September 2018 Wu Shen Tao News

EVENTS/ CLOSINGS

CLOSED LABOR DAY – Monday September 3, 2018

Playful Dragons Gathering/ Potluck – September 16, 2-6pm

Autumn Moon Festival Lunch- Hibachi Sushi Supreme Buffet Sept 29-1 PM

US Wu Shu Academy Challenge Tournament- October 6, 2018 Saturday at Marriott Washingtonian Center, Gaithersburg MD

US Open Martial Arts Championships –OCT. 14 –Queens College NYC

CHINA OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

On August 4, 2018 The Capitol Classics/ China Open event took place at the Gaylord Resort and Conference Center at the National Harbor near WDC. The turnout of the Kung Fu side of the event was moderate and the event did not start on time (which is not unusual for tournaments in general). The event attempted to use new judging and scoring software but unfortunately it did not work as hoped for.  Delays, and clerical issues further delayed several rings. Otherwise, the judges did their best to attend to the competitors needs and everyone was judged fairly and eventually. Hopefully some of the technical issues will be resolved before next years’ event.

4Th ANNUAL PLAYFUL DRAGONS GATHERING/ POTLUCK

We are having this year’s celebration at our usual place in Silver Spring at the Indian Springs Terrace Park facility.  It is located at 9717 Lawndale Drive, Silver Spring MD 20901. We will meet at 2pm -6 PM on Sunday September 16, 2018.

Feel free to invite friends, families, students and teachers from the area. Join us for food, demos, games, stimulating conversation, and an impromptu live music jam performed by the attendees. There is usually a push hands group, a discussion group, and a play area nearby for children to climb and run around in. There is an indoor facility with bathrooms and a kitchenette and open areas outside for cooking, playing, and enjoying the weather. It is always a lot of fun and we encourage you to come join us.  Please RSVP so that we can prepare properly! A somewhat accurate headcount helps us make sure we have enough fun for everyone! Volunteers for setup and breakdown sincerely appreciated. Volunteer by contacting Paul or any of the teaching staff.

See you all then!!

AUTUMN MOON FESTIVAL LUNCH

This year on September 24, 2017 the Asian celebration of the Autumn Moon Festival takes place. Traditionally a holiday period of about a week that commemorates the end of growing season and a chance for people to get together and eat, drink and be merry. It also celebrates ones ancestors and the friends who have passed on. Customs include parties, banquets, family gatherings, Moon watching, eating Moon cakes, and making and flying paper lanterns.  We at Wu Shen Tao generally have a Saturday afternoon lunch gathering where we gather to talk, tell stories, and to enjoy each other’s company outside of class time.

Make plans to join us on September 29.2018 at the Hibachi Sushi Supreme Buffet located at 28 Bureau Dr. in Gaithersburg, MD 20878 beginning at 1 PM. The price is approximately $16 per person and we will gather to socialize, talk martial arts, and eat and have fun. Notify Paul (301-651-3617 or at longmen987@gmail.com), if you have questions, concerns, and to say how many people are in your party so that we may be able to secure our own area in this busy sought after location. We hope to see you there!!

THANK YOU FOR HELPING THE TEAM SUCEED!

We would like to thank all of the sponsors/ friends who contributed to the Go Fund Me site and helped defray costs for our Senior Team members Stephen Genus and Daniel Nightingale to attend the Florida ICMAC International Championships as well as the Kuoshu World Tournament. The funds were spent on Registration fees as well as hotel rooms and some meals. Your assistance helped them remain focused on training and the results obtained by them and their teammates justified our expenditures in that we did very well at both events. When we stand together, we succeed together!

SEPTEMBER  SWORDPLAY CLASS

We will meet for sword basics and application class this month on Wednesday September 12th 2018 from 7:30-9 PM. Bring a sword, eye protection and groin protection (optional). All students are encouraged to attend regardless of experience.

WEB SITE CONTACT PAGE -- PLEASE SIGN IN!

We humbly accept suggestions as to how we may improve the site so that it may be easier and more usable to friends, and to current and future members.  Sign in to get newsletters and other information concerning the latest goings on in and around our schools. Also see us also for our latest great video additions, messages, and new innovations on health and martial arts under Wu Shen Tao on our Facebook page.

