as Shaolin Boxing, Nanquan, Tai Chi, Knives, Guns, Swords, and Sticks. The minimum age of the contestants is 4 years old and the oldest is 75 years old. Among them, 85 people participated in various competitions in the Tai Chi class. The enthusiasm of the participants was unprecedented, showing that they have a strong interest in Chinese martial arts. All umpires at the scene are volunteers and have no pay. The martial arts teams led by world champion Tai Chi Gao Jiamin, Zou Yunjian, and Shi Yanji of the American Shaolin Temple Culture Center participated in the competition and achieved excellent results. On the evening of the 24th, martial arts masters from the United States and Hong Kong, China performed live performances such as Wing Chun, Hong Fist, Tai Chi, Cai Li Fogong, and Shaolin Kung Fu. The movie Kung Fu star Zhao Zhiling made a special performance from Hong Kong, China. The Hong Quan, the United States Wushu World Championships Sanda Chief Coach Li Yibing of Sanda, the Tai Chi master Xie Boning's Tai Chi sword and martial arts master Wu Weijie's gossip and other programs received applause and cheers from the American audience.

According to reports, the 26 consecutive Chinese Martial Arts Championships held by the University of California, Berkeley, were all completed by the college student team. All the team members are volunteers. Under the careful guidance of martial arts teacher Fang Guofan, they promoted the martial arts layer by layer. game. The “relay” has never stopped for students who have been sending in and out all over the school. The Chinese Wushu Championships have been successfully held year after year. This not only improves the physical fitness of the American public, but also expands the spread and influence of Chinese martial arts. . They said: In the next few years, we must continue to maintain and promote the momentum of Wushu development in the United States, making Chinese martial arts a more popular international sport in the United States.

Left is the world Taiji champion Gao Jiamin

The left one is the author of this article: Qian Chengfei, the second left is the president of the American Kung Fu Taiji Magazine, the second is the movie star Kung Fu star Zhao Zhiling, and the right one is the teacher of the American Shaolin Temple Cultural Center Shi Yanran

[GeneChing]

267 photos posted at The 26th Annual Chinese Martial Arts Tournament (https://www.facebook.com/pg/Kung-Fu-Tai-Chi-Magazine-135964689362/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10156429339134363).

There will be a full report in our next issue, on newsstands May 29 2018. :cool:

[GeneChing]

READ The 26th Annual Chinese Martial Arts Tournament at U.C. Berkeley By Gene Ching in our SUMMER 2018 issue (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=1420).

http://www.kungfumagazine.com/admin/site_images/KungfuMagazine/upload/2684_KFM2018-Summer-Cover.jpg

[GeneChing]

Hope to see some of you there this weekend. :cool:

They've added some Songshan Shaolin divisions, similar to what we started last year with the Songshan Shaolin division at the Tiger Claw Elite KungFuMagazine.com Championship (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/info/tournament/SONGSHAN_SHAOLIN.html) - Event #204 (Shaolin Tongbi Fist), Event #205 (Shaolin Dahong Fist), Event #206 (Shaolin Luohan Fist), Event #222 (Shaolin Short Weapon), and Event #242 (Shaolin Long Weapon). Perhaps this is in honor of Songshan Shaolin Day this Thursday (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?53389-Songshan-Shaolin-Temple-Day&p=1313122#post1313122)?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLUmCQqU-lY

[GeneChing]

Hope to see some one from the forum this weekend. Anyone. ;)

[GeneChing]

350 is actually rather low. CMAT is typically around 500.


Monday, March 25, 2019
Chinese martial arts tournament in California attracts hundreds (http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-03/25/c_137922563.htm)
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 19:34:10|Editor: zh

SAN FRANCISCO, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The 27th annual Chinese Martial Arts Tournament (CMAT 27) was held at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) Sunday, attracting hundreds of Chinese Kung Fu fans from across the United States and Canada.

The two-day event, hosted by the UCB Martial Arts Program, brought together many diverse martial arts groups and individuals from North America who have a strong interest in traditional Chinese culture, such as Chinese Kung Fu.

Nearly 350 athletes, aged six to 60-plus, competed in the two categories of contemporary martial arts and traditional Kung Fu, including weapons and Tai Chi Kung Fu.

The CMAT, which was a competition originally limited to UCB students decades ago, has now grown into one of the largest and most popular Chinese martial arts events open to the public after 27 years.

