Since
1998 I have had the pleasure of training under Sifu Arthur Berry
and to represent his school at many of the local martial arts
tournaments. I have also enjoyed meeting and working with a lot
of different people through the Chinese Kung-Fu club of DeKalb.
Each of them has helped me, in their own way, to become the person
that I am today.
The
core curriculum consists of two physically distinct styles: Northern
Shaolin and Green Dragon Tai Praying Mantis. I believe they complement
each other mentally. The Shaolin has been the base for my forms
training, with 12-step Tan Tui as the most important form that
I have learned, since it trains the body how to powerfully strike
from many different positions and angles. The Tai Praying Mantis
also has interesting forms, but I feel I have benefited the most
from the two-man drills that originated from the Green Dragon
system.
My
main interest in the art has been studying the many weapons that
Sifu Arthur Berry has learned throughout the years, which include
Chinese, Okinawa, and Japanese implements. While I may never use
any of these weapons in a fight, I feel that learning how to handle
a weapon and making it a part of you gives you new insights into
how the human body works and how far you can push yourself.
