CHU ZHEN DAO – 10^th Anniversary

 
New Zealand – 12^th – 17^th November

 This is to thank all Teachers and Students of New Zealand for making the Australian CZD team feel so welcome while they were away from home and letting us all learn from your wisdom that you have collected over the years within your own styles.

 
Day One,  13^th  November - Training

Arrived at Hamilton airport at 12am, first thing I notice place is cold. First thing Tashi Brian tells me is I need a cup of “Harden the F Up”, was wondering how big a cup I needed to acclimatise.

• Meet Kru Jan for the first time and was grateful that he took the time out of his life to pick us up. Also grateful that he was awake this time according to the stories I heard from the last trip the Aussies had. Unfortunately saw nothing of the country as pitch black but when we stopped at the old hook up lookout according to Tashi, I heard the true mating call of the wild NZ lands…if only I had my Velcro gloves.  
• Arrived at Tashi’s at 2am unpacked and slept until 8am. Shihan Brad, Hanchi John, Sensei Mofo, Kru Jan, Dylan and I headed down to the CZD Hall so Dylan and I could do training for the grading the following day.
• First date with the Hot Springs – Why the hell haven’t we got anything like this is Oz. Spent an hour in the springs viewing the local talent and finally getting my body to relax after the plane flight and training session. These natural springs are amazing.

Day Two, 14^th November – Grading, Rouge Angles Stable

 Karate Grading – For people who don’t know I only have one kidney. (Damn that trip to Russia and waking up in a cold bath of ice. Note - don’t drink in a foreign country with people you don’t know) Anyway despite my physical ability due to quick dehydration from the one kidney, and going into the grading feeling somehow I was not equal to others of the same level due to this restriction, I walked off that floor proud of what I had achieved, and that I pushed myself beyond what I would normally do. I thank Tasshi Brian for running the grading and inviting me to progress in my martial arts, Kru Jan for reminding me that my head is not for blocking. Sensei Mofo for not slowing down in sparring even when he saw that I was faltering and most of all to Shihan Brad for making sure I did not stop. Telling me to get up and keep going each time I counted myself out and thought I could not get up again.

• For the Muay Thai Grading – This was the first time I have seen a Muay Thai grading. I tried to mentally take in as much of the techniques I could by watching from the side. I will add this to my knowledge and put into use with my karate. Thank you for allowing me to share this with you.  

 Day Three, 15^th November – Seminar, Rouge Angles Stable

(Or should I say, welcome to the “7” puppet show)

 Hanchi John – Pressure and leverage points on body showing easy breaking points to disable highly aggressive situations.

• Shihan Brad – Pressure points and how blood flows through the body. Non lethal artery, muscle and solaplex strikes.
• Sensei Mofo – Muay Thai focusing on creating a good foundation with footwork and breathing techniques for sustaining power with attack. 
• Shihan Beej – Traditional Northern Thai Dance (Brilliant), close quarter grappling techniques by changing the direction of energy. The first stage of Chi by breaking arrows placed upon throat by allowing body to reach a point of total relaxation and mental control.
• Hanchi John – Evading grabs, push and pull technique using peoples own weight against themselves in multiple grab attacks. 
• Tasshi Brian – Second stage of Chi. Placing pins through forearms, lifting 4 tiles off ground by rope and having tiles broken with sledge hammer. Showing true focus and inner spirit.

 Day Four, 16^th November 

Thank you Kru Jan for taking us to the best seafood I have tasted (You NZ'ers are lucky) and for showing us the local shops so I could buy my 19 month 

old son a Kiwi Bird and other gifts to make up for me not being home, and Dylan, who bought himself a tank made out of bullets which would eventually be 

the thorn in Shihan side getting it through each custom point back to Brisbane.

Training Hall, CZD

able to deliver speed with a strike by relaxing the muscles until point of impact.

Shihan Brad – First stage of Chi by breaking arrows placed against throat by allowing body to reach a point of total relaxation and mental control.

As his student I am proud and honoured that I was witness to my teacher, Shihan Brad learning the first stage of Chi. Congratulations.   

Shihan Beej – Second stage of Chi. Placing pins through forearms, lifting 4 tiles off ground by rope and having tiles broken with sledge hammer. 

Showing true focus and inner spirit. 

Shihan Brad, Shihan Beej and Kru Jan – Rock breaking. Channelling energy through body to break rocks.

 
Day Five, 17^th November – Night before the Plan Flight Home

Before we left for Oz, Tasshi Brian treated us to a taste of the most expensive Absence alcohol found in NZ. So as we all took a shot of the Absence and started to choke, we suddenly realized that this supercharged alcohol drink was actually in Tashi’s words “It may be the most expensive, but it is certainly the most shit Absence you can buy” Thanks Tasshi – I guess I thought my cup of “Harden The F Up” would have come in a bigger glass. That was wrong on so many levels.

 
Special Thanks To

Tasshi Brian for opening his house and the generosity he showed the Aussie boys on our stay. To Kru Jan, for picking us up, taking us anywhere we needed to go and showing us a bit more of your wonderful town. To Shihan Beej for sharing with me that there is more then one use for my belt – yehaw its rodeo time…To Hanchi John and Sensei Mofo for bringing their wisdom with them and there willingness to teach both the Aussie and NZ team. Finally to Shihan Brad for allowing me to become apart of the CZD family, for sacrificing his time and parting with his knowledge to not only make me a better person in martial arts but as a person in general.

I am glad that I decided to face my demons of flying to visit New Zealand. If I had not, I wouldn’t have seen the extended family that I am proud to say that I now have in New Zealand. Thank you to all who took the time out to speak to me, teach me and make me feel like family while I was missing my own in Australia.

 Regards

Robert Hill

Brown Belt

Gai Dang Dojo

Brisbane Australia