Common Questions
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Top 10 questions
1. How much does it cost to train with the UK Kung-Fu Federation?
2. How old/young do you have to be, or what age ranges do you teach?
3. How fit do you need to be to start training?
4. Which is the best martial art, or the best for me anyway?
5. Does your martial arts training include any kind of sparring?
6. Will I get hurt, and/or am I insured for accidents during training?
7. Can I come and watch a class?
8. Do you promote, run or enter competitions & tournaments?
9. Can I do your health, fitness, or qigong programmes, without doing the martial arts?
10. I'm a martial arts instructor. Can I become part of the UK Kung-Fu Federation?
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Answers
1. How much does it cost to train with the UK Kung-Fu Federation?
After any free trial period has ended, we require all students to pay tuition fees to their instructor, purchase annual membership (which includes insurance) and buy an official uniform T-Shirt. There are no other compulsory fees, we don't use contracts or billing companies, and our non-profit status means we're always great value.
Include ALL of the above expenses, add 2-3 assessments each year, and we calculate that regular training with the UKKFF can cost as little as £9 per-week. But don't take our word for it - you can view/download all our rates using the links below.
Rates for Annual Membership (PDF)
Rates for General Classes & Assessments (PDF)
Rates for Private Tuition & Personal Fitness Training (PDF)
Official uniform T-Shirts in our online shop
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2. How old/young do you have to be, or what age ranges do you teach?
Generally we do not start teaching anyone below the age of 15, although mature 14-year olds have sometimes been focused enough to participate in our training programmes. We do not have an upper age limit.
The age range of our general classes usually encompasses ages 15-50, however we teach several older students via private lessons, for martial arts and our health/fitness programmes too.
Guide to General Classes (PDF)
Guide to Private Tuition (PDF)
Despite literally hundreds of requests that we do so, sadly we do NOT run kids classes, little dragons, junior black-belts (or any other off-the-shelf marketing programme) or after-school clubs. However we have run several one-off awareness & self-defence events for local schools & colleges in the past, and are willing to do so again. If you'd like to discuss this, please contact us directly.
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3. How fit do you need to be to start training?
If you can walk up a flight of stairs with no problems then you should be fine to begin training either Kung-Fu or Escrima with us. Our programmes are designed to be progressive, which means they start simple and become more demanding as you move up through the syllabus.
Many people are surprised that their first few training sessions seem quite physically & mentally intense, but this should be expected with any new activity involving the use of your whole body. After a few sessions your mind & body will have become more accustomed to the requirements of martial arts, and then you can begin to train properly. Consider your first time on a bike, or riding a horse, or climbing, or any new sport - you probably ached in many different places the day after, but after a while it all becomes normal. You'll begin to love the feeling of your body working well.
If you have more serious health problems, or your fitness is really lacking, our personal trainer is able to assess your current abilities and create a tailor-made programme of improvement for you, using our unique 'complete' approach to health & fitness. Alternatively if you want a more relaxed route towards improved wellness, our Qigong programmes work wonderfully for all ages & fitness levels.
If you are in any doubt about your own condition, consult your doctor first, then come and have an informal chat with us.
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4. Which is the best martial art, or the best for me anyway?
This is like asking: 'Which is the best car?' The answer will be different for each individual, and will probably depend on many factors: What do you need to use it for? What terrain will you be driving on? Do you prefer economy or speed? Petrol or diesel? Looks or practicality? The list is long and very personal. Which art is best for you? Sorry, we don't know you yet.
Also, don't get confused between martial sports (even the extreme ones) & martial arts. Please understand that one is not 'better' or 'harder' than the other, again it just comes down to personal choice; so what do you want to do, and what are you hoping to achieve?
If you've read our martial arts pages properly, you'll have a good idea of our approach and the thinking behind our choice of disciplines. If you agree with us and think we're making a lot of sense (most people do) then your choice is more simple: Do you want to mainly train with weapons (try our Escrima, which explores all hand weapons), or mainly train without them (try our Kung-Fu, which explores all the tools of your own body). The fundamentals of both arts are identical, but eventually you'll need to understand both sides of the coin, as it were. It's impossible to fully understand one without also understanding the other. Yin & Yang, black & white, male & female, light & dark. This is the armed/unarmed duality that many fail to appreciate, and why so many unarmed arts are just wrong - their teachers remain ignorant of the lessons imparted by weapons.
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5. Does your martial arts training include any kind of sparring?
Yes indeed. It is vitally important that our students learn to make their own decisions and take responsibility for them, however please don't be put off by this. Sparring is not fighting, it's just another method of training which has it's place in the grand scheme of things, and like all training methods it can be used properly, or misunderstood and used poorly.
