ABOUT MERIDIAN KUNG FU
At MKF (UK) our mission is to introduce both adults and children to the incomparable personal attributes gained from participating in traditional martial arts study. To help them cultivate those attributes to strengthen personal characteristics, enhance confidence levels, become humble and respectful and of course learn incredible Martial Arts techniques to defend themselves should the need arise.
ADULTS:
To deliver an unparalleled quality of teaching to pleasant, like minded adults wishing to learn martial arts for the right reasons: self-improvement, enhanced health and well-being, a greater level of fitness, the attainment of a new, worthwhile challenge and the ability to proficiently defend themselves and their loved ones if pressed to do so.
CHILDREN:
To shape a young person's outlook of themselves and others in a totally positive manner. To build a child's confidence through the continual attainment of worthwhile goals, to instil the mindset of equality to all, to respect and regard male and female classmates equally, to inspire them with inspirational role models and to teach them a professionally adapted children's version of Wing Chun Kung Fu that will allow them to defend themselves and ensure they are never a victim of bullying.
THE MKF (UK) TRAINING ENVIRONMENT:
If you are looking for professional tuition under the guidance of qualified, full time Instructors that practice and teach Wing Chun on a daily basis with decades of experience, then look no further.
Our Instructors are professional and likeable, family orientated individuals that are true experts in Wing Chun Kung Fu. There are no egos at MKF, just professional experts and incredible role models that will make your introduction and advancement a journey to enjoy and remember.
Our two week free trial courses (both children and adults) are an ideal way to meet us in person, try our incredible martial art for yourself in a group of all beginners and find out what you've been missing out on for so long!
We hope to meet you soon. Click below to schedule your FREE of CHARGE two week trial.
PS: We have been around since the 80's if you would like to read our story here it is…
THE MERIDIAN KUNG FU STORY
The MKF Story
Our story began back in 1982 when Master Sata Chand and his Instructor Grand Master Jagjit Ram formed the Academy of Self Defence. Prior to this Grand Master Ram had studied intensively under Master Simon Lau throughout the mid 1970's to early 1980's.
Kung Fu had come to the West thanks to the Bruce Lee films of the 70's and Wing Chun was the system Bruce Lee studied under The Great Grand Master Yip Man. Master Lau had trained in the Ip Man School himself prior to his move to the UK from Hong Kong.
This makes the MKF lineage pure and true.
Both Master Chand and Grand Master Ram lived in the East End of London in a period of racial hatred and violence.
This meant the Martial Art they learnt had to work for real, not just in the movies. Wing Chun was the perfect system as it did not rely on size or physical strength to overcome opponents of a greater power and it was so extremely effective.
Grand Master Ram and Master Chand opened clubs in some of London's toughest areas imaginable during those racially oppressive decades and were forced to use their system on numerous occasions in real life confrontations, many of which were from multiple attackers. Some attacks were from aggressors armed with weapons.
It's important to understand that the DNA that runs through our teaching comes from real self-defence experience from Master Chand, not sport, not competitions with rules, but real life do-or-die situations when there was no option but to stand and protect self and family.
We emphasise this as we want you to understand that true martial arts should only be used when there is no other alternative. But when they are called upon, they must be extremely effective and do the job they are intended for… To save the Martial Artist from harm.
Master Chand's & Grand Master Ram's Wing Chun certainly did that for them and that is why we can teach our self defence systems with total confidence of their pedigree and ability to serve the practitioner.
In 1995 as the world moved on culturally (we are still not there yet unfortunately) Master Chand decided to move to Southend on Sea and run Clubs in his new home location.
One of the first students to join the new club was Steve Carpenter who at that time simply went along to learn some self-defence, get fitter and have a new challenge in life.
Steve and Sata became great friends over the next few years and it was only a matter of time before both were ready to leave their regular day jobs to pursue the reality of opening a full-time martial arts school and turn their passions into a full-time profession.
The pair spent two years building clubs in Leigh and Hockley, teaching two evenings per week until they reached a grand total of 50 students (the target they set themselves as the time to step up from part time to full time Instructors.) This was a big leap of faith for both Sata and Steve to make as both had successful careers that they would to have to walk away from and families to support during the launch of a new venture.
Steve had a chance meeting with a local printer who mentioned he was moving business premises and a large room would be available soon. The room was part of the actual building that is the MKF HQ today. There would be lots of work to convert the room to a functioning Kwoon that could accept students, but it was a great opportunity.
This move was a big, big risk but thanks to the support of incredible families and friends, lots of budgeting, downsizing and not much social life for years: in 1997 the HQ branch in West St, Southend opened.
It comprised of one room and a shared toilet and office with the air conditioning company that owned the building. The room cost £50 per week, due every Wednesday afternoon.
Classes sizes were small and not many were available. Sata and Steve ran every class, did the daily cleaning, the advertising, the accounts, building repairs and managed every aspect of the Club and business themselves.
"I look back on those years and I don't really know how we got by to be honest, it was tough, with little or no financial reward for many years. Things got so tight we had to get extra jobs just to make ends meet" Sifu Steve
After years of teaching just adults, we started to become inundated with enquiries for children's classes, but we didn't actually have ANY classes or programmes for children!
So, after much planning, the gaining of required qualifications and accreditations we spent the next year developing cutting-edge children's martial arts programmes based on the Wing Chun System. We wanted it to be taught in a positive manner that would encourage the propagation of confidence, respect, personal worth and life skills combined with a ground-breaking self-defence and anti-bullying system ensuring students would never become victims of bullying.
We wanted to ensure we instilled an ethos of "only use the self-defence skills if you have no choice BUT use all the other attributes gained from martial arts training EVERY DAY ".
After launching 3 incredible new MKF children's programmes the word spread and within 2 years our club had grown from 50 -750 students and we had waiting lists for every class.
We started teaching our top adult students our Club model and how to professionally and ethically replicate the whole system giving them an opportunity to become a full-time instructor without any of the years of pain we suffered carving out the path to a successful Meridian Kung Fu Branch.
Within the next 10 years we grew to 15 full time professional instructors (not part time), over 200 classes per week throughout Essex and over 3000 members. 50 children on leadership programmes, 20 adults on the MKF Coaching Programme and 200 students within our Elite Training Programme.
Our market leading martial arts programmes continually evolve and I am proud to say we have introduced thousands of both adults and children to the incomparable personal attributes gained from martial training combined with the skills to defend themselves with the utmost efficiency should the need arise.
By being a part of Meridian Kung Fu, you will be taught by inspirational instructors with the DNA of the Meridian Kung Fu ethos running through their veins. An ethos that promotes equality, respect, confidence building and the most dynamic martial art we know of.
Join us and become a part of a family that lives and breathes all the positive things related to martial arts.
