FATHER’S DAY SPECIAL

RISE OF THE DRAGON 5 WEEKS TO GO

Join us on the journey as we build towards the grand event, the Rise of the Dragon, with intense training, thrilling demonstrations, and inspiring stories.

Week 5, Day 1: Father's Day Weekend at the Temple

What an incredible way to start Week 5, marking the halfway point as we countdown to the rise of the Dragon—the greatest day in Kung Fu history. Week 4 concluded with an inspiring meeting on Friday night, and as we move into the new week, the energy is palpable.

Starting bright and early, Cheng, Lan, T, myself, and Team T completed three hours of training from 7 AM to 10 AM. We worked on various animal forms, weapons, and three-man fighting sets. We were also joined by You Ge, who we haven't seen since last year's Rise of the Dragon. You Ge now lives in Ghana but returns to the UK each summer for work, always rejoining us at the temple to train with the Kung Fu fan, freshen up his skills, and find new motivation for the year ahead.

We also welcomed a special guest from Ride Free, Adam, a motivational figure in the local community known for his lifestyle brand focused on self-expression through motorcycle riding. Adam joined us for the Father's Day special training and brought some of his Ride Free energy drinks, claiming the cans were indestructible. During the live session, despite some rainfall, we moved into the courtyard and tore open the Ride Free bag. Students who felt ready attempted to break the cans using techniques like the Dragon Claw, Iron Finger, and Iron Fist. TC, for the first time, managed to pop a can with an Iron Finger jab. Yin, initially unsuccessful with the Iron Finger, succeeded with an Iron Fist, leaving him overjoyed. Wu Jie's dad and many other students also participated. Although T didn't have a spare can as I took his, he had the chance to hold up the Thundercat's Sword of Omens and call out the famous Thundercat chant, a testament to his past success in piercing cans.

We were also joined by a friend of the temple, Yin, who is in the UK preparing for a Channel 4 TV show. Jordan also dropped by to join the Father's Day festivities, celebrating his second Father's Day as a dad. Regulars like Teague, Daga, and the Dragon Warrior were also present.

At noon, we went live on Instagram and TikTok, garnering thousands of views. The live video, now available on my Instagram page, showcases a fun and engaging session. We celebrated T’s collaboration with Gravity Fitness by completing a five-minute plank challenge with weighted vests. This was followed by a father-son bonding moment where we demonstrated the traditional bull whip precision training technique live on Instagram, strengthening our bond and trust.

T then surprised me with a heartfelt speech and an incredible gift from all of my students—a real Sword of Omens. This mystical sword, which I cherished as a toy while watching Thundercats growing up, and will now be displayed at the temple for all to see. Thank you to everyone for this special gift as we approach the rise of the Dragon. The pieces are indeed falling into place perfectly.

Our day continued with a few more hours of training, Chinese language and calligraphy practice, volunteer work, and a Father's Day surprise of homemade vegan burgers and fries while watching the new Netflix movie "Hitman." It was a great evening, and I felt truly blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8PC6l5I5tn/?igsh=dnY0ZXpubTByMG5w

Day 2: Sunday Funday

Sunday began with early morning workouts and beautiful blue skies. After my home workout, I headed to the temple with T to open the gates and meet TC. Thea and Cassie joined us for their morning lessons while TC worked with Cassie on her Kung Fu stick. T and I had a Father's Day session with Thea, filled with fun activities like relay runs, lotus pose challenges, cartwheels, and form work. Thea gave me a beautiful bouquet of orange roses as a Father's Day gift.

We welcomed a new student, Loyalty, a five-year-old inspired by last year's rise of the Dragon event, who began his Kung Fu journey. After class, TC, Thea, and I enjoyed a delicious breakfast, celebrating Father's Day. Lan and Niat, back from Spain, joined us, and we got straight to work on some Kung Fu fan forms.

At 11 AM, the rest of the crew arrived, including Ian, Mia, Mason, and Ann. We utilized various training areas in pairs to develop our forms. We started with a game of hokey pokey and a sing-along, lifting everyone's spirits and energizing our morning, which extended well into the afternoon.

