Back Yard Club

Back yard clubs are some times the best place to do your martial arts. From doing your forms outside, to sitting in meditation with the sound of nature all around. Sparring with the other students, not against each other, which is the easy way. But with each other, which takes much more skill to be careful, not only watching yourself, but also watching your partner. Always taking care not to cause any injuries. From the time that Sifu Fiedler opened the Pembroke Kung Fu school in Pembroke 1981, until he left, there was not one injury in any of his classes. When we opened Ky Moo Kwan, we also never have had an accident with any of the students right until the present. There never has been one accident in our clubs, not ever. And this because we are taught properly. And because we care about our students, this makes all the difference in the world.

There was one injury with a wife and husband team, this was back when Sifu Fiedler was still teaching in 1986. These two came from a Karate school, where they were taught martial sports. It is a much different method of sparing, and a much different method of martial art, or should I say sport. Our type of martial art teaches one that martial arts is a way of life, and teaches life and death, philosophy, art, music, and self defense. Where as a sport style teaches winning and loosing, and training their form of rules. There is much more to this, regardless these two came at each other like freight trains, they were wild. They would jump straight in on each other, punching each other to the head, and body very hard. We tried to teach them to be soft while sparing, and to learn to move mentally, not with a physical method as they were taught. However before they could learn how to soften up. The wife, punched her husband in the face, and he lost a few teeth from the punch. It was wild, Sifu Fiedler scolded both of them, and then pointed out to everyone that this is what happens when people do not know the first thing about control. Sifu Fiedler always taught that your partner is as important as you are, he taught that if you injure your partner, who will you have to train with tomorrow. Your partner has to depend on you, as you do him or her, and you both have to always make sure to care for each other, never cause injury, or an accident through ridiculous wild out of control actions.

Sifu Dee, Ash, Sifu Dee's Dad

Sifu Dee when he was just a little boy, beside him is his future wife Ashley, and beside Ash is Sifu Dee's Dad, who came to visit one day while Sifu Dee was training in the outside training area. A few days his father came to watch, and was very excited about his son being able to learn the Chinese Martial arts, which he wanted for so long in his life.

   Training outside is one of the best places to train your Chinese Martial arts. To be in nature, while doing your forms will heighten the results. Plus doing all of the different forms of movement, or exercise, that you cannot have inside. For instance, when we had one of the best out door areas years ago, we had a throwing knife pit. We had six or seven different types of wooden dummies, the students could work together to develop their forearm strength, and to develop their palms at the same time. Because we had more then one dummy, students could all work on the wooden dummies at the same time, not having to wait until someone is finished using one of them. We were taught to use various palm techniques while walking around the wooden dummies. We also had pulleys, with different weights attached to the ends of ropes. We had pails that we could put more or less sand or water in them to make them lighter or heavier. Depending on the exercise, you would need to put different weights in them. Plus we had poles laid on their sides to walk along the tops. There are many type of exercise devices one can rig up outside, and if you have the area to build one your self, please do it, I promise you that you will not ever be sorry you did. In fact you will be nothing but happy, because in all honesty, the results will speak for themselves. Especially when the snow flies and we all have to go inside again. That is when you will really notice what training outside did for you. Another thing to notice is when doing your forms outside, the ground is bumpy, and uneven. At first your balance will be disturbed, later as you get used to the uneven ground, you will notice that your balance has improved. However when you really notice it is when you go back in and train in a gym. When the floor is all flat with not one bump in the way. You will start to do your forms, and you will notice the difference right from the start. In fact you will not believe it, gliding across the floor like an ice skater. That is how fantastic it will be. Another plus is blind fold sparing outside, the sounds in your ears is amazing. You can hear the wind, you can hear your partner stepping towards you, or away from you. Once you have opened up these senses from depriving others, that is when again you will notice a great change in your training. Again I will have to say that I hope each and every one of you that have your own area, will start your own outside area. Invite only people that get along with each other. Invite groups of students that have been working as partners for some time, and watch how great it will be to have a small group meeting once or twice a week aside from going to your normal martial arts school where you are learning your martial arts techniques from your Teacher.

