As a member of the CMAA Competition and Demo Team you will receive additional training and more individualized training attention.
Kids who are on the team will be allowed to train up a level. This means select 5-7 year olds may be allowed to train in the 8-12 year olds and that group may be allowed to train in the 13+/Advanced class.
The team will be given additional after class instruction and specially trained for performances and competition.
Do you have what it takes?
Who can be on the team?
ANYONE can be on the team! All you have to do is put in the hard work. Anyone can be on the team, but there are requirements!
To be a member of the team it is required is that you train at least 3 times per week at CMAA. It is required that you be available to assist with performances, demo's and/or competitions - annually!
Remember if being on the team is not possible now, do not fret. Keep up the hard work and maybe you’ll find yourself able to dedicate more time in the future. Hard working teammates are always welcome!
The Chinese Martial Arts Academy (CMAA) will be moving to a new location- our very own home!
Find out what this means for you! Read more here:http://www.martialartsalbany.com/889/
Class Cancelations
8/4- Kids Kungfu 9-10, Beginner Tai Chi 10-11
I will be attending a CrossFit certification seminar/exam for the weekend in NYC August 4th-5th. To learn more about what CrossFit is and why you should be excited about this, please read more here! http://www.martialartsalbany.com/crossfit/
8/18- All classes will be canceled for the quarterly Pil-Sung Tae Kwon Do School Testing
Why I teach Kungfu
When I tell people I teach Kungfu they think I mean I teach a kind of martial art. After all, Kungfu is what Bruce Lee did, it’s the stuff in Kungfu Panda, the action in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, right? It is a martial art, isn’t it? What if I told you the truth, that it’s all a big misunderstanding? What if I told you that Kungfu isn’t a martial art at all? Read more here: http://www.martialartsalbany.com/why-i-teach-kungfu/
Watch and Learn, Kungfu Documentaries!
Did you ever wish you could just sit back, relax and learn Kungfu from the comfort of your couch? Well, now you can! “But how much does it cost?” NOTHING! Thats right, you can learn more about Kungfu, for FREE from the comfort of your own home:) Read more here: http://www.martialartsalbany.com/807/
CMAA Monthly Challenge, August
Having addressed many areas from flexibility, exercise, meditation and diet, I’d like to focus this month’s challenge on an entirely separate area of martial arts development. While nothing is better than actually training at the Academy, these monthly challenges can help us develop outside of the school setting. To read more about this month’s challenge read more here: http://www.martialartsalbany.com/monthly-challenge-august/
Chinese Cultural Gala 7/29
Thank you for coming out and supporting the school! For those of you who demo’d for your first time- you did excellent! I was so proud of all of you. I will be posting pictures of the event to Facebook soon! We impressed a lot of people and have already been invited to perform at several large venues! More details to follow. To read more about the event please go here: http://www.martialartsalbany.com/cmaa-at-the-chinese-cultural-gala-day-729/
I apologize for any inconveniences the schools closing may cause you this month. I am working very hard to bring you new and exciting classes, courses and events! Good things are on their way!
Having addressed many areas from flexibility, exercise, meditation and diet, I’d like to focus this month’s challenge on an entirely separate area of martial arts development. While nothing is better than actually training at the Academy, these monthly challenges can help us develop outside of the school setting. For the month of August, I’d like you to take the time and read a book about martial arts. No matter what your specific interest in martial arts is, there is most certainly a book out there that can help you progress in your own practice.
I wholeheartedly recommend reading both fiction/non-fiction martial arts books (for different reasons). However, for this month’s challenge we are going to focus on non-fiction. Listed below are two books that I have found to be very influential. While I have read many books over the last 15 years, these are two of the more important ones I’ve come across.
Taichi:
The Tao of Tai Chi Quan (Zhou Zong Hua)
Kungfu/Sanshou:
The Book of the Five Rings (Miyamoto Musashi)
These are just two books that I've liked in particular. I've got dozens of books on nutrition, strength training, stretching, wrestling, striking, and meditation for martial artists. I am a firm believer that you always get something out of reading. Please feel free to recommend any books you have read and have found to be informative.
I look forward to having a CMAA library full of wonderful books for everyone to share in the near future!
I will be attending a CrossFit certification seminar/exam for the weekend in NYC August 4th-5th.
You may be asking yourself, “What is CrossFit and why does this matter to me?” Well, the short answer is CrossFit is the greatest strength and conditioning program ever designed. The following video will give you a little bit of an idea:
Please note, that while incredibly impressive, all the exercises/routines are scalable. This means anyone, of any age or fitness level can reach unimaginable levels of fitness.