This year, the CMAT 27 organizers added a Shaolin Division to the competition events. The new division includes the famous Shaolin Tongbi Fist, Shaolin Luohan Fist (or Arhat Fist), as well as Shaolin Short and Long Weapon.

Shi Yanran, executive director of Shaolin Temple USA and head judge of the Shaolin Division events, said the addition of Shaolin Division to the contest indicated that more Americans have come to realize the true value of Chinese Kung Fu culture and also the charm of Shaolin martial arts.

Bryant Fong, president of the National Chinese Wushu Association of America and CMAT chair, said the tournament aims to preserve the philosophy, techniques and tradition of Chinese martial arts.

Elena Sfecla, a video producer who works for an international video gaming company in San Francisco, has competed in several Shaolin events, such as Tongbi Fist, Shaolin Staff and Long Weapon.

"I was fascinated by Shaolin Kung Fu immediately after I came across it last year," she said.

"Practicing Shaolin Kung Fu trained my discipline of the mind and the body, and it keeps me fit and in shape," she said.

Bill Zemlidge, a father of two pre-teen boys who are competing in the Shaolin events, said he wants to have his children practice Shaolin Kung Fu. "It's difficult to practice martial arts, but I think it's nice to see that my kids are learning to do things better than before," he said.

"They have to persevere, and I don't think it comes naturally," Zemlidge said.

Lara Brooke was pleased to see her seven-year-old girl win first place in the Shaolin Broad Sword competition.

"I brought my girl to Shaolin Temple USA to do Chinese martial arts because I want her to learn something that she can carry with her for life," she said.

"Chinese Kung Fu can train her physical discipline and flexibility in good health, in addition to the mental discipline," Brooke said.

And I did see a few former forum members. Well, I shouldn't say 'former'. They just don't come 'round here anymore. :(

[GeneChing]

The 27th Annual Chinese Martial Arts Tournament (https://www.facebook.com/pg/Kung-Fu-Tai-Chi-Magazine-135964689362/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10157455976689363&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBgTXN8EBBhxMRVll665RflPsLxWIgJ K4-Ns7v5RgIThlxUgcHb-MDD8LjmNrZx5_1czJE2FD0VsZcQ9b2D-YJDTc68v7pJifg2vCPRdY1_d23hwhxDV4hQ8ELRP6c3S6QfBYz gvet5QgRPnfQ6V54UXinGSPxrjNWpO29Gv5TxZe8S7J0TYO5Vf 8ZOFtMYsS-qxl6lLyVkXPKMHfJR98scCx37fjW1ycy8ZOu26JS9hkJ3ikUAn lY0UZqevy6vPerZG9ic3BZJ4eN7IxbqQhs65PiOLv-qutjLExvuc5-hvOag4J_ERJuRjSBwJF6PPaXiWXhBTXZKq3b913GTuhTLUm1rv UzSuOFROpcExNSl-z4QXi36Fm9wyl601t-yst0FZvHVUcaKIX4X9oH7IvltPGK_BWD_KEmAIpwdVq6K42oTR umKhtQwvG1kC9iqFaCB8HNtxaN5TaG19Lhj3ZxdXyqGfoeYORV W0OxuqLtqDyExmC8GVnoMxFHZYLggqEpEP5E7bp6bb-LC7ho&__tn__=-UC-R) facebook album.

[GeneChing]

62 more pix just posted. (https://www.facebook.com/pg/Kung-Fu-Tai-Chi-Magazine-135964689362/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10157455976689363&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBIs5qJ0d8xBao0nPPgFOSEOanEUL3B Av9QPVPPSAkXbiuHVU7EXNAeRB-qWm2mlDie-w_3ebukK_QUCDUuXMJ82N_LrAmY4--vd-eDD0f_v3GfCE1WQvRKnEvN_ibl0U0ekrO_u3Y4keyVDziEA5Ru WNg3UTRIF0SJ6Qyx4WZT44K_ZXniaDHbjxX7AownawfWw0T8u8 G2IZZM5ADVN0qqrNmid_zKYeNgRHzHLsIMS-DsMw767Di13aqIO6g4S5bYxLqib3xlYTNDMHnySUajYcIeWuDc LXPlXxWbJdMywVAJjNKI_kkYhWQwAXz02SGNX_BfQKmENzZu-30pNlYMcFeJQyBaaTI6Ou3KU_qiAYM4zo8REg0fZSCSjdj-emIkHpJ75j-c-Jchc2HZxTfONJds2-b886-eDDIoQN5TN6MR91vKliVzDMShx-SkQoSBrLA5CumiAntHsZzpVfZGJK4WB8OFv7ypIUpCIB16O6aB s_VEGNJqDJgXxwWvIbo57UZ0sX6EPg&__tn__=-UC-R)

