Parent Viewing Opportunities
Starting NEXT WEEK we will be opening our doors once again to parents, to view classes in person. There will be two different ways for you do do so, depending on your needs.
The west bench inside the Kwoon will be first come, first served. We cannot open the east side bench at this time. Since this is directly adjacent to the training area, there are several expectations.
No food or drink.
No cell phones. This area is for parents who want to be more engaged with their children’s training. If you want to use your phone, please step outside.
Please remain in the building. We have seen in the past that the door is a major distraction. If you want to come in, please stay for the duration. If you need to take a call feel free to do so, but please remain outside/next door.
No young children. We have created a space in The Pomped Moose where young children can play.
The sitting in the back of The Pomped Moose will have a tv, so you can watch classes live. However, there will not be sound. This area is meant for you to relax, get out of the cold, have a coffee/tea, let the siblings stretch their legs. Please, respect the area; it was built by the instructors, furnished by the instructors and the coffee/tea are complementary from the instructors. We want you to feel comfortable here, treating it with as much respect as you would your own home.
Our number one priority remains our students, your children. We want to do our best to ensure the distractions and disruptions to our students are kept to a minimum, while still providing this opportunity to all of you.
As always, we are available after your child’s’ class if you have any questions. We understand that your investment in your child’s training is as valuable as the child’s. If there is ever anything I can do to help or a question I can answer for you, do not hesitate to reach out.
My (Sifu Khona Rybak) personal number is (780)446-9625. Feel free to reach out anytime.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of March 17, 2025
Lil’ Leopards
For the Lil’ Leopards class this week we worked on our ninja skills with our “Monster” game. The students were challenged with sneaking into the “monsters” lair and trading them for some treasure. They then got to don their treasures on one of our Black Belts! Everyone had a lot of fun, including the Black Belts.
Tiny Tigers and Young Dragons
This week in both Tiny Tigers and Young Dragons, we focused on developing a wide range of “evasive maneuvers” and quick footwork. Things like ducking, jumping, bobbing, weaving and misdirections. We challenged the students to test their abilities with a game of “Don’t Get Captured On The Camera!”, where a blindfolded instructor took random pictures while the students attempted to avoid them.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Spring Break takes place from March 31 to April 4. There will be no formal classes during this time. The Children’s programs will resume Tuesday, April 8.
This years Tiger Challenge is set to take place on May 24. Although this is a ways off yet, many of the events require pre-planning and training and so it is a good idea to start thinking about this now. If you have any questions at this time, please reach out to an instructor.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of March 3, 2025
Lil’ Leopards
For the Lil’ Leopards class this week we worked on our balance with a Lava Pit game! Students were challenged to find their way through the Lava Pit by only stepping and balancing on various stepping stones and NOT accidentally falling into the lava!
Tiny Tigers
This week in Tiny Tigers we challenged the students with an intro to sparring. Although we don’t spar at this level, we can certainly start working on various skills that will be of great benefit later on. With an Instructor, the students were challenged to punch, block or duck, depending on what cues the Instructor gave. This drill was very fast paced and the students did an incredible job with both their focus and quick thinking!
Young Dragons
In the Young Dragons classes, we spent a large portion of our time developing our skills with the stick. The stick is the basis of all weapons and is the first weapon we learn. From articulations to applications, we challenged the students with a variety of things to enhance their understanding of their weapon and their confidence in handling it.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Spring Break takes place from March 31 to April 4. There will be no formal classes during this time. The Children’s programs will resume Tuesday, April 8.
This years Tiger Challenge is set to take place on May 24. Although this is a ways off yet, many of the events require pre-planning and training and so it is a good idea to start thinking about this now. If you have any questions at this time, please reach out to an instructor.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Feb 24, 2025
Lil’ Leopards
For the Lil’ Leopards class this week we utilized an obstacle course that focussed on “up and down”. Things like ducking under ropes and climbing over bags were incorporated to challenge the ways we approach different kinds of obstacles and how we would avoid them.