Still interested?? Good! For the longer, more complete answer keep reading.
“CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide.
Our program delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive. Our specialty is not specializing. Combat, survival, many sports, and life reward this kind of fitness and, on average, punish the specialist.
The CrossFit program is designed for universal scalability making it the perfect application for any committed individual regardless of experience. We’ve used our same routines for elderly individuals with heart disease and cage fighters one month out from televised bouts. We scale load and intensity; we don’t change program.
Thousands of athletes worldwide have followed our workouts posted daily on this site and distinguished themselves in combat, the streets, the ring, stadiums, gyms and homes.
- Quoted from CrossFit.com
Workouts are typically short—20 minutes or less—and intense, demanding all-out physical exertion. They combine movements such as sprinting, rowing, climbing rope, weightlifting and carrying odd objects; they use barbells, dumbbells, gymnastics ring, pull-up bars, kettlebells, medicine balls, bodyweight exercises.
Due to the fact that I’ll be out of town the entire weekend:
The following classes will be canceled for Saturday, August 4th
Kids Kungfu 9-10am
Beginner Tai Chi 10 – 11am
Please note: that Adult Kungfu and Kungfu Kickboxing will still be held. In my absence, ShiXiong (Older Kungfu Brother) Stelianos will be taking charge in leading the training session.
Thank you for your understanding. I am working very hard to continually learn new things and bring you the greatest programs and the highest quality of instruction to help you achieve your goals as a martial artist and living healthier, happier lives!
Come join the Chinese Martial Arts Academy for a day of fun with Chinese culture at the Chinese Cultural Gala Day, this Sunday from 10:30am-3pm!
Please feel free to show your CMAA pride and wear your school shirt to the event:) I look forward to seeing you there:)
The Town of Clifton Park will host the first-ever Chinese Cultural Gala Day on Sunday, July 29, 2012. The FREE event is sponsored by the town’s Community Arts and Culture Commission in partnership with Clifton Park resident Xinhua Lee and Asian Culture Inc.
Residents of all ages will be able to participate in a hands-on Tai Chi work out, as well as Chinese ribbon and fan dances. Enjoy Chinese martial arts demonstrations, Chinese musical and dance performances and ethnic food (available for purchase.)
The Chinese Cultural Gala Day strives to bring Clifton Park residents together to enhance the understanding and appreciation of Chinese music, dance and culture.
I have asked several CMAA students who are also associated with the Chinese Community Center to help participate in a small demonstration. For those of you performing, please note:
1. Arrive at 10:30 am!
2. Bring your CMAA uniform (pants, shirt and shoes! - this is why it's important that we train in indoor shoes, so we can demo in footwear and feel the same as practice!)
3. We will be going on at about 11:30am. Please meet at the stage at the Clifton Common, located at Vischer Ferry Road in Clifton Park. (Turn in Clifton Common, turn right is parking, go into the back end is the stage area)
One year ago, with great excitement, I wrote to all our students announcing that Grandmaster Jiang had passed his legacy, the Chinese Martial Arts Academy, on to me. I accepted this honor with great pleasure and a huge sense of responsibility.
In the letter I spoke of making improvements to our school. We have added eight new classes to the schedule and have grown a substantial children’s Kungfu program. As promised, Shifu has continued to teach every day on which his classes are held.
It is now with the same excitement and pleasure as last year that I am making a very special announcement to you all today.
The Chinese Martial Arts Academy (CMAA) will be moving to a new location- our very own home!
What this means for you!
1. We will have our very own home! Just as when Grandmaster Jiang originally founded the school we will again have our very own facility. With a new open space, specialized mat system, new bathrooms, ample parking and air conditioning (among many other wonderful improvements) you are sure to love our new home!
2. New classes at regularly scheduled and more convenient times! Not only will we be in a SAFE, new, clean and spacious facility of our own, we will be adding many more classes and new programs as well!
3. Convenient location just off the Northway!
CMAA’s new home is located at The Crossroads Plaza in Latham:
The Chinese Martial Arts Academy
3A Johnson Rd
Latham, NY 12110
4. Monthly Events! CMAA can now host events more easily than ever. You may now look forward to monthly Kids Kungfu Parties, Taichi- Kungfu documentaries/films, seminars (on everything from Simplified Chen Taiji and Traditional Shaolin Black Tiger to meditation and nutritional talks), Saturday Fight Night showings and many other great events!
We are working around the clock to make this transition as smooth as possible. While it’s hard to predict the exact date, we are hoping to be operational and make our move in to our new home by early September!