More to come. We'll be here all week. ;)

[GeneChing]

48 more pix (https://www.facebook.com/pg/Kung-Fu-Tai-Chi-Magazine-135964689362/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10157455976689363&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCFTWUusijIlJEBpA-0AMZPcwmwnsfzkL6d6fKzh-lRBNVO4sFb9Ir07KuwlmPZ5D0GMwHFVcoeYhpZXwnvKit6GHYz N9ZSrQe3-ETVKj_WOtdcWvqkaBQyIjH_aa_vlx4oB9rh2l4wGOBhbeA081x Ule9YllhjaplzkS1P--4SX1LbHAOmJVxpeGvepelWykykFLI0NYr9M32u8ECanr53VVSQ ntoRjvRImmKRj8a-8-zh3XhI8Ryx9ds-W-_cfU_RuDYKVcqfDfhfiwdjWn-pqPbjl7GVE-p0EfvmejzM7L9pLoCqCG3kXjC_6UpyJGDwhwKRw7ByBOc99HxJ bvSs7wAlDLnAwomsuo4tAkdEf1zaewsKAxc0dZqs6LNqi0Tlfs 0qoPNlQsd0Xqu1K5xJ7TxXZ9cBC2qWFCn-ye5EF7W2A2B2wE_HCYP0yMvW2ylY6zcXPhXJedmAq7aZ6wEggu R66ZvtSAyR8cQm483zJrzLmP5d_LZVUGaEMd1vmFy-w3IimDOw6g&__tn__=-UC-R) - shot by me.

[GeneChing]

85 new pix in our facebook album (https://www.facebook.com/pg/Kung-Fu-Tai-Chi-Magazine-135964689362/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10157455976689363&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBzoW-wHN1awx5hAXvCvPDVpfOU2o2bTXg8mJKMQ1__Ytm8EgZhjDK5v iB2DJ47upMfTAkipCF9JLJ1td697t5mmxY9hPCxuNNm9b2Mr9p 4GrKgk_qIYu0NfGV1j8Mj_njMpmmSun-GpUDAVEzcjxh9HfxusXyDLg1k_PxHKK3cn4AiJSgDxILXZRz_w 69UMHZ0Db5m2xH9E7onMllbMWXFSkymVxyQM5DkGvAA3PL33xy WQSZoNEgxNTmbIM-_dVf3vlldjHcafz4qBmNA86G0yRtynKmTaFS0ZYBxqLyvFL1nh jI5uRCBwdQ7Ahn-n0sh5dR69m999oczDc81p1braQflkD4T8SPgSrWe4VLhQbDFhf BsgWdJFGPj9yrPPycjQL2AlFkEl2SIo1wGCpcV4unnl6WUtVc_ x9-F9KyadRow1TBfnK2rqWZ76YK1b5uPatlOGkYrrzEUm4elXQHv8 uqPuIBzHF2DEb3XIWOsgkNZarB8FBCaZhv3KKwNhh_tKncyzuQ OIQ&__tn__=-UC-R). Tomorrow I'll probably post the last of them - Gigi's pix.

[GeneChing]