FREE COMMUNITY PUSH HANDS -

Our weekly Community Tai Chi and Push Hands Open workout is alive and well (25 years and counting). We hold the Free Community Workout, 3 blocks away, at the Roda Movement Center which is located at 7014 Westmoreland Avenue (just off Carroll Avenue) in Takoma Park, MD.  It is located just behind the Gazebo located on Carroll Avenue and across from the House of Musical Traditions.  The workout takes place on Thursdays from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM.  Feel free to contact us at longmen987@gmail.com if you have questions or concerns.

 QUOTES OF THE MONTH

Success is something you attract by the person you become.

-Jim Rohn

Change your opinions, keep to your principles; Change your leaves, keep your roots intact.

-Victor Hugo

A great man is always willing to be little.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Action is the foundational key to all success.

-Pablo Picasso

August 2018 Wu Shen Tao News

EVENTS/ CLOSINGS

Capital Classics/China Open Tournament –Gaylord Hotel National Harbor Aug 3 & 4th

US Wu Shu Academy Challenge Tournament- October 6, 2018 Saturday at Marriott Washingtonian Center, Gaithersburg MD

US Open Martial Arts Championships –OCT. 14 –Queens College NYC

 ICMAC INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

On the weekend of June 29, 2018 Stephen Genus, Paul Ramos, and Toba Adewusi traveled to Orlando, Florida to take part in the 20th ICMAC International Championships. The event was very large with over 1000 competitors and hundreds of spectators. Considering the large numbers, the tournament was well run and included many hard and soft style events as well as a 3 hour Masters Demo . Paul demonstrated Liu He Ba Fa (Water Boxing) to an appreciative audience while earlier in the show Paul’s Kung Fu brother Shi Fu Alexander King performed an excellent Xing-I Sword demo.                                                                                 

Toba finished up as Push Hands gold medalist in both Stationary and Moving Push Hands. Meanwhile Stephen battled Paul’s Kung fu brother and fellow teacher, Shi Fu Chris Hart throughout all 3 levels of Push Hands competition to finish with a Gold medal in Stationary Push Hands and Silver in Restricted step and Moving step divisions. Stephen also won advanced Bagua Zhang form and received the Silver spot in the advanced Xing-I Chuan division.                         

  As a judge it was non-stop work but in the end the tournament exhibited the talents of the next generation of Kung Fu fans. That is always a good thing.

PUNCH HANDS WORKSHOP

This workshop consisted of 6 hours of training in Master Clark's Punch Hands method which is meant to be a transitional method between Push Hands and Combat.   There was 3 hours of training, then lunch break, and then the final 3 hours of training. The workshop looked at 5 levels of training.  Stationary Push Hands, Moving PH’s, Moving with strikes to the body, and then the final two levels progress to Full Contact Tai Chi fighting skills.

A post seminar exit poll was taken from all participants. The participants all agreed that they really appreciated Master Clark’s passion, energy, and focus. These aspects helped achieve the goal of seeing a pathway to efficient technique while manifesting Tai Chi principles in action. Participants also stated how they wanted to see more and take it to the next level. Add that with the character which is Master Christophe Clark and you get an entertaining as well as a serious workout session.

He and other high level Masters will be coming to our area going forward. This will be part of a forthcoming “Mountain Top” training series.  Highly skilled masters of various disciplines share some  essential training methods.. More info to come.

KUOSHU WORLD TOURNAMENT

The Kuoshu Federation World Tournament took place, this year, July 27-29 in our back yard -Hunt Valley MD. Teams from 22 countries were slated to arrive from around the world. Unfortunately 4 teams did not get beyond the current US immigration policy. A pity but the event proceeded with a number of Kuoshu World Championship events, as  well as, the open Kuoshu National Championships events.

The Wu Shen Tao team made its presence known by earning 14 medals from 5 participants. Add three more if we include WST Children’s instructor (and Paul’s Kung Fu brother), Terance Nicholson who also snagged advanced gold and World Champion status in Xing-I Chuan, and External Empty Hand form. He came in second in World standings performing the Kun Lun Mountain Sword form.