Tiny Tigers
This week in Tiny Tigers we worked on our horse stance! The horse stance is one of our most basic stances and is used in a variety of forms and applications. It is also used as a tool to strengthen our legs, which will, in turn, provide more power to our kicks as we advance up the ranks!
Young Dragons
In the Young Dragons classes, after working exceptionally hard on our Kung fu, we were able to incorporate some pool noodle sword fighting! Pool noodle sword fighting is an excellent way to work on things like reaction time, footwork, combinations, guards and stamina, all while having loads of fun in a really exciting way! It is one of the students favourite things to do and is also one of the most popular Tiger Challenge events!
Special Announcements for All Classes
Our next open training is this Saturday, March 8 from 10am-12noon.
This years Tiger Challenge is set to take place on May 24. Although this is a ways off yet, many of the events require pre-planning and training and so it is a good idea to start thinking about this now. If you have any questions at this time, please reach out to an instructor.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Feb 17, 2025
Lil’ Leopards
For the Lil’ Leopards class this week we gave the students various challenged using bean bags! This not only worked our hand-eye coordination and dexterity, but will also come in handy as we advance in the future to weapons!
Tiny Tigers
This week in Tiny Tigers we worked on our listening and focus with a Circle of Dots drill. The students were challenged to run until they heard the drum stop, at which point they had to hustle to a dot, where they were further challenged with various things like kicks and animal postures. This is a creative drill that encourages the students to listen closely and to react fast.
Young Dragons
In the Young Dragons classes this week we focussed on our Lao Gar form. Forms are an integral component to our training. We use them to both master the techniques within them, while also developing our eye for detail. If a student is ever in doubt about what to practice at home, the answer if forms!
Special Announcements for All Classes
We invite all students to wear their pink shirts to classes on February 25 and 26, in support of Pink Shirt day.
This years Tiger Challenge is set to take place on May 24. Although this is a ways off yet, many of the events require pre-planning and training and so it is a good idea to start thinking about this now. If you have any questions at this time, please reach out to an instructor.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Feb 3, 2025
Lil’ Leopards
For the Lil’ Leopards class this week we took an opportunity to look a little closer at one of our lions. There are lots of little details and features about the lions that many people don’t know about and we feel it’s important that even our youngest dancers learn about these things as well as about their history.
Tiny Tigers
This week in Tiny Tigers we worked on our Dynamic Control curriculum using bean bags. We were challenged with various tasks such as, toss from hand to hand, toss in the air and catch it with our foot, and many others! This is a super fun activity that promote the development of hand-eye coordination that will be integral to future training.
Young Dragons
In the Young Dragons classes this week we worked on a couple of our main kicks, the front thrust and the roundhouse. There are many details that contribute to proper kick technique, but this week we focussed specifically on our crane stance and 3-point position by utilizing bean bags to ensure we maintained proper alignment throughout the kick. These drills really worked our muscles and by the end of the week, our kicks were looking really good!
Special Announcements for All Classes
The next open training will take place Saturday, February 22 from 10-12noon.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Jan 27, 2025
Lil’ Leopards
For the Lil’ Leopards class this week we continued to work on our Lion Dancing, while also learning a bit about drumming. The drum is referred to as the “heart beat” of the lion and is an integral part of a lion dance. Meaning, when the drum is silent, the lion does not move. It is also essential in expressing the feelings of the lion, and in developing and telling the story within the dance.
Tiny Tigers
This week in Tiny Tigers we worked more on our dragon dancing. Dragon dancing is a traditional aspect of Kung Fu that builds stamina and strength, while helping us to work together as a team towards a common goal. As an added bonus, it’s also one of the students favourite things to do in class!
Young Dragons
In the Young Dragons classes this week we did something a little different with our warmups, and utilized various agility games that challenged our speed, reaction, hand-eye coordination, stamina and a whole lot more! It’s important to include proper warmups, but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring!