This is a very exciting time for all of us. Thank you for your continued support. I will keep you all updated with more information as we move forward on many new and exciting initiatives!
When I tell people I teach Kungfu they think I mean I teach a kind of martial art. After all, Kungfu is what Bruce Lee did, it’s the stuff in Kungfu Panda, the action in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, right? It is a martial art, isn’t it? What if I told you the truth, that it’s all a big misunderstanding? What if I told you that Kungfu isn’t a martial art at all?
Well, to better understand what I’m talking about we need a quick lesson in Chinese 101. The word Kungfu, is actually written as ?? and more accurately pronounced Gongfu. In this case, G?ngfu (??) is a compound of two words, combining ? (g?ng) meaning "work", "achievement", or "merit", and ? (f?) which translates into "man", so that a literal rendering would be "achievement of man". Its connotation is that of an accomplishment arrived at by great effort of time and energy.
With an understanding that Kungfu means “great skill acquired through hard work over time” we might have a better idea why this word is used to refer to martial arts. In China, Gongfu is often used for many professionals, who through a lifetime of devotion to a certain pursuit have obtained great skill. A master chef who doesn’t measure the ingredients he uses, a mason who has turned building stone walls into an art or even a taxi driver who zips through traffic during rush hour with the greatest of ease are all examples of individuals who through a lifetime of dedication to their profession, have obtained Gongfu. Due to the fact that martial arts require a great deal of dedication and hard work, mastery of them too became widely referred to as Gongfu.
Now, to be sure, I do teach martial arts. I teach empty hand and weapon routines. However, if that was all I taught I don’t think I would love it the way I do. While kids might still be excited by the flashy sword forms, or the acrobatic jump kicks, the fighting techniques of martial arts alone would lack the greater substance required to benefit modern society. In that case, I could never pursue my passion professionally.
However, I have committed myself to teaching martial arts professionally. The truth is I am able to do this because I do not simply teach martial arts, but because I teach Gongfu. I teach people that excellence is possible only through persistence. Exercise, respect, discipline and focus are all the byproducts of this one idea. Because of Kungfu, martial arts have a much greater value in modern society than ever before. While I take great pride in teaching the highest quality martial arts and paying the closest attention to perfect technique, the reality is that this is all for the sole purpose of instilling the values inherent in obtaining Kungfu: hard work, persistent, unwavering diligence, humility and respect.
When my 5 year old student, cries during practice when I am strict with him but then runs over to give me a hug after class and says “I love you”, or when a young student with Asperger’s has a tough time in practice but tells me afterwards “I love Kungfu”, I know they have begun to learn the real meaning of Kungfu. When I can see the Arjune brothers are frustrated with the new staff routine but stay after class to help me straighten up, or when I work with Zack, telling him to do the same thing 100 times (10 times in the same practice!) and he comes back to the next class and has perfected the technique we had been practicing – I feel the greatest sense of pride any teacher could feel. I know I teach Kungfu because I can see it in them!
And it’s not just kids. I am fortunate enough to even have a dedicated adult class. I have made it a personal mission to spar with all my students (who are interested in sparring). I always try and push them to their limits. When I can spar with Stel, who is both bigger and stronger than me, and work him so hard that he is unable to walk for several days afterwards, it doesn’t mean anything, until I get a text message a few days later thanking me for everything. Such individuals want to better themselves. They push themselves to constantly develop their willpower, humility and courage. They too are developing Kungfu.
So, when people ask me “What do you do?” and I respond, “I teach Kungfu”, this is really what I mean. This is what it’s really about. Kungfu is not about punches or kicks, or even earning a black belt. It’s not about the destination. It’s about the journey. It’s about learning all the life lessons and having fun along the way.
Did you ever wish you could just sit back, relax and learn Kungfu from the comfort of your couch? Well, now you can! "But how much does it cost?" NOTHING! Thats right, you can learn more about Kungfu, for FREE from the comfort of your own home:)
I wanted to share with you the best Kungfu documentaries which are all available for free on Youtube! So sit back, relax and learn about the history, culture and training of Chinese Kungfu. Better yet, try watching 20 minutes a day of each documentary while stretching out! Learn kungfu and improve your flexibility at the same time.
Enjoy!
Myths and Logic of Shaolin (National Geographic)
Secrets of the Warrior's Power - (Discovery Channel)
The Way of the Warrior: Kung Fu, The Hard Way.BBC
Shaolin Kung Fu Masters
Shaolin Warrior Training (Chinese w/ Enlgish Subs)
