Bedworth Martial Arts Academy
The steady beat of the Lion dance drum vibrates through the air, the pounding of leather on leather competes for the airwaves. You have now entered ‘The Academy’, the very soul of Sil Lum Hark Fu Mun (Shaolin Black Tiger), the Chinese Kung Fu Martial Arts Association in Bedworth. You could almost be forgiven for thinking you had entered a Shaolin temple in Henan, the origin of this style.
Owned and run by ‘Sifu’ (teacher) Paul Burkinshaw, a 7th degree black sash and former World, and 6 times UK champion in Qingda sparring, forms and weapons.
The Academy, purpose built in 2007, realising Paul’s 10 year old dream. A shrine to the Sil Lum Hark Fu Mun style. The walls are shrouded with the heads of lions, multiple weapons, all used in the study of this style, and the achievements of all those that we all aspire to emulate.
The facilities within the Academy are first class. Each of the floors are completely covered with interlocked matting, downstairs houses a proper sparring ring, and a number of sparring training bags suspended from the ceiling. Within the 2nd floor training hall there are several wooden dummies and a large number of training weapons from swords to axes to wooden staffs to spears and hammers.
The Chinese word within the style ‘Mun’ translates to ‘Gate’ or ‘Door’ and is used to mean that the student has been invited into the closed family of that style. A family it truly is, in which student’s young and old stand shoulder to shoulder, side by side and are taught the same competences of the style, regardless of age and gender. Attended by pupils from the age of 4 from where they set out as Little Tiger’s, through the junior ranks and into the adult classes.
The higher grades pass on their wisdom to the junior grades and as a more mature student (aged 41) it is very humbling to have a 7, 8, 9 year old teach and correct your techniques.
The atmosphere within the academy truly inspires you to scale new heights as you strive towards greater things. The family atmosphere is generated by the shear hard work and dedicated effort produced by all the teachers and students. The sense of satisfaction and celebration of achievement is there for all to see. Your initial thoughts when seeing the set up for the first time are one of professionalism and enjoyment.
There is a real sense of belonging and camaraderie, demonstrated none more so than when its competition time. Even though the competition is national you can still end up competing against students from your own club, but win or lose everyone is still friends at the end and supports one another.
As a parent of 3 children, all of whom study this art, I see this as a crucial life skill that will equip them all for their journey through life. The ability to be able to defend yourself if attacked should never be underestimated, especially in this day and age, and this should never be used to bully or intimidate other people. They are also enhancing their discipline and respect for others, as well as growing in confidence. As a student myself it gives me immense pleasure to participate in the same activity as my children, where you learn the same skills and where age, speed and physical size does not matter, there are few sports that can emulate this.
Author
Paul Barrow, parent and student