Wujia joined the fun as we explored different forms: T with the Wutang sword, Ann with the southern hammers, Wujia with the dragon form, TC with the big knife, and Niat with Liang Huan Quan. Lan practiced her drunken staff form. We continued training until a late lunch at 3 PM.

After tidying up the temple and completing volunteer work, everyone headed home. T returned to Wales for a couple of weeks. I took a stroll through the valley to write this blog while the events were still fresh in my mind, then headed home. I waited for T to arrive at school safely and got an early night, ready for the new week ahead.

Monday, T.G.I.M.

Woke up to another beautiful day with the sun glistening through the window. I headed straight out to the valley, completing an hour-long walk and a nice stretch on one of the docks overlooking the lake, all while enjoying a beautiful sunrise. Back home, I did my core workout with my ab wheel and finger exercises before taking another long stroll through the valley to the temple.

The sun's motivation led me to do some bunny hops and stair exercises at the infamous bridge connecting the valley to the town of Cheshunt. I met up with TC at the temple, where we worked on translating my book, which we'll be launching in China this summer. After a late breakfast, we walked to Monster Gym and completed our push workout in under 40 minutes, eager to get back outside in the sunshine.

After our session, TC and I parted ways. I ventured deep into the valley, found a nice spot to meditate, visualized, and completed my 100 finger push-ups for the day. I ended up sun-gazing and falling asleep for an hour on one of the docks. Waking up, I realized it was almost time for class, so I made my way back to the temple to meet TC and An. Though it was just the three of us today, we kicked off the class with a Zoom call with Lan and T, our senior students who, despite not being there in person, were still putting in the work wherever they were.

We got motivated and completed our 100 pull-ups on the new outdoor bars, then moved to the car park for bunny hop leg work. This took about an hour, after which we engaged in some calisthenics and Kung Fu freestyle work, experimenting with different 360 variations and getting familiar with the outdoor bar setup. Remember, steady and slow is the way to grow. Understanding the limitations and potential of your environment will help you stay safe and eventually succeed in the areas you envision.

We wrapped up the day by sitting down for dinner together, checking out this week's blog, and interacting with fellow students on the forum. A nice evening stretch concluded our day. What a lovely day full of sunshine and power.

Tuesday, Day 4, Week 5

Turning up Tuesday began with an early morning at the temple, welcoming YouGe back as he embarks on intense training. He'll attend the temple three times a week to prepare both body and mind for the Rise of the Dragon event before heading back to Ghana after summer.

Working alongside TC and me, YouGe absorbed the sun in the temple courtyard, completing hundreds of knee raises, form work, and his first attempt at breaking bottles. To our amazement, he broke his first bottle—a tremendous achievement for him and a proud moment for TC and me as his coaches.

After the session, TC and I returned home to prepare our garden for a mini build. Over the next year, we plan to complete our home temple project, creating a sacred space for key students to experience something unique. We cooked lunch, ate, and then TC, Shimu, and I headed to Edmonton for our weekly boxing session. Despite the added heat, it was as intense as ever.

Post-session, TC went home with Shimu to continue garden work, while I returned to the temple to train, teach, and work on my book. I wrapped up with a gym session for cardio and editing, finishing late in the evening before heading home.

Wednesday, Day 5

The day began with a beautiful morning—sun shining, birds singing. I took a long walk through the valley, finding a comfortable spot to work on my mobility, flexibility, finger training, and core before heading to the temple. Relaxing in the courtyard, I focused on my book, which kept me busy until the afternoon.

By 5 PM, TC and A followed by Primo, arrived at the temple for classes. After some basic training, we set goals and got to work. With the countdown to the Rise of the Dragon in full swing, everyone was focused and determined. Lan and T joined us via Zoom, sharing in the temple’s energy to push themselves further.

The training session included 3 sets of 10 bunny hop jumps, 10 for 10 on pull-ups, and work on forms and hard qigong practice. Primo successfully executed the iron finger jabbing technique, piercing a can with one finger, which inspired TC. TC then attempted and succeeded in using the back fist to explode a can.

We wrapped up the night with some food and editing time, followed by an hour of stretching. The evening ended with a pleasant walk home in the summer breeze, combining cardio with relaxation.