The Men’s Pushing Hands divisions where large enough to challenge anyone and these are the results. Our 4 new Kuoshu Push Hands National Champions are Marketa Ebert (she also took Gold in Intermediate Yang form and Sword), Toba Adewusi Gold in limited Step as well as Moving step Push Hands, (He also won Men’s Intermediate Yang form); Stephen Genus’s 2 US team events finished as Silver in Xing-I Chuan and Gold in, and now new Kuoshu World Champion in Bagua Zhang form. Evan Colton earned Bronze medals in both Intermediate Yang form as well as Bronze in Men’s Restricted Step Push Hands before winning his National Push  Hands title for the Men’s Moving step division. In Men’s Moving light heavy weight Push Hands competition, Steve and our own Danny Nightingale put on a clinic in Moving step to the delight of the judges and spectators as a duel for 3rd or 4th place. Danny emerged victorious on this day and secured the bronze to round out our team placements. Many congratulations on the skill and positive attitude of our team. Teamss from all quarters. made this a tough,  challenging, and fun event. 

The skill, attitude, and positive spirit of most of the competitors, families, and officials - made this one of the most encouraging tournaments in recent history and we will certainly bring another team next year to support this educational and uplifting event.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING THE TEAM SUCEED!

We would like to thank all of the sponsors/ friends who contributed to the Go Fund Me site and helped defray costs for our Senior Team members Stephen Genus and Daniel Nightingale to attend the Florida ICMAC International Championships as well as the Kuoshu World Tournament. The funds were spent on Registration fees as well as hotel rooms and some meals. Your assistance helped them remain focused on training and the results obtained by them and their teammates justified our expenditures in that we did very well at both events. When we stand together, we succeed together!

AUGUST SWORDPLAY CLASS

We will meet for sword basics and application class this month on Wednesday August 22nd, 2018 from 7:30-9 PM. Bring a sword, eye protection and groin protection (optional). All students are encouraged to attend regardless of experience.

WEB SITE UNIFORM/ CONTACT PAGE -- PLEASE SIGN IN!

Got an idea on how we can improve the site? Ideas on how so to make us simpler  and easier and more usable to friends, and to current and future members?  Sign in to get newsletters and other information concerning the latest goings on in and around our schools. Also see us also for our latest great video additions, messages, and new innovations on health and martial arts under Wu Shen Tao on our Facebook page.

FREE COMMUNITY PUSH HANDS -

Our weekly Community Tai Chi and Push Hands Open workout is alive and well (25 years and counting). We hold the Free Community Workout, 3 blocks away, at the Roda Movement Center which is located at 7014 Westmoreland Avenue (just off Carroll Avenue) in Takoma Park, MD.  It is located just behind the Gazebo located on Carroll Avenue and across from the House of Musical Traditions.  The workout takes place on Thursdays from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM.  Feel free to contact us at longmen987@gmail.com if you have questions or concerns.

 QUOTES OF THE MONTH

 Do not fear defeat. You are never so near to victory as when defeated in a good cause.

-Henry Ward Beecher

If you’re doing your best, you never have time to worry about failure.

-H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Fall down seven times; get up eight.

-Japanese proverb

Kuoshu World Tournament synopsis

I'd like to thank and commend the Wu Shen Tao team that competed this last weekend at the World Kuoshu Tournament. I also want to thank Alexander King, and Christine Rice, talented co- judges (and fellow Wudang Long Men siblings), who helped keep the standards high at this World Championship event

Our 5 competitors all medaled, and walked away with 4 National Champion titles in various weight classes of Push Hands. Stephen Genus also earned his title as Kuoshu Federation Bagua Zhang World Champion. I want to again thank Daniel Nightingale, Marketa Ebert, Toba Adewusi, Evan Colton, and Stephen Genus for their hard work and for the persistence that allowed them to do well against all comers. That is the meaning of kung Fu (Good skill acquired through hard work, perseverence,  for an extended period of time).  More details to come in the August Newsletter.