41 new pix in our facebook album (https://www.facebook.com/pg/Kung-Fu-Tai-Chi-Magazine-135964689362/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10157455976689363&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBzoW-wHN1awx5hAXvCvPDVpfOU2o2bTXg8mJKMQ1__Ytm8EgZhjDK5v iB2DJ47upMfTAkipCF9JLJ1td697t5mmxY9hPCxuNNm9b2Mr9p 4GrKgk_qIYu0NfGV1j8Mj_njMpmmSun-GpUDAVEzcjxh9HfxusXyDLg1k_PxHKK3cn4AiJSgDxILXZRz_w 69UMHZ0Db5m2xH9E7onMllbMWXFSkymVxyQM5DkGvAA3PL33xy WQSZoNEgxNTmbIM-_dVf3vlldjHcafz4qBmNA86G0yRtynKmTaFS0ZYBxqLyvFL1nh jI5uRCBwdQ7Ahn-n0sh5dR69m999oczDc81p1braQflkD4T8SPgSrWe4VLhQbDFhf BsgWdJFGPj9yrPPycjQL2AlFkEl2SIo1wGCpcV4unnl6WUtVc_ x9-F9KyadRow1TBfnK2rqWZ76YK1b5uPatlOGkYrrzEUm4elXQHv8 uqPuIBzHF2DEb3XIWOsgkNZarB8FBCaZhv3KKwNhh_tKncyzuQ OIQ&__tn__=-UC-R). These are all Gigi's.

Full coverage of the event will be in our next issue, SUMMER 2019. Subscribe now (http://www.martialartsmart.com/19341.html).

[GeneChing]

I was standing right by when Elena was being interviewed and now regret not photobombing when they took the lead pic. ;)


California embracing essence of wushu, Chinese martial arts (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201903/29/WS5c9e3b2da3104842260b360e.html)
By LIA ZHU in Berkeley, California | China Daily Global | Updated: 2019-03-29 23:35

http://img2.chinadaily.com.cn/images/201903/29/5c9e3b2da3104842e4a637ef.png
Elena Sfecla, a video producer at a video game company, assumes a Shaolin kung fu stance at the Chinese Martial Arts Tournament at University of California, Berkeley on Sunday. Lia Zhu/China Daily

When 7-year-old Arya Brooke walked to the center of the ring, she immediately put her game face on. After a routine of Tongbi Fist, she won a gold medal in her age group at a Chinese martial arts tournament.

"I love being proud of myself, and I love going to competitions and performances, because everyone claps at all these people around me. My shifu (master instructor) is from a real monastery. I'm really happy I'm here," said Brooke.

The girl from Santa Cruz, California, has been studying kung fu for three years at the Shaolin Temple USA in Sunnyvale, California.

More than 100 members of Shaolin kung fu centers in the Bay Area participated in the 27th Chinese Martial Arts Tournament (CMAT) over the weekend at the University of California, Berkeley.

This year was the first that the CMAT, one of the largest and most popular Chinese martial arts events in the US, has added a Shaolin kung fu division.

"It's important to introduce culture to the students, so they don't just think wushu (Chinese martial arts) is just for fighting or exercise. It also comes with ethics, morals and how you interact with the society," said Bryant Fong, CMAT chair and head instructor of the wushu team at UC Berkeley.

He believes that Shaolin kung fu is good to practice for most people at any age, because it teaches basic movements, stances and posture and improves health. It also has a rich history and culture, he said.

Brooke's mother, Lara Brooke, learned of Shaolin kung fu because of the temple and from movies. Twice a week she drives more than an hour to the kung fu school, where her daughter spends one hour in class and another in team practice.

The benefits are "huge" in many aspects, said the mother. "Compared to other children, she has a really great capacity (to follow) instructions and discipline. And of course there are physical benefits of being active and flexible," she said.

Lara Brooke said she has talked with the school, hoping it can develop a program for children who have reached a certain level.

Bogdan Marchis and Joel Macard, both competing in the senior age group, said they felt benefits both physically and mentally.

"I'm in much better shape now than I ever was. I'm more flexible, and competitions like this make you more confident. I feel I'm happier when I do this," said Marchis, who works at Stanford University. Marchis learned of Shaolin kung fu from a wellness program that is a partnership between Shaolin Temple USA and the university's medical school.

Chinese kung fu has become increasingly popular in the US. In the Bay Area, various kung fu schools can been seen at malls in the region. The Shaolin Temple USA alone has around 800 members enrolled at its four centers in the Bay Area.

Twenty-seven years ago, when Fong founded the CMAT for University of California students, there were around 80 competitors. Today, it attracts around 500 participants, ranging in age from 5 to 60, who come from diverse ethnic groups and other countries.

"But if you go to tae kwon do or judo tournaments, it is obviously more diverse," said CMAT Director Michelle Yang, adding, "we are still lacking" when it comes to diversity.

To help people from non-Chinese backgrounds better understand wushu, Fong has designed handouts for his tai chi class and regularly gives lectures on wushu and the culture that it's related to.