Here is Sifu Croy hunting down Sifu Dee

Sifu Larry hunting down Sifu Dee, poor Dee everyone seemed to be picking on him when he first started, but you know what, it made him try harder, the more they pressed, the more he learned how to block, how to move, and they taught him many great things in these back yard clubs. Excellent for summer time training.

Here Sifu Fiedler showing some of the exercise one can use while training outside

Under our little temple, we had a heavy bag, so we could still train in the rain. You can see the ropes hanging down, they were used to hang from, with bare hands, from the weight of the body, it would rip at your hands and really hurt. But it was one of the best methods of training your hands to be strong when grabbing someone. Also we had pulleys built on the sides of this little temple area. You could stand in a deep horse stance, and use the pulleys to pull weight down while sitting in deep horse stance.

Years Again Sifu James Gallant at the back teaching short staff form from the Hung Kuen System

Young Sifu Dee beside Sifu Gallant, going through short staff form with all of the students that came to the Saturday classes.

Young Sifu Charles Croy

Many years ago long before Sifu Charles Croy left for university. He was coming to the Saturday outside classes every single week, Sifu James Croy and Sifu Charles Croy would always come to do their forms and help with the students.

Sifu Fiedler training outside 1990

Sifu Fiedler, Sihing Martine Croy

Sifu Fiedler teaching Sihing Martine Croy, how push hands in a more advanced method. Sifu Fiedler says that both Martine and Vanessa Croy were of the most highly trained students he ever personally trained.

Sifu Fiedler, Sihing Vanessa Croy

Both Croy girls from the time they were very young, until the time they left for university, were two of the best students he ever had the pleasure of training. Sifu Charles Croy helped as much but in a different area.

Training on wooden poles

Once you have the pole in the ground, that is all you have to do to build a basic wooden dummy with no arms. Arms are not necessary for some types of wooden dummies, but necessary for others.

Young Sifu Dee learning trapping hands from Sifu Charles Croy

Sihing Hartlin many years ago when he started, here he is learning Butterfly Ram from Sifu Dee

Sifu Gallant used to bring all of his girls when they were very young and loved Kung Fu

Two of his girls made it to gold sash

Women Kung Fu Group training on Wooden Dummies outside class

Women Kung Fu club, all training on the wooden dummies. Excellent device to work on for people with small bones. This method of training will harden your arms and palms, at the same time learning how to develop, " Ging".

Outside in Edmonton

Sifu Fiedler at right doing Tiger Tail

Sifu Fiedler at right doing Tiger Tail to one of his first friends to train with him daily. Also in the picture above and below are pictures from the very first outside area he had to do his Chinese martial arts technique and forms.

Sifu Fiedler back in 1978, before going to work teaching martial arts eight hours a day, before going to work, he would do all of his forms outside, in his private training area, the first one he had in his training.

Taodai Fiedler, and GM Chow 1974

Taodai Fiedler, with Grand Master Chow, At this time, Sifu Fiedler had maybe two or three lessons, he did not know what he was doing, or how to block or punch. In this picture GM Chow told him to hold up his arm and when he kicked, he told the guy with the camera to take the picture, as you can see it worked out, but now with the knowledge I have, if one was to block a kick like this, your forearm would be broken.

Sparring outside

Training outside can give you extra room to do all types of things while training the martial arts.

Close to Vancouver

Throwing rock while in horse stance, for tiger claw

Outside club in close to Vancouver, Sifu Fiedler is far right, picture taken 1977

Backyard club in Vancouver, back in 1977, for six months Sifu Fiedler taught students there while living in farm house for six months, then he went back to Edmonton, right away he was asked to teach at the Hung Kuen School. As you can see just because Sifu Fiedler moved somewhere else, for a little while, did not mean he was about to stop training. No way, you have to make sure you train harder then when you were home, and when  you come back, doors will open for you, that is fact. Train hard always.

Back with lots more soon

Sifu Dee

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Last modified: 10/30/07