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Martial Arts Biography
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Stefan
H. Verstappen is a writer, world traveler, and martial artist.
He
has worked as a street youth worker, a wilderness out-tripper, and a
first aid instructor for St John's ambulance while studying martial
arts.
Stefan
first studied Tae Kwon Do but after two years changed styles to
study the grandfather of martial arts, Kung Fu.
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He attended both the I-Chun Mun and Hong Luck Kung Fu
clubs in Toronto's Old Chinatown. It was through his fellow Chinese
students and the time spend in Chinatown that Stefan became interested
in Chinese culture.
 - Verstappen, posing with Butterfly Knives at Master Chan's,
Hong Kong 1985
 - Verstappen learning the staff from master Tsai Jen Ryu,
Taipei, 1989
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In 1985, Verstappen traveled to Hong Kong to study under renowned
grandmaster Chan Hon Chung (1909-91). Master Chan was
one of the last of the great Hung Gar Masters that had trained at Lam Sai Wing's famous Kung Fu Academy in
Hong Hong's old Wan Chai district. Lam Sai Wing was in turn the pupil
of China's most famous Kung Fu Hero, Wong Fei Hong, the subject of over one
hundred Chinese movies and television shows.
- Master Chan, 1986
In '87 Verstappen moved to Taipei and studied the 18 Lohan style under Tsai Jen Ryu. Master Tsai was the former
team captain of the Taiwan Kuo Shou Demonstration team and is famous
for his Chi Kung and weapon's routines.
Stefan
has also traveled to Korea, Mainland China, and Thailand where he met a
Karen Shaman in the Golden Triangle which he chronicled in his article;
The Shamanic Origins of Tai Chi
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Upon returning to Canada, Stefan began teaching Kung Fu
at the Bolton Community Center where one of his first students was a
blind woman. This experience led him to write Blind Zen, the first book ever written on
teaching the blind martial arts and self defense.
Verstappen continues to teach martial arts and is a
regular contributor to Black Belt and Inside Kung Fu
magazines.
Verstappen published his first book, The Thirty-Six
Strategies of Ancient China in '99.
Watch videos of Stefan's Kung Fu teachers filmed in
China here: Videos
 Teaching Experience
97-2000 Head Instructor, PenDragon School of the Martial
Arts
92-97 Head Instructor, Samurai Club
91-92 Kung Fu Instructor, Phoenix Martial Arts
Training History
92-94 Tai Chi, Master James Chen , Toronto
91-94 Combat Jujitsu, Sensei Moni Aizik, Samurai Club, Toronto
88-91 18 Lohan, Master Tsai Jen Ryu, Taipei
87-88 Hung Gar, Master Chan Hon Chung, Hong Kong
83-84, Do Pai, Hong Luck Kung Fu,
Chinatown, Toronto
82-85, Hung Gar, I-Chuan Mun Kung Fu School, Chinatown, Toronto
80-82 Tae Kwon Do, Cheung’s Tae Kwon Do Academy, Toronto
You can e-mail Stefan with questions and
comments to
sverstappen@yahoo.com
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