My Journey in Martial Arts

My interest in martial arts began when I was 10 (year 1998). I first trained in my school, S.M.K La Salle, Klang under Master Leong Yong Wah, a 4th degree black belt (then) and his wife, Mrs. Yap Swee Bee. They both were running the Power Sport Taekwondo Academy with the assistance of a few junior instructors. Their academy is well known in Klang and they run classes in several schools in Klang.

I was very excited when I got my white belt and my first Gi (uniform) with 'Taekwondo' written at the back. My taekwondo classes were on Saturdays and I was excited every week to attend the classes. I was constantly inspired by my master and the other black belts and I aspired to be a black belt myself. I trained hard and over time I moved belt after belts. My very first Taekwondo tournament was when I was 11 (year 1999).  At that point of time, I was a green belt (Taegyeuk 4). During my bouts, I fought with exponents of various seniority levels. I fought with green belts, blue belts and brown (now, red) belts and I won. I was a bronze medalist. Not bad for a first time fighter. I realized that the belt level doesn't matter. What mattered the most is your skills and determination. From there on, I was motivated to participate in more tournaments. Over the years, I fought in several tournaments with wins and losses which gave me good experience.

Belt levels in taekwondo

My dreams of achieving the black belt was not far away. I was awarded the black belt when I was 14 (year 2002), 4 years after I started Taekwondo. It was a meaningful achievement to me and I continued to train harder. I trained till I was 16 and I took a long break to focus on my SPM examinations in 2005. After my SPM examinations, I joined the national service. I had the constant urge to train and fight and I missed Taekwondo. When I got back home after national service in 2006, I noticed that there was a Taekwondo class being thaught nearby my home. Since it was nearer to my home (walking distance), I decided to continue Taekwondo there. I was trained under Master K.S. Poobalan and Master Mohan. Their training was intense and exciting and I got a lot of exposure from them. It was then I had the chance to participate in the state level Taekwondo tournament, SUKSES. The tournament was tough and it gave me a good experience. I trained with Master Poobalan from 2006 to 2007. After my STPM examinations, I pursued my tertiary education in Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu.

My journey in martial arts continued when I was in the university. I did my degree in Computer Science and it was a 3 year course. During the second semester of my second year, I came across a Karate Club in my campus. I wanted to diversify myself into other martial arts and I wanted to explore new techniques. Therefore, I took up karate. I was trained by Sensei Simon and guided by a senior student, Ian. The karate style which I trained was the Shotokan Karate which is also resembled the stance and strength of the bull. I started as a white belt and I learned my first kata (fight pattern). I passed my first test and I was awarded the yellow belt. I wasn't really focused on upgrading myself by belts. I was more focused on adapting karate techniques in fights and participating in kumite (sparring). One thing I loved about karate is that during kumite, you dont need to wear protection vests, head gears and shin guards like in Taekwondo which I felt made my body was lighter and I could move faster in a fight. Soon I was absorbed into the fighter training. Thanks to my Taekwondo skills, they absorbed me into the university team. It was a big deal being a university fighter and soon I was already fighting in tournaments.

My first karate tournament was the Sabah Open Karate Tournament in 2010. I met many experienced fighters and I observed their fight skills. One thing I noticed was the kumite techniques emphasized on speed and proper form and not strength. This was a disadvantage for me where by I went full blast in kumite. I couldn't control my punches and kicks where I gave a hard punch on my opponents face which broke his tooth. That cost me point deductions. I was given several warnings by the referee due to my hard kicks as well. I did not win in that tournament but it gave me good exposure and experience. Towards the end of my university life, while doing my practical, I represented my university in the Majlis Sukan Universiti Malaysia (MASUM) Karate Tournament 2011. There, I met more professional and skillful fighters. I fought with exponent from UIAM. My kicks were very good and right on points but his punches and proper form dominated the show. At last, he won in a very slight difference in points. It was fun fighting with an experienced fighter and it gave me courage to fight anyone regardless of their skills and seniority.

After the completion of my practical, I was already working with an IT company in KL. I took a break from martial arts for some time. I got a better offer and jumped to another company in Cyberjaya. There, while working, I started to focus on fitness and I started to hit the gym. It became a routine and I liked it.

One fine day at home, while clearing my room I found my gum shield which I used while sparring. That moment I realized how much I missed martial arts. That moment onwards, I wanted to start my passion again. This time, I wanted something aggressive and a full contact martial art. Then, I came across Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). MMA is known for its multi-disciplinary techniques and strategy in a fight and it would be a game changer for me. I googled for the nearest MMA gym and fortunately I found one in Klang, Elitez Mixed Martial Arts Academy. I enrolled last year (2013) and I'm still training there. The academy is being run by Master Andy Teh who has vast Taekwondo background and also background in other arts such as Muay Thai and Brazilian Jujitsu (BJJ). Here, the MMA training focuses on striking techniques from Taekwondo and Muay Thai and grappling techniques from BJJ. The training here is hard core and tones your physique and molds you into a tougher person. I am currently training hard here and I aspire to compete in the Malaysian Invasion Mixed Martial Arts (MIMMA) tournament. Therefore, I need to be mentally and physically prepared.

I do alot of research on the origins of martial arts and I found that the origins of martial arts could be traced to India. For a very long time I was keen on learning the martial arts of my roots, Silambam. Most of the techniques in other martial arts are derived from this ancient Indian art. Thus, it fascinates me and I would like to equip my knowledge on the art of my very own ethnic. The Silambam art is said to have its origins in India 5000 years ago. The art traces its history back to the Kurinji Mountains located in South India. Natives known as Narikuravar used the staff (known as silambamboo) to defend themselves against wild animals and other attackers. Silambam also incorporates empty hand techniques. The empty hand techniques utilize blocking-to-locking and blocking-to-striking. The art was patronised by the ancient Chola, Chera and Pandya Kings. The Maravar Pada of Travancore kings used silambam in their warfare against enemies. Ancient contact between Tamil Nadu and Southeast Asia brought Silambam to the Malay Peninsula, during which time the word Silambam came to be referred as an art as well as a weapon. Many Southeast Asian martial arts were influenced by silambam including Silat and Krabi Krabong.

On my quest of learning Silambam, I was referred to a Silambam center in Meru by my junior during the university days, Danesh Kumar, who is a professional Silambam practitioner. I have just enrolled in Silambam and I find that the training emphasizes on strength and flexibility. I have just learned the 'Guru Vanakam', a form of salutation before practicing Silambam. It incorporates punches, kicks and leg stances. This similar curriculum can also be found in karate (kata) and taekwondo (taegyeuk).

Currently, despite my busy work schedule, I practice MMA and Silambam. I aspire to master Silambam and I wish to pass my knowledge to the next generation to preserve this ancient art. I am also looking forward to compete in the Malaysian Invasion Mixed Martial Arts (MIMMA) tournament in the near future.

My journey in martial arts continues....