The Kung Fu Field Trip

 

On Saturday July 21 the some members of the Martial Arts Cell went to the Santa Ynez Cultural Center for our first field trip. We didn't learned much about the culture of Santa Ynez, but rather got a well rounded work out from the Fu Chen, San Soo, and 5 Animal Kung Fu traditions. We had the great honor of working with Sifu Melissa Coyner (Fu Chen) and Sifu Jason Schmidt (San Soo). Sifu Richard Bar joined us for lunch, and I prodded him to share stories from his time apprenticing under Grand Master Ark Wong.

It was really quite fun and I only stopped being sore today (which is a good thing).

Now that the cell has had such an experience within a "real" martial arts studio, Fishboners may begin to find dragon tags in all the right places.

My instructor Sifu Melissa told me repeatedly that she was very impressed with our crew. Nice! Back pats!

I stayed for an advanced session alternating between 5 Animal forms with Sifu Richard Bar and San Soo leverage techniques with Sifu Jason Schmidt. I picked up some scary things to do to bad people's joints and Richard gave me a snake form to work on. Yes...ssssss...

 

Jason demonstrates San Soo leverage techniques

 

4 person sticky hands 

 

Sifus Richard Barr, Melissa Coyner, and Jason Schmit