Red Boat Kung Fu offers martial arts for all ages

Dyane Hood (back left) with husband Mark Hood (back right), Zoe (front left) and Chelsea (front right) and the class of Little Dragons at Red Boat Kung Fu. Photo / Paul Brooks

It started life as a theatre and has served time hosting clubs and events, including the YMCA, but now 159 Wicksteed St rings to the sound of martial arts training.

Among the groups using the hall for training is Red Boat Kung Fu, run by Sibak Dyane Hood, training in the Chinese style of Wing Chun, as taught by Sifu Rick Spain.

Sibak and Sifu are Wing Chun titles, earned not given, and represent a stage in the leadership and martial arts skills of the wearer. Sifu means master.

Midweek went along to the training hall when the juniors – the Little Dragons – were having their class. Dyane was taking them through their paces, allowing for age, experience and attention span. Little Dragons are aged 5 to 12, and there's a teenage class for 13 to 16-year-olds.

A new class is for "hatchlings" – 3 to 5-year-olds – and will be taken by helpers Chelsea and Zoe.

Dyane was no stranger to martial arts, having taken up Kendo at Whanganui Intermediate, but it's obvious her passion lies with the evolving mixed martial arts she teaches at Red Boat.

Red Boat shares the premises with Wanganui Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Dyane says there is a class there every day. Red Boat uses Tuesday and Friday.

"It's good for us, because we actually incorporate Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in our form.

Traditionally Kung Fu is a standing game, but Sifu Rick decided to put a 'ground' game in as well.

"Red Boat was founded in 1981 by Rick Spain in Australia."

Rick trained in Wing Chun Kung Fu under Grandmaster William Cheung, a student of the great Ip Man and classmate, friend and sparring partner of Bruce Lee.
Rick Spain has tweaked Wing Chun Kung Fu and under the Red Boat label it continues to evolve as needs arise.

"I'm level 6, which is brown belt," says Dyane. "Red belt is the highest you can go. Under Rick Spain there are 10 red belts. To get from white belt, where you start, to red belt is a 20 year journey."

Part of Dyane's next grading includes a knowledge of the history of Wing Chun as well as being versed in nutrition and being able to create your own techniques, workouts and sets and explain why they could be beneficial.

"It can be quite complex, but the higher up you go the better it is."

Dyane has her husband involved in the sport. Mark Hood lost an arm in a motorcycle racing crash in 1997, but he manages just fine, with Kung Fu techniques modified to suit him, and his footwork and kicks are fast and powerful.

Red Boat's Facebook page is filled with classes and events, including a new self-defence course coming up.

"It is Kung Fu based but a lot of it is common sense," says Dyane. "A lot of our 5-year-olds can get out of a grown man's grip."

As soon as Dyane has enough people interested in self-defence, classes will start. Keep an eye on the Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/RedboatkungfuWanganui/
The contact number is 022 5108215 and email is rbfk.wanganui@gmail.com

"We'll also be running a holiday programme in January," says Dyane.