Location
Trinity Church
Hodford Hall
90 Hodford Road
Golders Green
London
NW11 8EG
Transport
Underground Station: Golders Green (Northern Line, Edgeware branch)
Buses: 13, 82, 102, 183, 210, 226, 240, 245, 260, 268, 328, 460, H1, H2, H3
Parking: There is parking available in the surrounding areas. Make sure to check the relevant signs.
Training Times
MONDAY
Young people: 18:00-19:00
General class: 19:00-21:00
SATURDAY
Young people: 09:30-10:30
General class: 10:30-12:30
It is advisable to arrive at the hall 15-30 minutes before training starts, either to introduce yourself - if it's your first class - or to warm up.
Beginning Training
Attending your first session may be a daunting experience, particularly if you have not studied any martial arts before. Every student will have had experienced the same mixed feelings you may have beginning a new experience. We aim to make everyone feel welcome and safe in our environment, to help you overcome your anxieties and enable you to enjoy your participation. Our classes are mixed in gender, age and level of experience, and we are committed to maintaining the feel of a family within our centre, and indeed within the System.
When attending for your first class, you should wear a t-shirt and loose comfortable trousers. No special footwear is required as we train barefoot, often on mats. Jewellery should not be worn during training, and any items that can't be removed should be taped over for safety. Long hair should be tied back, and it is advisable to bring some water or an isotonic drink with you.
What we do
As Nam Pai Chuan is such a broad style of martial art, no two classes will be exactly the same. However, every class is taught using the same principles on which our style is based. A class will always start with a warm up to prepare our bodies for training. These exercises include stretching, both static and dynamic, aerobic and strength exercises. The core part of the class will focus on individual skills, techniques and applications, working individually, in pairs or in groups. Practice is wide ranging and includes traditional forms, prearranged sequences, hard and soft chi gung, chin na locking exercises, pad work, self defence techniques, free sparring and classical weapons.
Precepts and Tenets
- Revere your ancestor
- Respect your guide
- Train with your mind
- Strengthen the will
- Centre your energy
- Focus on reality
- Act with earnestness
- Covet nothing
- Subdue the I
- Behave with fortitude
- Approach with innocence
- Ever hope
- Life is death
- Death is life
- Teach the deserving
- Teach with passion
- Learn always
- Assume nothing
Prices
SESSIONAL FEE
£10.00 per class
MONTHLY FEE
Under 16s: £30.00
Adults: £40.00
Black Belts: £35.00
Monthly fees entitle the student to train at all classes at Hodford Hall during that calendar month, provided the monthly fee is paid at one of the first two classes of that month.
Quarterly, bi-annual and yearly fees are also available. Please contact us for further information.
Membership
Nam Pai Chuan is registered with the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts (BCCMA) and students who wish to continue training with us after 3 classes must apply for membership. This acts as the student's member to member insurance and entitles them to attend and participate at Nam Pai Chuan events and grading examinations, as well as BCCMA events.
The annual membership fees are currently £30.00 for under 16s/students and £35.00 for adults
Clothing
The uniform is designed to be comfortable and practical for training purposes. It consists of a grey tunic with the System badge on the left chest, black trousers and coloured belt.
System t-shirts or sweatshirts may be worn as an alternative during training sessions, or indeede as casual wear outside the training hall. However, full uniform is required for grading examinations.
Rules & Etiquette
Entering, Leaving and Presence in the Kwoon
- When entering the kwoon students must bow towards the photographs of Cho-Si and Sigung, and your Sifu if he is present.
- The door should be closed behind you unless someone else is entering/leaving the kwoon behind you, or the door is fixed open.
- The first students to arrive should sweep the floor of the kwoon and clear away any rubbish that may be left lying around, and the near side of the stage prepared with chairs for any parents or guests. Any mats or tables etc on the stage should be moved to the far side of the stage to discourage people from sitting on that side of the stage.
- When arriving at the kwoon your belongings should be placed neatly on the far side or along the front of the stage, away from the entry of the Kwoon. Parents and guests are to be seated on the near side of the stage.
- On entering the kwoon, any hats or sunglasses shall be removed from the head.
- No food or drink shall be consumed within the kwoon except where Sifu permits a water break.
- The use of mobile phones is not permitted in the kwoon and must be switched off or to silent mode before entering.
- Silence must be observed when sitting and observing the class
- If you need to leave the kwoon during class, e.g. to use the toilet, you should seek Sifu's permission before doing so.
- When seated in the hall you should never have your legs extended, unless, for example, when stretching.
- If you are late for class, you must wait at the front of the class to bow to Sifu and the class to acknowledge the fact that your lateness is disrupting the class. You will be penalised for your lateness, for example, by doing push-ups.
- If you will not be attending class for any reason, out of courtesy you should let Sifu know via Nelly or Ilan so that your absence with apologies can be noted. This is the case for each and every class.
Dress and personal Hygiene
- All students should wear as a minimum: system training pants, a system T-shirt and the appropriate coloured belt. Beginners may wear a plain T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms for the first two months of training, and then system kit should be purchased.
- Full uniform (tunic, pants and belt) must be worn at gradings.
- All uniform should be clean and pressed.
- Hands and feet should be washed before class or gradings.
- Longer length hair should be tied or clipped back.
- All jewellery must be removed or taped down. It is your responsibility to tape jewellery down and the tape in the first aid kit is not there for this purpose. If jewellery is not removed, you will not be permitted to train.
- Finger and toenails should be kept short and tidy.
- If your uniform requires straightening or your belt needs to be re-tied, you must face away from Sifu and all your seniors while tidying uniform or belt.
- Any orders or requests regarding uniform or merchandise should be addressed to Nelly or Ilan, not Jerome.
Membership and Class Fees
- You should keep a note of when your membership is due to expire. You will be sent reminders regarding upcoming membership expiry dates. If your renewal membership form is not submitted two lessons after expiry, you will not be allowed to train. This is for your own and for your fellow strudents' safety.
- Monthly fees may be paid during the first two classes of any calendar month only. Sessional fees are payable thereafter.
Gradings
- All students should attend all gradings where possible, even if not grading, to support their brothers and sisters who are grading.
- Attendance at gradings by all students Blue Belt and above is mandatory and students should be in full uniform in order to assist with the grading.
- Gradings take place in London every March, June, September and December. Students must take some responsibility for their own learning and request assistance from a senior student (not necessarily a black Belt) at least one month before the grading to ensure that they know their syllabus.
- Ilan and Nelly will decide who is permitted to grade. Do NOT approach Sifu or Jerome. As members of the Examining Board, it is not appropriate for them to decide who should grade. Students should also remember that by virtue of training with Sifu Lai, a higher standard is expected of you, so you should not be offended if permission to grade is refused.
NAM PAI CHUAN GRADING SYLLABUS