Special Announcements for All Classes
No announcements at this time.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Jan 20, 2025
Lil’ Leopards
For the Lil’ Leopards class this week we worked on our Lion Dancing, specifically with the opening bows. We challenged the students to really pay attention to the drum, both for recognizing their cues and to practice stepping to the right beat. Lion dancing is an especially advanced component of Kung Fu that tests even the most skilled practitioners, and our youngest dancers have really stepped up to the challenge.
Tiny Tigers
This week in Tiny Tigers we had a special class of pool noodle sword fighting! Although this drill can look a little chaotic from the outside, it is a valuable resource to practice many things. Our strikes, blocks and footwork are the more obvious ones, but we are also working on our confidence, control, timing and eye for detail. And on top of all the Kung Fu happening, it’s simply just all kinds of fun!
Young Dragons
In the Young Dragons classes this week we focused on weapons. We refer to this part of our curriculum as “Dynamic Control”. Working with weapons is a very important part of our training. For one, being able to confidently utilize a weapon can offer an advantage from an offensive standpoint. On the flip side, learning how to use a weapon also trains us in how we might have to defend against it. In addition, weapons are a fantastic training tool in developing our other Kung Fu skills. Using weapons will highlight and emphasize anything that we might not be doing quite right on a regular basis, thus showing us exactly what we need to be working on.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Our Chinese New Years Banquet takes place February 1. Tickets are now sold out.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Dec 2, 2024
Lil Leopards
For the Lil Leopards class this week we challenged the students with a “stations” drill, focusing on a different technique at each; Balance, Hand-eye Coordination, Animal Postures and Blocks/Punches.
Tiny Tigers
This week in Tiny Tigers we did one of our favourite things, an obstacle course! Obstacle courses are excellent ways to practice lots of different skills all at once in a fun and fast paced way that keep the students focused and engaged.
Young Dragons
In the Young Dragons classes this week we focused on something that we call “Vocabulary of Motion”. Vocabulary of Motion is how we connect different techniques together in a way that flows and makes sense. This is incredibly important as we progress to sparring applications.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Our next Open Training is Saturday, December 14 from 10-12noon.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Oct 28, 2024
All Classes
This week we had our special Halloween classes! The students were invited to wear their Halloween costumes and it was filled with all sorts of fun and games.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Our next Open Training is Saturday, November 9 from 10-12noon.
Fall Break takes place November 11-15. There will be no formal classes during this week but there is still always Kung Fu!
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Oct 21, 2024
All Classes
This week we had our annual Break-a-thon!!! Every year we use this event for a couple different reasons. Firstly, breaking boards is a really great way to get immediate feedback on our skill and technique and is an incredible way to build confidence. We were so proud of all of our students and were really pleased with how this years event went! Secondly, we use this event as a means to raise awareness and to fundraise for our three main charities, SCARS, Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Center and Healing Hands. A huge thank-you to everyone that took part!!
Special Announcements for All Classes
October 29 and 30 will be our Halloween classes. All students are invited to wear their Halloween costumes!!
There are no classes on Halloween Day, Thursday, October 31.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Oct 14, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
This week in Lil’ Leopards we had an opportunity to meet and learn about some of our lions. At Silent River Kung Fu we continue to practice many of the traditional tenets of Kung Fu, one of the most prevalent being Lion Dancing. Not only are Lion Dances fun to watch and participate in, but it is also an integral part of our regular training.
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers this week we worked hard on improving our Horse Stance. The Horse Stance is one of our main stances that we use to practice our kicks, punches, and forms and is one of the best tools we have to build strength and endurance in our legs.
Young Dragons Level 1 & 2
In our Young Dragons classes this week we worked on our Vocabulary of Motion curriculum. Vocabulary of Motion is how we take single techniques (words) and put them together into a coherent sequence (sentences). It’s one thing to master a punch, or a kick, or a block one rep at a time. It’s another to be able to put these techniques together in a way that makes sense for an applicable situation. By practicing our techniques in sequence, we can learn to move, react, and adapt in a more efficient way.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Our next Open Training is Saturday, October 19 from 10am-12noon.
