Chi Wai Martial Arts & Fitness Centre

General information

My name is Master Sifu Lee Kent and I run the Chi Wai Martial Arts & Fitness Centre in Cheltenham.
I began my training back in 1984 when I starting my self defence journey in Boxing due to constant bullying that I was suffering in and around school. Bullying I know firsthand is a saddening, self esteem crushing experience. It made me doubt myself, my self confidence dropped and I began to draw within myself. The boxing training helped me to find myself again, learning that I do matter and I can succeed in my goals. We were expected to enter the ring so without any choice I went in. Nervous would be an understatement. Terrified would be more of an accurate description. I wish I could say I won the bout and everything was fixed, but it wasn’t that simple. I didn’t win but my confidence grew, just that little bit each time. After a time in boxing and a total of 16 or so bouts I found myself much more confident and outgoing but not 100%.
Then in January 1987 I was watching a movie on the TV... Enter the Dragon staring the legendary Bruce Lee. This captured my imagination and I quickly began to look for a Martial Arts School.
I came across a local school teaching Martial Arts and joined. Back then the schools mainly consisted of young, fit guys with the odd female and older person training along side. This was a little daunting but I managed to find the courage to join in. After a short period of time I began to relax and enjoy the training. I was lucky and managed to find a welcoming club and this helped me relax quickly and progress with my training.
I have continued with my Martial Arts training ever since. I found myself leaning towards the self defence element of Martial Arts instead of the sports side. I found it suited me and the direction I wished my training to go in. Being able to defend myself in today’s violent society, having the self respect to keep working hard and trying my best are values learned through Martial Arts and are what is instilled in my students today.
Now I have been training in Martial Arts for 3 decades and have been developing my own system over the past 20 years known as Chi Wai Kung Fu (Self Defence Combative Skills). Training has been hard work with lots of ups and downs but the life skills, self defence skills and friendships I have made during this time has more than made the journey worth it.
This ever developing system is designed for anyone in mind. I have a strong belief that everyone should be able to defend themselves, and not required to be young, fit or strong. Students of our Academy are there to learn how to improve and make them the best version of themselves that they can be.
This is the ethos of Chi Wai Kung Fu. Anyone and everyone are welcome. We teach students from the age of 4 years in our Tiny Tigers classes and we do not have an upper limit age. My oldest student being over 70 years young ( So it’s NEVER too late to learn a new skill )
For the past 20 years my wife Lisa and I have been growing and developing Chi Wai Kung Fu into
the Academy it is today. We are lucky enough it be running our own full time Martial Arts &
Fitness Academy here on Kingsville Road, Kingsditch Trading Est’ in Cheltenham.
Our family orientated academy
welcomes all students of any age, fitness level or ability.
Come along and have a go!