"American culture doesn't have something like this, so if they don't have the same response (as Chinese students), we should find ways that we can make it easier for them to understand what it is we are doing," said Fong, also president of the National Chinese Wushu Association of America.

He was trained for the Beijing Wushu Team in 1980, and was among the first American students sent to study in China.

"When I started learning wushu in Beijing, the first thing they taught is wu de (ethics of wushu). Obviously, we don't do it here, but eventually we need to," he said. "Learning those ethical questions is important, so you have a stable way of knowing where you are supposed to be."

Traditional wushu was brought to the United States in the 1800s, when Chinese used it for defending themselves amid the anti-Chinese sentiment during that time, he said. It's not until the 1970s that modern wushu came from China.

Modern wushu is a sport developed by China to emphasize the dynamics and performance aspects of traditional wushu.

[GeneChing]

Menzies wins gold in U.C. Berkeley Push Hands Competition (https://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/2019/04/04/menzies-wins-gold-in-u-c-berkeley-push-hands-competition/)

https://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/KARATE.jpg?w=467
By UKIAH DAILY JOURNAL | udj@ukiahdj.com |
PUBLISHED: April 4, 2019 at 1:18 pm | UPDATED: April 4, 2019 at 1:20 pm

Scott Menzies, owner and instructor at Fort Bragg’s Perfect Circle T’ai Chi Martial Arts, walked away with a gold medal in Tai Chi Push Hands from U.C. Berkeley CalWushu’s 27th Annual Chinese Martial Arts Tournament, held over the weekend of March 23-24.

“It feels really good,” said Menzies. “I’ve been doing this practice for a long time, and this just reinforces for me that I’m on the right track.”

“One of the best organized and most popular Chinese martial arts events in the nation,” according to Russell Ahn, U.C. Martial Arts Program Director, the event included a wide range of Chinese martial arts, with individual and group competitions for adults and children; a diversity of empty-hand and weapons forms; demonstrations from masters such as Shaolin monks and martial arts actor Dr. Chiu Chi Ling, whose movies include Kung Fu Hustle; and Tai Chi Push Hands.

“It was really a sight to see,” said Menzies. “So much going on, from groups of little kids dressed in Shaolin garb doing routines to the amazing array Chinese weapons forms.”

According to Menzies, Push Hands is the martial arts core of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, also spelled Taijiquan, but most commonly known as Tai Chi. The goal of Push Hands is to train the practitioner to become more aware and sensitive, so as to be able to “listen to energy” and, ultimately, “understand energy,” thereby establishing a solid foundation for martial arts.

Barbara Weiss and Richard Melrose, who recently started practice at Perfect Circle, attended the tournament to watch Menzies compete.

“I wanted to see the tournament so I could see how the Push Hands martial arts we study looked in a competitive setting with people from different schools,” said Weiss. “We emphasize redirecting an opponent’s energy in Scott’s classes. At the tournament, it was more about strength, but I was proud of Scott, who was actually using the energy work we study.”

“We have been not only learning the techniques and movements, but the meaning of these practices,” said Melrose. “So it was satisfying to see that he won using good technique, not just shoving people around.”
Menzies said he felt really good that most of the time he was able to redirect others’ force with less force in return, scoring many clean points and resulting in larger point differentials, like his 9 to 4 point win for the gold.

“This practice is a never-ending developmental process,” said Menzies, “so if I can go from being successful against brute force one out of ten times and make it two out of ten, then that’s progress, and I’m happy.
“The reality is that you have to lose to learn, and those who lose with self-reflection will eventually surpass those who rely on strength and remain in their comfort zone,” he explained.

Menzies first started studying Yang Style Tai Chi in Taiwan in 1999, shortly after moving there from Nepal, where he was a Peace Corps volunteer. In 2002 he and his wife Emily McPhail moved to Hunan, China, where he met Master Zhou Fei, under whom he studied Chen Style Tai Chi “yong”, meaning “usage” – i.e. the martial arts of the practice, which focused on Push Hands. In 2003 they left Asia and returned to Humboldt County, where Menzies had attended college, and he began teaching Tai Chi on the side.

“I didn’t actually plan to start teaching right away,” said Menzies, “but the truth was that, up there, I didn’t have anyone to work with, and I didn’t want to lose the knowledge I’d gained in Asia.”