Our Break-a-thon is fast approaching! The Tiny Tigers and Young Dragons will be doing their board breaks on Tuesday, October 22 and the Lil Leopards will be doing theirs on Wednesday, October 23. Parents/Guardians are invited to come into the Kwoon on those days to watch!
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Oct 7, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
This week in Lil’ Leopards we were challenged with bean bag relay races that tested both our listening and cardio. We also focused on our 5 animals of Kung Fu postures and the 3 Rules of Concentration. Ask your child to show you the 5 animals!
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers this week we focused on some Dragon Dancing. Dragon Dancing is a team effort that requires perfect timing and incredible attention to detail. The students were challenged with maneuvering individually through various obstacles while also staying together as a dragon.
Young Dragons Level 1 & 2
In our Young Dragons classes this week we had a special opportunity to work with Sihing Lindstrom. Being our resident grappling expert, Sihing Lindstrom covered a wide range of grappling skills with the students. Ideally, we never want to be taken to the ground in an altercation, but if we are, we want to have the skills to be able to still defend ourselves, with the main goal of getting back to our feet as quickly as possible. Ask your child if they remember what the set of techniques that we worked on was called. (Answer: Takedown Situation)
Special Announcements for All Classes
Our next Open Training is Saturday, October 19 from 10am-12noon.
Our Break-a-thon is fast approaching! The Tiny Tigers and Young Dragons will be doing their board breaks on Tuesday, October 22 and the Lil Leopards will be doing theirs on Wednesday, October 23. Parents/Guardians are invited to come into the Kwoon on those days to watch!
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Sep 30, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
This week in Lil’ Leopards we did an obstacle course that incorporated some board breaking drills. Board breaking is something that we can use to test how well we are performing our techniques. With proper technique, that board WILL break!
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers this week we focused on perfecting our kicks and punches by running relays to the bags. We were further challenged to hit the bags so hard that a bean bag sitting on top would fall off!! We are proud to say we were successful!
Young Dragons Level 1 & 2
In our Young Dragons classes this week we worked on our Lion Dancing and for the first time we did a Lion Dance obstacle course! The students were challenged with navigating through various obstacles while both animating the lion AND carrying their “lettuce” without dropping it! This drill was a hit and I’ve promised to do it again soon.
Special Announcements for All Classes
The Break-a-thon is fast approaching! Check out the website for more info.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Sep 23, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
This week in Lil’ Leopards we played with our parachute and worked on many things. Listening to and following instructions, team work and hand/eye coordination to name a few. These are all valuable skills that will support us even beyond our Kung Fu.
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers this week we focused some of our time on Dragon Dancing. Dragon Dancing takes alot of skill and helps us develop things like hand/eye coordination, timing, reflex, stamina and team work. In a traditional Dragon Dance there are 9 dancers working together to make the dragon come to life.
Young Dragons Level 1
In our Young Dragon Level 1 class this past week we learned a new technique with our stick called the Helicopter. As the name suggests, this involves spinning the stick over our heads. This is a very complicated and advanced technique, but the students did a fantastic job with it! If they would like to practice at home, but need a refresher, login in to your Memberspace account and access the livestream videos. You will find a helicopter demo in video #38.
Young Dragon Level 2
In Young Dragons Level 2 we spent the week developing our Broadsword. As we progressed, we were able to find many similarities between the Broadsword, and our base weapon, the stick. Two completely different weapons, yet very similar when we look closely.
Special Announcements for All Classes
There will be no classes on Monday, September 30 in recognition of Truth and Reconciliation Day.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Sep 16, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
Last week in Lil’ Leopards we worked on a variety of skills at different stations. Kicks, balancing and bean bag tossing were some of the main ones. The students did an amazing job!
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers last week we carried on with our Dynamic Control curriculum using bean bags. In partners, the students were challenged with getting as many bean bags through a hoop as possible. One student would toss, and the other would try to “catch” it with the hoop. This was a great drill to work on both hand-eye coordination as well as teamwork.
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this past week we worked on various stick skills and techniques. Not only will these skills will be transferrable to other weapons as the students advance, but by learning how to use a weapon, we also learn how to defend ourselves against one.
