FOUNDER MEMBERS

As San Shou Kuan approaches its tenth year, Peter Kennedy and David Nicholls would like to thank those original founding members that helped SSK grow and evolve.  We are focusing on our senior students and instructors in name below who contributed and entered National competitions in the beginning of our ongoing journey.  We also greatly appreciate the help of other martial arts organisations in particular Zhuan Jiao Kuan, Zhuan Shu Kuan, Sanda UK, the GB Sanda Squad and Shuai Jiao –  Thank you each and everyone.

When San Shou Kuan started,  Pete and Dave were delighted that so many of their Black Belts and students were enthused and committed to help create a new organisation.   Initially just four classes in London Bridge and Watford.   Today we have classes across the Home Counties, London and North Wales; classes in Denmark with representation in France, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Lituania, S. America, USA with members joining the weekly classes online.

Our students can openly cross train with other martial arts styles – some of our instructors teach other styles,  which we  see as opportunities to broaden and strengthen our foundations.   San Shou Kuan have proactively invited Special Guest Instructors from other martial arts and fighting methods to our internal workshops ranging from Special forces unarmed combat instructors,  Shuai Jiao (Chinese Wrestling) Grandmasters adding to our self-defence skills and deepening our understanding and implementation of throws hidden within our Long Fist Forms that are part of our traditional training including use of Chinese weapons.

Our approach from the outset has been to work hard implementing what is useful and dropping outdated and unsafe practices.  David has recently been re-elected onto the BCCMA Executive Committee (Official UK Chinese Martial Arts [CMA] Governing body) giving us a voice and insight into the future of  CMA in the UK.  We have refocused on coaching skills so that novices develop good training habits.  In addition to traditional and sparring class formats we have included children’s classes from age five upwards.   These children’s classes  use ‘martial arts based ‘games to develop the children’s self confidence, focus and physical skills ultimately leading to phenomenal new members joining our youth and adult classes. 

We have embraced competitions; as they present a great opportunity for our members and our organisation’s development. (“You can’t be a swimming club without getting wet”!)  We run our own internal forms (Taolu) and sparring competitions giving our members more opportunities to stretch and improve themselves.  We now regularly compete in National tournaments;  in the early days we accrued more loses than wins but nothing is a loss when you learn! We now medal in every tournament we enter and currently have won over 30 National Medals and British Titles, in full contact Sanda and light contact Qinda; in Adult, Youth, Veteran and lately Junior divisions.  We qualified for one Pro-Am International Sanda competition (highlighting lot more to learn) and one of members even won a Gold in a National Tai Chi comp!

Our CPD Programme (Continuous Professional Development) provides fantastic opportunities for our membership to attend external courses in Nutrition, Sports Psychology,  Injury Rehab, Fitness Assessments, First Aid and Safeguarding  leading to nationally recognised coaching  qualifications and even International Judging qualifications.

Below we’d like to thank key members in the formation of San Shou Kuan recognizing their sacrifice in time and effort and considerable contribution.

BLACK BELTS AND SENIOR STUDENTS:

Simon Barbett 1st Degree Black Belt
Aaron Canolas 1st Degree Black Belt
Gabby Paintin 1st Degree Black Belt
Richard White 1st Degree Black Belt
Emmanuel Nnatuanya 1st Degree Black Belt
Vic Millington 1st Degree Black Belt
Hugh Clarke    1st Degree Black 
Austin Gilman 1st Degree Black Belt
Pierre Cochart 1st Degree Black Belt
Anne Nielson   1st Degree Black Belt
Michael Dixon 1st Degree Black Belt
Steve Lenton    1st Degree Black Belt
Sohrab Kavir    1st Degree Black Belt
Tommy Fodor 1st Degree Black Belt
Ravi Bhadhal  1st Degree Black Belt
Wai Wong       1st Degree Black Belt
Dr Ada Paintin 1st Degree Black Belt
Adam Hawkins 1st Degree Black Belt
Simon Hoaran  1st Degree Black
Dita Tantang    1st Degree Black Belt
Simon Chong 1st Grade Brown Belt
Sara Atri 1st Grade Brown Belt                     Marie Lanteaume 2nd Grade Brown Belt Elodie Peboscq 3rd Grade Orange Belt