Youngest & Eldest Black Sashes

Instructors and students of a local Chinese martial arts association have been celebrating a double whammy of firsts.  The Bedworth based ‘Sil Lum Hark Fu Mun’ club has seen both its youngest and oldest ever ‘black sash’ grades awarded.

The eternally youthful Ian Harrison achieved the feat at the age of fifty years young and the ‘older than his years’ Callum Burkinshaw made the grade at age nine years old.  Ian had spent many years training in a wide variety of martial arts before settling on the Shaolin Black Tiger system in 2002.  Callum also started in 2002 at the age of 3 ½!  Outside observers might suggest that a nine year old would be incapable of such a high standard in the ancient arts, perhaps the fact that Callum has been training almost everyday since he was three and a half years old helps!

Both Ian and Callum braved a gruelling day of examination.  Any readers who were nearby may have witnessed them both feverishly performing press-ups at the side of the road whilst being ‘encouraged’ by a nearby instructor!  The pair were tested for hours on all of the techniques they have learned including multiple sparring, kicking, punching and lengthy form work (a form is a series of many hundreds of linked movements against an imaginary opponent).

Callum receiving his Black Sash certificate from his Sifu (& father) Paul Burkinshaw

Ian and Callum are no strangers to having their skills put to the test.  Calum has won many gold medals at National martial arts competitions up and down the country.  Whilst Ian has been training the youngest members as an instructor for many years.

Ian receiving his Black Sash certificate from Sifu Paul Burkinshaw

Paul Burkinshaw, head of the association which run clubs throughout the Midlands described what the black sash award represented “the Black sash is the start of a student’s journey in Kung Fu. They have achieved a sufficient standard to truly put into practice what they have learnt so far, to make the next step to a higher level of appreciation and understanding. Students that see the Black sash as the goal miss out on completing the Yin & Yang cycle and improving themselves to appreciate how to learn & improve more.  Students that have continued their studies have improved in the areas which are hard to measure. Reaction times, timing, balance, control, etc and all these make people stand out from the norm. We have also noted that our Black Sash students then learn at a much quicker rate than before as these skills are combined with the thirst and understanding to learn and improve.”

Also grading on the day was Callum's older sister, Charlotte Burkinshaw, Who achieved her 1st Degree Black Sash.

The Sil Lum Hark Fu Mun style (Black Tiger) is a traditional style of Chinese Kung Fu with its origins dating back hundreds of years to the original Shaolin Temples in China.  The Sil Lum Kune Association in Bedworth is always open to new students, training prices are very competitive as Paul Burkinshaw points out “Our prices haven't increased since Dec 2000. £26 per month for Little Tigers and £32 per month for Kung Fu, Kickboxing & Grappling (all up to 2 lessons per week), we put a couple of pounds a month to one side to cover the next years insurance renewal, therefore the student doesn't pay an annual membership etc. For £40 per month our students can train as much as they wish in any style they wish, and we have classes 7 days per week.”