Thursday, Day 6

The day began with blue skies, summer heat, and birds singing—just like the rest of the week. After a good morning start, I headed to the temple and got straight to work, editing content captured over the last few days to post on our social media platforms. Our videos have been blowing up this week, with a couple going viral and earning us another 20 million views and hundreds of new fans and followers.

In the afternoon, I headed home to meet up with Shimu and TC, who were working on the garden project and needed a hand. We made significant progress in the garden before it was time to eat. For lunch, I decided to make something special: homemade Mcmuffin-style sandwiches. Mine was vegan, and I shared the history of the English muffin with Shimu and TC, explaining how it became a renowned food item found on many menus worldwide. TC joined in, and we had lots of fun—the food was delicious and we nailed the remake of the classic McMuffin!

After lunch, we continued with garden work until it was time to head back to the temple for training. TC worked with Cam from 4 to 5 PM. Cam is making huge progress on his fan and dragon form and is working towards his goal of breaking a glass bottle with the iron palm technique in preparation for the Rise of the Dragon this year. At 5 PM, Lan, Anne, Ian, Mia, and Mason joined us for training, as did T via Zoom. Everyone focused on strength training, including push-ups, pull-ups, and bunny hops.

I then headed home to meet Shimu and give her bike a quick service in preparation for some content we shot as we rode through the valley to the temple. We met everyone, trained, and prepared dinner. We gathered around the table, enjoyed a good time chatting and catching up, and ate together.

By 8 PM, Jordan arrived with a gift for the temple: our very own Bob. For those unfamiliar, Bob is an internationally renowned martial arts and kickboxing training equipment found in gyms from China to the USA and everywhere in between. We had fun testing our kickboxing techniques on Bob, using all sorts of spinning, jumping, and flying kicks.

We then headed into the courtyard and spent nearly 30 minutes practicing various hand techniques. Each person focused on a particular level they aimed to reach. Jordan and I concentrated on using the pinky finger to pierce a can. After hundreds of attempts, Jordan successfully pierced the can with just his pinky, leaving everyone in awe. Although I didn't succeed, we switched techniques and attempted an advanced can-popping drill using the index finger to flick. Despite hundreds of attempts, none of us—myself, TC, or Jordan—managed to pierce the can, but we had a lot of fun and entertained everyone watching-we even had an audience from the apartment block across the way from the temple with spectators screaming out there window “power” and “do it!” It was a fun moment.

We wrapped up with a remake of a trending video in China for our Chinese social media platforms—a funny take on the classic song "Kung Fu Fighting." Afterward, Shimu and I took a nice ride home in the summer breeze, watched Netflix, and chilled before heading to bed.

Friday, Day 7, Week 5

The last day on this side of town before our week off and the start of the five-week countdown to the Rise of the Dragon. Another beautiful day awaited. I headed straight into the valley and eventually made my way to the temple.

I enjoyed a wonderful two-hour catch-up with my mom, who is also a professor of education and the chair for UNESCO. She is currently guiding me through my book-writing process. We had a productive and enjoyable conversation via video call as I sat in the sunny courtyard, while she joined from Australia.

Later, I headed home to join TC and Shimu for the garden project, working non-stop for three hours. After showering, we got ready and made our way to Sadler's Wells in Angel, Central London. There, we met up with Jordan, Lauren, Lan, Georgia, and some of Shimu's friends for the sold-out performance of the Joywell show—an acrobatic rendition of Swan Lake. The show was extraordinary, receiving a standing ovation from the audience. It was incredibly inspiring, featuring feats from traditional ballet to modern juggling, all beautifully presented.

Midway through the performance, I spotted a pair of twins whom I met last year during the TV show 哎呀好身材, which translates to English as "Wow, Look at Your Body." I wasn't 100% sure it was them, but by looking at their movements I was near certain! After the show, I called them, and it turned out they were indeed part of the performance. We met them at the stage door for a 10-minute chat, united with the rest of the team, and shared some great moments.

We ended the evening with a beautiful meal at a Mediterranean restaurant in Highbury and Islington, creating good memories and having a great time before heading home. Thus, we wrapped up yet another week on this magical countdown to the Rise of the Dragon.