Wing Tsun Seminars - November 2012

The weekend of November 24th and 25th saw the return of Dai-Sifu Rainer Tausend to Dublin for a round of seminars. Dai-Sifu Tausend is a master level practitioner of Wing Tsun and holds the rank of 7th PG in the European Wing Tsun Organisation (EWTO). He is also the founder and head instructor of the Irish Wing Tsun Organisation (IEWTO). The instructor seminar took place on Saturday 24th in the Blanchardstown school from 1-6.30pm. In attendance were the instructors from the Dublin City Centre, Blanchardstown, Maynooth, Wexford and Sligo schools. Dai-Sifu Tausend started by checking the instructors on the Siu-Nim-Tau, Cham-Kiu and Biu-Tze forms. The participants were then brought through a series of techniques against low punches. Following a brief break the participants then worked on the content for their individual programmes.

The student seminar took place the next day in the Blanchardstown school. As well as the regular participants, also in attendance were students from Si-Hing Barry Smiths recently opened Maynooth school. The seminar began promptly at 3pm with Dai-Sifu Tausend checking the students on their Siu-Nim-Tau and Cham-Kiu forms. Following this Dai-Sifu Tausend demonstrated techniques against common attacks that begin with a shove followed by a punch. By using the energy from the opponents shove the students turned their body allowing them to maintain their balance and from there deliver counter attacks from a short distance using their body mass.

The gradings began at 6pm with Sifu Michael O Leary testing those going for 1st-4th grade, Sifu Aidan Canavan checking those going from 5th-8th grade and Dai-Sifu Tausend checking those going from 9th grade and above. Congratulations to the following students on the attainment of their grades.

Following the presentation of the student certificates, Andrea Tubridy was awarded his instructor t-shirt and the title of Si-Hing which means elder brother in Chinese. This reflects the family structure that Chinese martial arts are based upon. Si-Hing Andrea who is a student of Sifu Aidan Canavan will assist with the teaching in the Dublin City Centre school.

To finish off the day Dai-Sifu Tausend awarded Si-Hing Austin Hanlon and Si-Hing Daragh Breathnach with their 1st Technician Grade in Wing Tsun. This is the equivient of a Blackbelt in Wing Tsun and is only awarded after years of study and after the student has acquired a good level of Wing Tsun. Si-Hing Austin is an assistant instructor in the Dublin City Centre school and has been training in Wing Tsun since 2007. As well as attending classes in Dublin City Centre, he also attends classes in the Blanchardstown school and trains with his partners outside class.

Si-Hing Daragh has been a student of Sifu Michael in the Blanchardstown school since 2004 and has been an assistant instructor since 2008. As with all instructors, he has attended all student classes, instructor classes, student seminars and instructors seminars on a regular basis over the last few years and has dedicated himself to his training.

Left - Right: Sifu Aidan Canavan, Si-Hing Austin Hanlon, Dai-Sifu Rainer Tausend, Si-Hing Daragh Breathnach, Sifu Michael O Leary