Since then, Menzies has returned to China twice – in 2007 and 2016 – for further training.

In 2011, the couple moved to Fort Bragg, and two years later Menzies took advantage of an opportunity to open Perfect Circle on Franklin Street in central Fort Bragg, where he teaches these practices for both health and wellness and martial arts.

He also uses Tai Chi as a leadership development tool.

“I’ve a strong interest in community organizing and social change,” said Menzies. “It’s actually one of the reasons we returned to the States after seven years in Asia – so we could get more involved.”
According to Menzies, Tai Chi Push Hands is a solid framework for leadership development – teaching practitioners how to take action, including hard action, from inner peace. That inner peace, in turn, is important to ensuring clear, creative, intelligent, and strategic thinking, not to mention a healthy body to support those efforts for the long haul.

“In Push Hands the old adage ‘The first one who gets angry loses’ is actually a physical reality,” said Menzies. “Strong emotions create physical tension, and that tension can be used against you in Push Hands. So this practice is a biofeedback process that trains us to be more calmly proactive, strategic, and creative as we engage with others at the social – and political – levels.

“The action one might take to satisfy one’s strong emotions and the action needed to actually solve the problem at hand are often, if not always, different,” said Menzies. “This is why we need to develop our ‘internal skill’ along with our ‘external skill’ – be it martial arts, leadership, or whatever – so that we can be more effective in solving the problems and accomplishing our goals.”

Menzies has used Push Hands and its underlying premises to demonstrate and cultivate these skills in workshops for Leadership Mendocino, the City of Fort Bragg staff, Fort Bragg Unified School District’s Alt Ed staff and students, and other local organizations. He has even used it to work with the Fort Bragg High School football team.

“Push Hands is a great social-emotional learning activity for youth,” said Menzies, “and it directly complements and supports, for both students and staff, the School District’s efforts toward implementing Restorative Justice Practices.”

“Restorative approaches refer to a range of methods and strategies which can be used both to prevent relationship-damaging incidents from happening and to resolve them if they do happen,” according to the Restorative Justice Council’s website.

In his efforts to get more people to experience the challenges and benefits of Push Hands, Menzies will be adding a Thursday evening Push Hands class in May.

“Most people think of Tai Chi as that stuff older folks do in groups in parks,” said Menzies. “And while that’s part of it and the benefits of that work are real, I would like more people, young and old, to experience the action philosophy and martial arts of this practice through Push Hands.”
Menzies can be contacted at pctaichi@mcn.org or 962-3009.

Despite CMAT's low turnout this year, at least they got some coverage. There was another large tournament here two weeks later and I've yet to see any media coverage at all on that one. :o

[GeneChing]

CMAT 27
By Gene Ching

http://www.kungfumagazine.com/admin/site_images/KungfuMagazine/upload/4575_KFM2019-Summer-Cover.jpg
SUMMER 2019 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=1487)

[GeneChing]

Really Berkeley? Really? Of all the U.S. universities, you'd think Berkeley would have this together.


‘Stop normalizing racism’: Amid backlash, UC-Berkeley apologizes for listing xenophobia under ‘common reactions’ to coronavirus (https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/01/31/berkeley-coronavirus-xenophobia/)

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Students walk on the University of California at Berkeley campus in Berkeley, Calif., on Aug. 15, 2017. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)
By Allyson Chiu
Jan. 31, 2020 at 4:08 a.m. PST

At first glance, the informational handout recently shared by the University of California at Berkeley’s health services center on Instagram looked like many of the others that have been promoted amid rising worry over the global spread of the deadly coronavirus.

This particular post, which was widely circulated Thursday, focused on “managing fears and anxiety” about the pneumonia-like virus that originated in Wuhan, China, last month and has since infected people in countries worldwide, including the United States. In addition to offering mental health tips and resources, the bulletin identified a handful of “normal reactions” that people may experience as the crisis continues to unfold.

It would be reasonable, the university’s health center wrote, for people in the coming days or weeks to feel panicked, socially withdrawn and angry, among other emotions. But the last “normal” feeling listed was, as one person put it, “very much not like the other.”

“Xenophobia: fears about interacting with those who might be from Asia and guilt about those feelings,” the handout said.

