Martine Niven

Martine possesses more than 20 years of experience in teaching Martial Arts. Disciple to Shifu Yanmin Chen she has dedicated her life to the practices and teachings of Shaolin Kung Fu. Martine’s martial arts experience includes Shaolin Kung Fu, Hard and Soft Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Meditation and Sanda. Her specialities include Traditional Shaolin Forms, Shaolin Mantis, Shaolin Straight Sword, Spear, and Nine-section Chain Whip. She believes passionately in self-development and cultivation, and endeavours to continue developing the skills that are featured in her training videos.

She has competed in many Chinese Martial Arts Competitions in traditional Shaolin forms categories, weapons, and Sanda. She also performs nation-wide in UK Shaolin Temple’s Lion Dance and performance Troupe. Throughout Martine’s martial arts career, she has also trained in China on a full time basis for many years. During her tuition there, Martine has trained in the Shaolin Temple region and learned from a range of Shaolin Masters. Martine’s training was formalised in 2013 during her discipleship ceremony to Shi Yan Ming. As part of the ceremony, she was inducted in to the 35th Generation of Shaolin disciples and took a new Shaolin name: Chen Miaoshan.

Aside from formal martial arts training, Martine is also an experienced practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and runs a successful Chinese Medicine Acupuncture Clinic in the UK. She therefore supplements her training with Chinese medicine theory, and studies in Chan Buddhist philosophy. Drawing on her knowledge from over the many years of training and teaching she will guide you through detailed explanations of movement and practice, focusing on key components and common mistakes. She will express and teach a variety of traditional and creative training methods that she has encountered and developed over the years, incorporating her understanding of internal and external energetics.

She believes that the rewards of Shaolin Kung Fu training are vast and deep, with amazing philosophies and theories to draw on. These will help you to process and develop your training for whatever level you have reached or are at.

If you are a beginner, she advises that you slow down and take time to learn the foundation movements. Be patient and hard working. Know when it is the right time to practice, to listen or to relax. Be balanced, focused and determined. And as you are training together, try to stay in the moment, be open and empty so you are ready to absorb all the key informative and helpful teachings. This way you can learn fast and develop quickly.