Profile
Instructor Lee McGeachie.
I have held an interest in fighting disciplines from an early age. Mainly inspired by the Boxing hero’s of my childhood. Such as Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, the UK’s Alan Minter, and later Barry McGuigan and Lloyd Honeygan to name but a few. Like most my first awareness of true oriental fighting discipline/martial art, was on the big screen in the name of Bruce Lee, in his big budget movie, Enter The Dragon. Though heavily choreographed , I was amazed by his speed and agility in the fight scenes . And though his dealing with multiple attacks were unrealistic, I just new he could do the business and deal with at least one opponent to devastating effect. Unfortunately I didn't’t find Kung Fu as a child or teenager. But growing up at a rough east London school, I had many bloody nosed school yard fight’s, and enjoyed training at a few prestigious Boxing clubs at schoolboy level. Which contributed to teaching me one of the biggest lesson’s you can learn in fighting and life as a whole. Which is that of dealing with your inner emotions. I didn’t start practicing Wing Chun until I was in my early thirties, and to be honest new nothing about it, other than it was the core of Bruce Lee’s martial art. I entered the club on a recommendation, probably inspired by the pending birth of my son. The world can be a sick and nasty place at times and I hoped I could find something I could pass on to my child for the future.
I clearly remember the first time I entered Master Mark Clarks club. I was immediately paired up with a training partner and taught the basics of a Bil Sao block with a kick. It just blew my mind with excitement, and I new instantly this was what I was looking for, eagerly drawing my first months fee before my free introduction lesson had ended. As my time progressed at the club I realized through practice and discussion, that no matter how many fight’s you have or how many techniques you learn. They will only be as good as the emotion that control’s them. Therefore your emotions are the ultimate test a practitioner of martial art can succeed in. The only way this ongoing test can be achieved, bar starting random fight’s with Joe Public ( not recommended), is to visit other martial art clubs or fighting associations preferably unannounced, to enhance my knowledge in this system. It has been said by other associations that this attitude is bad practice and thuggish . My answer to that is this! Do you wish to train hard and win medals and stripes on your belt with the comfort of a referee to mediate. Only to freeze when a common street fighter pokes your eye and breaks all the rules in one foul swoop. Or become accustomed to the unexpected and stand more chance of dealing with the situation before it occurs? I know which option I prefer. We take our chances and maybe we pay the price.
By Instructor Lee McGeachie.
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