News and Announcements

23.7.10 - The next Cardiff grading will be September 11th. Remember that there is also a grading in London on 19th September which is open to any Cardiff candidates who cannot attend the Cardiff grading but who would like to grade.

1.7.10 - The pay monthly option has been cancelled due to lack of interest. All payment will now be per session.

24.3.10 - Well done to those who graded in March, the standard was high and the candidates were all successful. The next grading will be in June.

23.3.10 - There will be a self-defence class held in London on Sunday 25th April, 11am - 4pm. The cost would be £10 for the day. The class will be run by Sifu Jerome De Silva, who has extensive practical knowledge of self-defence.

2.3.10 - Training on a Monday will now be from 8-10pm, not 8:15-10pm as before. Both sessions in the week now run from 8-10pm. This is in effect immediately.

27.2.10 - Sadly we must announce that Great Grandmaster Quek, technical advisor to the system and Sifu Lai's master, has passed away. Sifu Gary O' Sullivan has created a tribute site. Some of us have had the opportunity to train with him and it is an experience that won't be forgotten.

12.2.10 - The next grading is Saturday the 6th March, 11am. Location Talybont University Sports Hall Dojo. Candidates to arrive no later than 10:30am.

2.2.10 - The Sigung course in Malaysia has now been opened to all grades of the system. See below for details. The deadline for deposit has been extended to 5th March. Please try to go along if you can afford it. It is a very worthwhile experience, and one that may not be available in the future. UPDATE: See news item above; 27.2.10.

2.2.10 - Improved gallery page.

21.1.10 - New site design launched.

15.1.10 - The junior belt dates for 2010 Nam Pai Chuan events are as follows:

15.1.10 - The Sigung Quek course will be for a one week period, training in Malaysia with Master Quek and Master Lai. The group will be leaving on Sat 21st August and returning on Sunday 29th August. The course will only be open to Black Belts, Brown Belts and Blue Belts of the system. The cost of the course will be £1150.00 The price includes: return flights from London (flying with Singapore Airline £695.00 incl. taxes), accommodation at the Grand Millennium 5 star hotel in Malaysia (two people sharing in a room only basis) and course fees. As per the previous trip in 2008, this course is geared to a more senior group. Any student who is currently a green belt and will be a blue belt by August 2010 is also allowed to take part. Deposit of £100 required by 5th February. Ask in training for an application form or more details.

7.10.09 - I have created a 'members only' section of the site. I will add various files to this part of the site, and give out usernames and passwords on request to current members only!

1.10.09 - The next grading will be Saturday 5th December at 11am, Talybont University Sports Hall.

28.4.09 - The dates for the remaining 2009 sparring classes are as follows:

22.4.09 - The next grading will be Saturday 6th June at 11am, WIS, Sofia Gardens.

22.4.09 - I (Sam) will be running the Welsh Three Peaks Challenge with Alberto Fox and Gwilym McMillan of the Cardiff University NPC club and one other team member on 13th June 2009 to raise money for Ty Hafan. Sponsorship welcome [external link to www.justgiving.com].

10.4.09 - Applications for a place on the Master Quek course in London are now closed.

1.9.08 - The next grading is on Saturday the 13th September, 11am, at the Welsh Institute of Sport, Sofia Gardens. People grading, be there for 10:30am at the latest.

5.5.08 - The next grading is on the 7th June, 11am, Welsh Institute of Sport. People grading, be there for 10:30.

18.2.08 - There will be a trip to London to train at Sifu Lai's class on the 8th March. Ask for further details if interested.

18.2.08 - The forthcoming Malaysia trip has been opened up to blue belts and above. Speak to Sam in training if you're interested. The trip takes place on 23rd-31st August 2008, and the total cost (flights, accommodation, training, food) is somewhere around £1050.

12.2.08 - The next grading is on the 1st March, 11am, Talybont University Sports Hall. People grading, be there for 10:30.

17.12.07 - The date for the national NPC competition has been set as the 22nd November 2008. The competition will be held at the Welsh Institute of Sport, in Sofia Gardens. There will be more information at a later date for those who wish to take part.

23.11.07 - The next grading is at Cardiff University Talybont Sports Centre on Saturday 8th December at 11am. People grading be there at 10:30am. People who are grading for green belt or above must have a groin guard (males only) and gum shield.

29.10.07 - Another - and hopefully the last - venue change. The Thursday class will now be held at Plasnewydd Community Hall, 8pm-10pm. Both sessions are now held at the same venue and finish at 10pm. The Thursday training will take place in the community room, rather than the main hall.

18.10.07 - There will hopefully be a demo of some of the areas of our kung fu system on Tuesday 23rd October, 7:30-9:30pm at Talybont university sports hall. The demo will form a part of the normal class held by the university club. Anyone from this club is welcome to come along to join in with the lesson and watch the demo, which will probably form the last 30 minutes of the class.

29.8.07 - The next grading is on the 8th September, 11am, at the Welsh Institute of Sport, Sofia Gardens. Please collect forms from me at training if you are grading, and return them to me NO LATER than Monday 3rd September with your cheque. White belts, you must have insurance and a uniform in order to grade.

27.8.07 - Training times for Thursdays have unfortunately changed again! We are now training at the Ultimate Fitness Centre / Cardiff Kickboxing Centre on Penlline Street, off City Road, from 9pm - 10.30pm.

27.7.07 - Training details for Thursdays have now changed! We are now training at the Ultimate Fitness Centre / Cardiff Kickboxing Centre on Penlline Street, off City Road, from 8pm - 10pm. Note, these training times have changed.

7.6.07 - The main Nam Pai Chuan website at http://www.nampaichuan.com is now online. It's worth a visit, as it includes a video gallery, some images of a young-looking Sifu Lai and some of the other seniors training, and even some photos of Sifu Quek. It will also soon list details of all the UK's Nam Pai Chuan clubs and instructors and contact details for the system.