As Asians, especially Chinese people, worldwide have experienced heightened tensions in their communities and an increasing number of racist incidents sparked by fears of coronavirus contamination, the post struck a nerve. Many critics slammed the notice, expressing disbelief that a prominent university with a large Asian student body appeared to be “normalizing racism.”



Dustin R. Glasner, PhD
@drglasner
Hey @UCBerkeley @cal @UCBerkeleySPH @TangCenterCal - as a proud Cal alum (PhD Infectious Diseases '18) and Asian-American, this is really, truly unacceptable. Stop normalizing racism. It is not normal, and racist reactions to the current coronavirus outbreak are NOT OKAY. https://twitter.com/adrienneshih/status/1222986183778689024 …


Adrienne Shih
✔
@adrienneshih
Confused and honestly very angry about this Instagram post from an official @UCBerkeley Instagram account.

When is xenophobia ever a “normal reaction”?

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1:25 PM - Jan 30, 2020
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The outcry prompted university officials to take swift action, removing the Instagram post later in the day and issuing an apology for causing “any misunderstanding.”

“We apologize for our recent post on managing anxiety around Coronavirus,” said a statement shared by Berkeley’s Tang Center, which happens to be named after Hong Kong businessman Jack C.C. Tang. “We regret any misunderstanding it may have caused and have updated the language in our materials.”

AD

Thursday’s controversy coincided with the World Health Organization declaring the coronavirus outbreak a “public health emergency” and the State Department elevating its travel advisory for China to Level 4: “Do Not Travel.” According to the most recent figures from Chinese officials, nearly 10,000 people in China, where the pneumonia-like virus originated, have fallen ill, and the death toll in the country has risen to 213. Outside China, the number of international cases has risen to more than 80, with at least four countries, including the United States, reporting person-to-person transmission of the virus.

The latest developments are likely to stoke more fear over the virus’s spread, as experts say a vaccine won’t be ready any time soon. That doesn’t bode well for Asians already being subjected to discrimination and vitriolic attacks — and if history is any evidence, it’s only going to get worse.



Terri Chu
@TerriChu
In my Chinese moms chat group, we discussed how to brace ourselves and the kids for the inevitable wave of racism coming our way as this unfolds.

Many of us have never even been to China but know we will not go unscathed. https://twitter.com/akurjata/status/1221165180568002560 …


Andrew Kurjata 📻
✔
@akurjata
Perhaps revealing some naiveté, I'm surprised at the level of vitriol towards Chinese people I'm seeing in the comments sections of stories about the Wuhan coronavirus. And I mean towards the people, not the government. Disheartening.

513
1:31 PM - Jan 25, 2020
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Going back centuries, “Chinese and Chinese American people have served as scapegoats for infectious disease outbreaks and sanitation failures in the United States and around the world to particularly alarming effect,” wrote Jessica Hauger for The Washington Post.

During the third pandemic of the plague, political cartoons printed in California showed Chinese Americans “eating rats and bunking in crowded, unsanitary lodgings,” according to Hauger, a doctoral student at Duke University who studies healing and colonialism in the indigenous history of North America. Publications labeled China and Chinese people the “breeding place of King Plague.”

continued next post

[GeneChing]

The reactions to the coronavirus outbreak haven’t been all that different.

The hashtag “#ChineseDon’tComeToJapan” has been trending on Japanese social media, and Singaporeans are petitioning their government to bar Chinese nationals from entering the country, the New York Times reported. As of Thursday, there were 11 confirmed cases of the virus in Japan and 10 in Singapore, according to data compiled by The Post.

In France, Asian citizens launched a hashtag, “#JeNeSuisPasUnVirus” (“I’m not a virus”), to fight back against racism, the BBC reported. Le Courrier Picard, a French newspaper, also recently apologized after weathering backlash for running a front-page headline that read, “ALERTE JAUNE,” or “YELLOW ALERT.” So far, the country has confirmed five cases.

Reports of xenophobic behavior in Toronto prompted Mayor John Tory to issue a public statement Wednesday rebuking the treatment of the city’s Chinese Canadian community. Canada has reported three cases of infection.

“We have to be here to stand up and say that kind of stigmatization is wrong,” Tory said at a news conference. “It is ill-founded and in fact, could lead to a situation where we are less safe because it spreads misinformation at a time when people are in more need than ever of real information and real facts.”

The mayor went on to pledge solidarity to Chinese Canadians living in and around Toronto, stressing that quarantines or avoiding Chinese people and businesses are “entirely inconsistent with the advice of our health care professionals.”


