A life

My hunt for genuine Kung Fu and Tai Chi knowledge has been a real driving force in my life. It has taken me many years to extract much of this knowledge as the world of Chinese Martial Arts is a very secretive one, steeped in a strong tradition and a fierce hierarchy.

My name is Sifu George Michielsen and I am the owner and head instructor of the Chinese Kung Fu and Tai Chi Academy in Perth Western Australia.

Traditionally the secrets of a style are handed down from generation to generation within a family or to inner chamber disciples, and outsiders were not privy to this inner world.

I wasn’t just an outsider, I was also a “gwai lo” (foreign devil). Along with a language barrier this has proven to be the biggest obstacle in my pursuit for knowledge. It has taken me years to gain respect and credibility with many Master’s and, lucky for me, some have softened over the years and shared the knowledge with me.

My Kung Fu Master’s Lay Wing Sung and Lai Dai Wai were not full blood Chinese. They had a very famous Master named Kong Hing and his father was very staunch and hated foreigners, so this knowledge was never meant to leave Hong Kong and China. Kong Hing defied his father and taught my Master’s against his express wishes.

In 1982, I had the privilege of staying and training at Kong Hing’s home for over a month. Seeing Kong Hing demonstrate was like watching a Tiger attack. Even though he was small framed, when he threw a punch or a kick it was unbelievable, he had the power of a mountain behind him. How he become so powerful and what his training methods were became the driving force and turning point in my life.

Also many of the Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Qigong Masters that I have met over the years see how much knowledge of the arts goes to the grave, and that many valuable martial arts practices have disappeared forever. As they got to know me they have seen my respect for what they do and my commitment to keeping these beautiful, valuable martial arts alive. If this knowledge is to stay alive in the years to come it must be held in high esteem and treated with the respect it so rightly deserves.

Our Academy’s roots are based on the famous Shaolin Temple in China, the birthplace of ancient traditions in Chinese Martial Art. We have a strict code of respect which all instructors and students follow without exception. The history and methods of these traditional arts are shared with students so that we always remember the value of the old ways and practices.

We provide the environment in which transformation happens and believe in the potential of every student. Achievements are earned not given through your own dedication and commitment. We know, with confidence and humility, the results that lay ahead in your martial arts journey and our instructors have the patience, skill and understanding to create that. Leadership is our legacy, it is about making others better as a result of our presence and that positive impact is lifelong.

It took over 20 years to break into the secretive inner world of Chinese Martial arts, a world of exclusive and rare knowledge. It was through dedication, perseverance and integrity that the Masters began to show me these rare arts in detail, that’s what makes us different at the Chinese Kung Fu & Tai Chi Academy.

With that said, it is my goal to continue passing on the messages and teachings from the masters of the past, before they too are long forgotten.