5.6.07 - Ryan is organising a trip to London to train at Sifu Lai's class on Saturday 14th July, for all Cardiff NPC clubs. If interested, speak to myself (Sam). Transport has not yet been arranged, this will be done once numbers have been established. It is a great opportunity to experience Sifu Lai's class and teaching style - bearing in mind that Sifu learned kung fu in an intensely traditional manner in Malaysia.

22.5.07 - The next grading will take place on the 2nd of June at the Welsh Institute of Sport, Sofia Gardens, at 11am. The deadline for handing in grading forms is Thursday 24th May. You must have permission to grade. As usual, all club members are encouraged to attend, even if you aren't grading.

14.3.07 - We are organising a trip to watch the show "Jump!" at the Wales Millennium Centre on 28th April (more info here). It is a martial arts display with elements of slapstick comedy that has received good reviews from all who have seen it. Anyone who wants to come along should speak to Sam or Karen in training. Discounts are available for groups so we want to get as many people as possible going along!

14.3.07 - Congratulations to those who graded in March; all Roath club candidates were successful. The next grading will be in June.

23.2.07 - The black belt grading will take place on 11th March in London. Anyone interested in going to watch and support the two candidates from Cardiff should speak to Sam or Karen in training.

23.2.07 - The grading will take place on 10th March at the University's Talybont Sports Centre. The deadline for handing grading forms in is Thursday 1st March.

26.1.07 - There will be no training this Thursday (1st February 2007) as the weapons training course takes place at the Cardiff Central club.

25.1.07 - DVDs are now available containing the entire syllabus up to 2nd degree black belt. The discs hold videos of all of the material required for each grading, performed by seniors and masters of the Nam Pai Chuan system. The cost is £20 per volume. The volumes available are: 9th to 7th grade (up to green belt), 6th to 4th grade (up to blue belt), 3rd and 2nd grade (up to 2nd brown), 1st grade (grading to black belt), and one each for 1st and 2nd degree black belts. You can only purchase a volume relevant to your current grade or earlier. All merchandise including DVDs and clothing is now included on one form, available at the end of training.

7.1.07 - Training continues as usual from Monday 8th January onwards.

12.12.06 - The 9th December grading went well, plenty of individuals turned up to grade and to watch. Everyone who took part attained the next grade. The next grading will be in March.

18.11.06 - Saturday, November 25th sees the return of the Photo-Hunt Social! The basic idea is that every team is given a disposable camera and a list of objects/people/situations around Cardiff to take photos of. The teams are sent out into the night to obtain as many photos as possible within a certain time. The team with the most items from the list recorded on film wins! No photos from camera phones or digital cameras will be counted. Two or more situations can be combined into one shot to increase your tally. See photos from last year's hunt as an example. Individuals to meet in the Woodville at 7:30 where teams will be decided, cameras issued and - of course - drinks consumed. All welcome. Good luck.

18.11.06 - The next grading will be on December 9th. Those who wish to grade must gain permission from Sam; the deadline is Monday the 27th November at the very latest. Grading forms are available from Karen.

10.11.06 - Training on a Thursday has now moved from Roath Community Hall to the Kickboxing club at 166 City Road. The times have also changed to 8:30 - 10:30 pm. The centre is an excellent venue dedicated to martial arts training.

1.11.06 - The next grading will be on the 9th December. You must gain permission to grade, and collect a form from Karen.

28.9.06 - Every year Nam Pai Chuan holds a meal to honour the founder of our system, Cho Si Sek Koh San. This year the meal will be on Saturday 11th November in London, at the China City Restaurant (50 Woburn Place, Russell Square, London WC1H 0JZ). There are two set menus (meat and vegetarian) on offer at 25.00 per person. The meal is a formal occasion and therefore you must dress appropriately (gents, shirt and tie or suit, ladies, well dressed - no jeans or trainers). All payments need to be made before Friday 3rd November 2006. It is likely that a coach will be organised for all the cardiff clubs, more details and order forms will be provided in training.

19.9.06 - Clothing has now been centralised. Hoodies, tracksuits and t-shirts are available direct from Nam Pai Chuan administration in London. All the clothing is in black, with the full colour NPC crest on the front, chinese "Nam Pai Chuan" writing on the back, and your club's name on the sleeve. Hoodies cost 30, tracksuits (top and bottom with gold NPC chinese lettering on the trouser leg) are 50, and t-shirts are 12. Speak to myself (Sam) or Karen in training for more information.

15.9.06 - Weapons training classes will take place on the first Thursday of every month in the Dance Studio, Welsh Institute of Sport, Sofia Gardens. These classes are run by the Cardiff Central club instructors. The classes will cover techniques from a selection of the eighteen weapons in Nam Pai Chuan. All Nam Pai Chuan students are welcome to attend. If you have weapons, bringing them along would be helpful.

7.9.06 - A training session will take place after the grading on the 16th September. The session will focus on the use of traditional weapons in Nam Pai Chuan, and will be taught by Sifu Leppard and Sifu De Silva. Anyone from this club is welcome to attend the grading and the session afterwards.

16.8.06 - Extra classes are currently being run on a Thursday or Friday for those who wish to grade. Exact details by email each week.

14.8.06 - The next Cardiff grading is September 16th, 11am-3pm. You need permission from your senior black belt instructor before you can fill in your grading form. Forms are available at the end of the class. The location of the grading will be Talybont Sports Hall. There will be a class after the grading.

30.6.06 - Well done to those who graded in June, the standard was high and the candidates were all successful. The next grading will be in September.

Photographic images and site copyright © 2006-2010 Sam Stone.