John Tory
✔
@JohnTory
Standing with our Chinese community against stigmatization & discrimination, and reminding residents that, as our health care professionals have informed us, the risk of Coronavirus to our community remains low. We must not allow fear to triumph over our values as a city.

Embedded video
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11:22 AM - Jan 29, 2020
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Then, Berkeley’s University Health Services publicized its latest coronavirus handout, which went viral Thursday after an image of the Instagram post was shared on Twitter. Critics, a number of whom are current or former students, blasted the university, suggesting that the post amounted to condoning racism against Asians. According to Berkeley’s fall enrollment data, more than 40 percent of last year’s freshman class were Asian.

“This just in from the number one public university in the world: it’s okay to be xenophobic as long as you also feel sort of guilty about it,” one person tweeted.



Michelle Lee
@1michellelee
Very cool take from my alma mater @UCBerkeley - xenophobia as an acceptable “common reaction” to the coronavirus panic. Feeling good about the light fear people have had of me in public all week. https://twitter.com/adrienneshih/status/1222986183778689024 …


Adrienne Shih
✔
@adrienneshih
Confused and honestly very angry about this Instagram post from an official @UCBerkeley Instagram account.

When is xenophobia ever a “normal reaction”?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EPjrc1YXsBgqTyF?format=jpg&name=medium
21
1:22 PM - Jan 30, 2020
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Reactions ranged from shock to disgust, as several people demanded answers from the university.

“Is this a joke @ucberkeley?” a Twitter user asked. Another opined that the handout was “the exact opposite of good public health messaging.”

At least one person pointed out that Thursday also marked the official removal of California lawyer John Henry Boalt’s name from the main classroom building at Berkeley’s law school. Boalt’s anti-Chinese writings helped catalyze the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, according to a university news release.


Top Dog
@DJAL3XGA5
sorry professor i can't come to class today. im xenophobic and i think it might be contagious. please understand https://twitter.com/adrienneshih/status/1222986183778689024 …


Adrienne Shih
✔
@adrienneshih
Confused and honestly very angry about this Instagram post from an official @UCBerkeley Instagram account.

When is xenophobia ever a “normal reaction”?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EPjrc1YXsBgqTyF?format=jpg&name=medium
22
1:54 PM - Jan 30, 2020
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See Top Dog's other Tweets
The revised version of the health-center handout makes no mention of xenophobia. Under “Ways to Manage Fears & Anxieties,” a bullet point reads, “Be mindful of your assumptions about others.”

“Someone who has a cough or a fever does not necessarily have coronavirus,” the handout said. “Self-awareness is important in not stigmatizing others in our community.”


Allyson Chiu
Allyson Chiu is a reporter with The Washington Post's Morning Mix team. She has previously contributed to the South China Morning Post and the Pacific Daily News.Follow

I wonder if Coronavirus (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71666-Coronavirus-Wuhan-Pneumonia) will still be an issue when CMAT (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?36106-Who-s-going-to-Berkeley-CMAT-this-year) happens. It's scheduled for March 14, only a month and a half away.

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMmmrPISATM&feature=emb_logo

[NorthernShaolin]

Hope to see some one from the forum this weekend. Anyone. ;)

I'll be there.

[GeneChing]

hold the phone for this year... :confused:

[GeneChing]

From CMAT's facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/300647849984977/):

Unfortunately it is with regret that I must announce that CMAT 28 will be postponed until next year. I apologize any inconvenience that this decision may have cost any of you. The CMAT committee did not easily make this decision. But, as of today only 79 competitors have signed up for the competition. From further investigation, we realized many people are not willing to travel because of the coronavirus, or to take part in big events. Certainly, we understand everyone's concern, and make your safety and health our main concern.

So we will resume next year. Hopefully, by that time we will have the virus under control!

Please, stay in touch through our various channels for latest developments in CMAT, and Collegiate Wushu.

Thank you for your support.

Sifu Bryant Fong

CMAT Chair

and CMAT 28 Committee

THREADS
CMAT (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?36106-Who-s-going-to-Berkeley-CMAT-this-year)
Covid-19 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71666-Coronavirus-(COVID-19)-Wuhan-Pneumonia)

[GeneChing]

So sad to missing it tomorrow. :(