Instructor's Biography: Laurence Chua

Laurence Chua started training martial arts  when he was 7 years old, doing Seven Star Paying Mantis , under Master Luo from the 9 Dragon Clan Association. He trained with them for a number of years until the death of his master. At the age of 16 he accidentally stumbled on the Nam Yang Pugilistic association while reading Combat Magazine in Singapore in 1996. He called right away and soon joined the training there under the tutelage of Master Tan Soh Tin. He has also learnt Iron Shirt Chi Gong under the tutelage of Master Tan Lien Hok, of Siaw Lim Hood Shang Thong.

“It was the graceful yet devastating movements of the Tiger Crane Combination style that attracted me” said Laurence,“and I am yet to find a complete style that blends the hard and soft, and covers all fighting ranges and distances like Tiger Crane does.”

One of his favourite patterns is Pei Ho Tien Sip, or the white Crane Spreads its Wings, a form known for its crane blocks and strikes which encapsulates much of the White Crane Freehand techniques.

His favourite weapons are the thumb hook swords, a short weapon (similar to the butterfly knives used in Wing Chun) that is infamous in South East Asia as being a weapon that likes to draw blood, which he has demonstrated at numerous anniversaries and performances, and has represented Nam Yang with in the National Wushu Championships in Singapore, where he also performed bare hand routines.

He has attended classes in a wide range of fighting styles. “I often found classes were lead by excellent martial artists. The trouble was some of them did not teach so well.”