Kung fu is a great way to stay in shape! I used to train back in the late 1990's with Master Jimmie Whelan. Recently I discovered that a couple of gents I used to train with, Sifu Jack Minnig and Sifu Chris Sweeney, now have their own school, the Asian Martial Arts Academy. It's great to be back at it again.

Training at the school focuses on Northern Shaolin Long Fist and Seven Star Praying Mantis kung fu. We tend to focus on the following:

• Stance training: hardening the legs and developing a strong root from which all techniques flow
• Self-defense: training the martial hand and foot techniques
• Forms training: helps in overall development
• Weapons training: traditional training in sword, staff, etc.

Since the turn of the century, I also have done a little training in old-school American stand-up boxing, grappling and MMA, and Bagua-Zhang. I also had previously studied Tang Soo Do (Korean Karate) for a short time. In general I prefer the kung fu training. Of course, the Chinese have had highly sophisticated systems for centuries... so they know what they're doing!