stand still. I am always looking for new systems to advance my knowledge and understanding of martial arts. Erle Montaigue and his son, Eli, have been a true inspiration to my own personal training.”


students through training to achieve these. I like to treat all my students as individuals, rather than a block group, so that each can achieve maximum benefits from their own training.”


Currently Chris is enjoying his association with the World Taiji Boxing Association, with which he is a registered instructor, studying complex systems and methods, including Baguazhang and Wudang under the Erle Montaigue family. “I never like to


Chris, having been affiliated to other associations over the years, found NAKMAS to be the most forward think- ing and progressive and was delighted when he was invited to join the man- agement committee.


He represented NAKMAS at the Scot- tish Disability Sport National Confer- ence held in Edinburgh in February of this year and listening to the disabled athletes backgrounds and stories regarding their own training, this made a lasting impression on him and he became motivated to become involved. “Having heard the lengths that these athletes go to, even just to attend venues for their training sessions and the support their family give to help them in every way, put a reality check on able-bodied students asking ‘have you not got a club at the East end of Edinburgh, rather


than the West end so, I don’t need to get a bus’!


Chris says, “I find students’ attitudes have changed quite radically over the years. Some of them seem to feel they will learn techniques and meth- ods within a few weeks, rather than the years it has taken myself and my contemporaries. When I look back, I used to feel physically sick if I couldn’t manage a class - you were ostracised for at least two weeks!”


Chris now teaches part time and holds an adults class in Edinburgh, a local children’s class in East Lothian and has a following in Egypt where he teaches in Cairo at least once or twice a year. He is due to start teaching to a small group of blind students in early 2010 and hopes this will progress on to more and varied groups.


NAKMAS PRESS OFFICE


Chris can be contacted via e-mail chris. davies@nakmas.org.uk via the NAK- MAS website at http://www.nakmas.org. uk or via telephone on 01620 842870


martial arts illustrated / 47


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