Special Announcements for All Classes
There will be no classes on Monday, September 30 in recognition of Truth and Reconciliation Day.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Sep 9, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
Last week in Lil’ Leopards we had some fun with pool noodle sword fighting!!! It may look like alot of chaos (and it is!) but it’s also a great activity to work on some really important skills like self control, eye for detail, reaction time and even empathy.
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers last week we spent some time working on our Shoto form. This Shoto form is a weapon form that was developed specifically for the Tiny Tigers level. It is a sequence of simple techniques, using a small short sword (wooden and safe!) where we can start to develop our dynamic control. It also incorporates counting to 10 in Mandarin, which acts as both a sound focus and a cue to help us remember the moves.
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this past week we learned a new kick call “Stiff Swinging Kick to Spine”. This kick is a super fun one to learn because, although there are still technical aspects to it, a huge factor in being successful is just going for it…which the younger students love. In fact, the more you fall, the better you seem to get!
Special Announcements for All Classes
There will be no classes on Monday, September 30 in recognition of Truth and Reconciliation Day. In show of support, we would like to invite all students to wear an orange shirt on Wednesday, September 25 or Thursday September 26.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Sep 2, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
Last week in Lil’ Leopards we worked on a variety of skills with an obstacle course! Breakfalls, blocks, agility, speed and endurance were all included as the students navigated through all kinds of fun obstacles. At this level, obstacle courses are a great way to keep the students engaged while also getting lots of practice in.
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers last week we played a “giant-sized” game of Tic-Tac-Toe that challenged us in many ways. Speed, hand/eye coordination, attention to detail and even problem solving! The students had a blast with it. It’s always fun to mix in these types of games to incorporate the fun and silliness that kids need in order to learn.
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this past week we worked on our jumping skills. Through a variety of jumping challenge (Squat jumps, Frog jumps, Thrust Jumps, Knee Jumps, etc) we challenged the students to get as high as possible. Not only do these drills increase our leg strength, which will translate to more power, but they are directly related to our success with flying kicks.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Our next Open Training takes place this Saturday, September 14 from 10am-12noon.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Aug 12, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
Last week in Lil’ Leopards we worked on our Dynamic Control. By utilizing scarves, we were challenged to throw and catch, while also moving and staying in control. These types of drills are integral to developing the skills needed to eventually wield weapons.
Tiny Tigers
In the Tiny Tigers classes last week we focused on our kicks and punches. These types of basics are so important to our Kung Fu and are the basis upon which our combinations and forms are built. By running relays to the heavy bags we were able to get lots of practice in while also having alot of fun!
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this past week we continued to work with our lions. There are 2 dancers in a lion and it takes a tremendous amount of teamwork and collaboration to bring the lion to life. We challenged the students with various drills that tested their ability to synchronize between the head and the tail. What makes this extra challenging is the inability to talk to or see each other while in the lion but the students remained super focused and did an amazing job.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Back to School Week takes place Aug 26-30, 2024. There will be no formal classes this week.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Aug 5, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
Last week in Lil’ Leopards we challenged the students with an obstacle course! Obstacle courses are an exciting way to incorporate several drills all into one, while also keeping the students constantly moving. Breakfalls, blocks, kicks and crane stance were a few of the techniques that were included, along with the class favourite, the balance beam!
Tiny Tigers
In the Tiny Tigers classes last week we focused on reaction time and accuracy. The students were challenged to react as quickly as they could by striking moving targets and blocking incoming strikes. We also worked a little bit on our dragon dancing!
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this past week we worked on bringing our lions to life. The most successful lion dancers are those that are able to capture the imagination of the audience and make them forget there are people inside. In order to do this, the lion needs to be doing regular “life-like” things that are recognizable to the audience. Conveying happiness, sadness or excitement are some of the things we practiced, along with recognizable behaviors like yawning and sneezing.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Back to School Week takes place Aug 26-30, 2024. There will be no formal classes this week.