I Ho Chuan

Back in 2008, I completed my first Ultimate Black Belt Test. It was an experience that changed my approach to teaching, training, and living. On the surface I suspect my students sensed little change but at a fundamental level I felt a focus and understanding that has fuelled my motivation ever since. It is this value that I found on my personal quest for mastery that I wish to pass on to my students.

I created Silent River Kung Fu’s I Ho Chuan program with this in mind. Tom Callos’ Ultimate Black Belt Test is the most comprehensive character building, mediocrity eradicating, soul cleansing tool I have ever been exposed to. For that reason, my I Ho Chuan program is based upon Master Callos’ work.

Each year, twenty or so of my students enter SRKF’s I Ho Chuan and commit themselves to a higher ideal by dedicating a year to mastery. As in the original UBBT, this challenge is not for the faint-hearted. But then, nothing worth working for is ever easy. Mastery is not achieved in a specific time frame. It is a process that must be cultivated and practiced on a daily basis. It is a skill that develops over time and as such its value lies in the attempt, not the achievement.

Like the participants in the UBBT, the majority of my students in the I Ho Chuan will fail to achieve what they set out to achieve. I have to remind them that failure is a step closer to mastery. You cannot fail unless you actually make an attempt in the first place. Failure is valuable experience and success is only the culmination of numerous failures. The true mettle of a person can be measured by their response to failure.

Each team that I have taken through this process have had their struggles. Everyone jumps into the process enthusiastically, they are excited about the possibilities. It does not take long before doubt starts to erode their confidence and enthusiasm. I have to remind everyone that mastery is a journey, it is not a destination. Everyday is a new opportunity to make progress on their goals. Daily engagement guarantees daily progress and a structure for success. That structure, once established, makes effort effortless.

SRKF’s I Ho Chuan team are experiencing what it is like to live a life dedicated to mastery. They are setting an example of excellence that defines what it means to be a martial artist. Kung fu is not about mastering an opponent, it is about mastering yourself.

“Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person.” - Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)