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Sifu Mak Miah
Founder and Chief Instructor
Sifu Mak Started his training in Steelwire Mantis Kung Fu in 1990 with Sifu Mike Olrod at the Temple School of Kung Fu. He went onto train under Sifu Mike Olrod for the next 6 years. Among the other styles Mak has studied are Shotokan Karate, Taekwondo, Muay Tai, Kickboxing and Pak Mei KungFu. Although he still regards himself a student in the vast Praying Mantis System, he has over 17 years teaching experience, over 22 years experience in Martial Arts and is first generation student of Sifu Mike Olrod. Mak’s style of teaching is friendly but firm. He believes in a friendly relaxed atmosphere in class while keeping it formal and disciplined. His teaching does include traditional methods and philosophies but he favours the practical and external physical aspects of training of the Praying Mantis System.
Rik Mcnicoll
Instructor
The world of WTF Taekwondo first enticed Rik in to the serious martial arts arena, studying under 6th Dan Master Jimmy Edwards and 3rd Dan Lup Yee Yau, Rik soon got the appetite for the vast array of kicking techniques that Taekwondo presented. Holding a Brown belt he is determined to train again and earn his black tabs and ultimately his black belt.
Moving from Norwich to London meant Rik needed to find another good club… after months of searching he settled at the Orpington School of Martial Arts and he hasn’t looked back since. The different style that Kung-fu offers has given him a much wider range of techniques to practice, particularly in the hand strike and blocking area which is perhaps where Taekwondo is less focused. The hard working atmosphere and challenging techniques keep him working hard and striving to improve, gaining power and speed through practice practice and more practice!
Andrew (Barehand Healer) Ogleby
Resident Healer & First Aid
My first introduction to the fighting arts was when growing up on the ‘mean streets’ of Coventry back in the 1980’s, with Ghost Town by The Specials being very poignant of the times. As a result, a few of us began Boxing to learn how to fight properly. However, we never really fitted in at the club, and so due to another musical influence The Stranglers, whose bassist J. J Burnel is a martial artist, and knowing someone who had previously trained, we took up Wado Ryu Karate. For which I went on to gain a 1st Kyu Brown Belt in.
After moving to London in 1995 I tried my hand at different forms of martial arts, but became captivated by the power and philosophy of Steelwire Mantis Kung Fu and so began training with Tony Leung at his school in Islington. However, as I was also studying for my degree at the time I was unable to commit fully. Although after finishing, ironically, I contacted Mak, but it wouldn’t be until sometime later that I would actually begin training with him.
Nevertheless, during this period, I not only continued training in Mantis Kung Fu and Boxing, but also experienced softer forms of martial arts and became fascinated by the concept of Chi (our vital life force). As a result, I went on to train in acupuncture (five element), Reiki, Japanese herbs (Kampo) and am now involved full-time as a complementary therapist.
In 2008, after moving to South London, I finally began training at The Kung Fu School. This was fabulous for me as Mak not only covers Praying Mantis techniques, but there is also sparring and competition fighting which I hadn’t done since my Karate days. So it was great to dust off the old mitts and guards once again. Even though the training is hard and I’ve never been able to master the mantis press-up, it is always varied, interesting and above all kept real and fun, carried out in a very friendly atmosphere.
To find out more about acupuncture visit www.healthinharmonyacupuncture.co.uk
Sid Datta
Instructor
Sid first started training in martial arts in 1990 when he started Tae Kwon Do. He continued with this for a year and a half, until he found himself progressing very slowly. In 1994 Sid discovered Steelwire Mantis and studied with Si-Hing Mak under Sifu Mike Olrod. When Mike’s class disbanded, Mak carried on teaching the style and Sid was able to continue his training. When Sid started at university and moved away from the Orpington area, Sid briefly tried some different martial arts, including Wing Chun, Wu Shu Kwan, and Pak Mei. Nothing he experienced was comparable to the old Mantis class.
“The training we received at the Mantis class was physically and mentally far more intense than anything I have seen, which is why I still return to Orpington once a week for Mak’s class” says Sid
Sid’s philosophy regarding martial arts is to train as hard as possible. Improvement only comes with constant training, and he knows he himself has a long, long way to go. People train martial arts for different reasons. Sid trains because he enjoys the training. Sid’s goal within martial arts is not to achieve anything, but to continue to learn and to train. 
Tom Aylwin
Instructor
Tom started doing martial arts with Sid when he was 14 – joining a Taekwondo club. He continued to do this for about a year – developing reasonable kicks – and then it fell by the wayside. When Tom was 16, he decided to take up training again and found the Steelwire mantis class where Mak had already been training for four years. It immediately struck Tom as a world apart from Taekwondo with a well established class of real fighters, training very hard. The system also stuck him as a good one – more than just a sport, it was a proper, hard, Chinese martial art that went deep – every technique changing and refining the more you trained it – there was always more to learn. Even after 12 years, Tom has hardly scratched the surface. The health benefits are real as well. Tom is not an expert in the understanding of “Chi” but he believes that training has helped him stay healthy – in the same way as Yoga and Tai-Chi. Sid joined in training a few years later and can vouch for how hard we used to train. The class stopped after a few years due to club politics, and Mak started his own class of junior students. Tom helped with the teaching especially when he was away at university and also continued his own training. Along side this, and since, Tom has trained in other martial arts – classical as well as modern mixtures, including Wing-Chun, Pak-Mei, Muay-Tai, and more modern Kung-Fu systems. Tom has been training with the Orpington School of Martial Arts for 8 years now and continues to do so because of the valuable training Mak offers – a well rounded system with good arm work.
Tom says “My advice to any student is to train hard and absorb all the knowledge that you can – from any source – watch professional boxers, do other styles and remember what you are training the techniques for – to apply them in real life”
Alan Goldwater
Assistant Instructor
Alan started martial arts training at the age of 8 doing Karate at SKF Karate. He remained there for the next 5 years, after reaching his brown/white belt. He then decided to try different styles of martial arts, but found other clubs were not helping him reach his potential. A friend introduced him to The Kung Fu School, to which he tried and found he very much enjoyed the class and friendly atmosphere.
Alan says about the school “I have been training at The Kung Fu School for approximately 8 years now and still enjoy going, and feel that I am surpassing my previous expectations. The lessons can be high paced but thanks to the instructors no one is left struggling as the ethos is we are all there to help each other. I would highly recommend the classes the classes to anyone who is willing to give the school a try”
Alan has represented the school at many Martial Arts tournaments around the country has won many 1st place positions. Over the years Alan has become one of Sifu Mak’s most trusted, loyal and competent students and has recently been awarded Assistant instructor status for his dedication, loyalty and continued improvement and excellence in Kung Fu.