Sparring is all about free choice, but being able to choose freely between all available options is impossible without (a) knowing the options, and (b) training the options. This takes time & effort. To use an analogy; before you can race, you need to learn how to drive. Or simpler; don't try to run before you can walk.
Each of our training programmes contains elements of free choice, and you'll learn to make choices right from the beginning. Initially you may only be required to choose between two options, however as you master that choice we'll add more, and soon you'll be moving freely, at will. As you move up the grades we can increase the power & intention, or add protective clothing if needed. But remember it's all about personal choice.
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6. Will I get hurt, and/or am I insured for accidents during training?
Yes, you might get hurt during martial arts training, and this danger is an integral part of things. By definition martial arts are a contact discipline which require the use of almost every muscle in your body - but please keep things in perspective: You might be slightly hurt from time-to-time, but never harmed. We're talking minor scuffs & scrapes, not broken bones and regular trips to your local A&E department.
Injuries can include sore muscles, the odd bruise, skinned knuckles, perhaps a twisted ankle or a sprained wrist, a split or bitten lip, and maybe a black eye at worst. Certainly nothing that would keep you off work the next day (sorry) - in all our years we've only once had to take somebody to hospital, and that's because they tripped over their own feet on the way into class and broke their wrist! Several people have also made the mistake of eating big meals before training, then turned green & vomited after the exertion of a light warm-up.
When training with weapons, the most common injuries are bruised fingers, a bump on the head, or blisters caused by gripping the sticks too tightly. In fact ALL the injuries sustained through training are the result of errors, and there is no better teacher than that little stab of pain. After all, that's how we are designed to learn.
Of course we appreciate that accidents can happen, but we are professional, controlled and we take steps to minimise all unnecessary risks, including the use of protective clothing as needed. In the event of accident or injury, all UKKFF members are fully covered by personal accident insurance, and our instructors are additionally insured for public liability and professional indemnity too. This insurance is the primary reason why membership is compulsory for everyone who trains with us.
View details & prices of UKKFF membership.
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7. Can I come and watch a class?
Yes of course. Contact us and let us know where & when you'd like to visit, and we'll make sure our instructor expects you, has time to answer your questions, and has some information for you to take away with you.
It's also no problem to turn up to any of our schools unannounced. In this case please enter & watch quietly, be respectful of those engaged in their training, and understand that the instructor may be engaged in teaching class and won't be able to see you until a break occurs. It's best to call us first if you can.
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8. Do you promote, run or enter competitions & tournaments?
The UK Kung-Fu Federation is an educational organisation, not a sporting promoter. We do not arrange external tournaments, or run our own at the present time. Through our membership of the World Martial Arts Alliance, our students have access to tournaments in escrima, grappling, or MMA which they may choose to enter if they so wish. Plus there are many open tournaments in the UK which individuals may participate in at their own discretion. You don't need to be a UKKFF member to enter such events.
The UKKFF does not operate a competition team of any kind. If you are looking for a professional fighters gym who train regularly to enter fightsport tournaments such as Cage Rage, UFC or other MMA events, we suggest you try these excellent guys who know what they are doing, and develop good quality, respectful, successful competitors.
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9. Can I do health, fitness, or qigong programmes, without doing martial arts?
Yes of course. We have some members who are not interested (yet) in the martial arts but who enjoy our approach to wellness. Our rates are better than most dedicated personal trainers because it's not our main source of income, and a lot better than health clubs because you're not paying for the upkeep of a large building, staff & advertising.
Members rates for Personal Fitness Training (PDF)
Naturally most of our members who participate in our health programmes do so because they already trust us from their martial arts training, or wish to see how the knowledge of martial arts can be applied to wellness through the study of Qigong.
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10. I'm a martial arts instructor. Can I join the UK Kung-Fu Federation?
You are welcome to join us as a student. We welcome everyone regardless of previous experience, race, sex, colour, creed, religion, or profession. If however you wish to teach FOR us, or bring an existing club within our organisation, things are a bit more complicated.
As a rule, all of our instructors have started as beginners with us and worked through our martial art systems for 5+ years before joining our comprehensive Instructor Training Programme (ITP) which starts to deliver the skills & structure necessary to run a club and teach others properly. We don't normally recruit instructors from outside our own organisation, mainly because they don't know our systems, and we're not interested in the politics which invariably accompany them.
However, having had experience of the difficulties involved in moving from one established organisation to another, and the reasons why the situation might arise, we understand the thoughts & concerns which a dedicated, passionate club instructor might be faced with at this difficult time. We'd like to be of service if we can.
If you're in this situation, please contact us for a chat, and maybe we can offer some advice or at least clarify your options for you. You might even be the next person to join the growing World Martial Arts Alliance.
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