Blue Ridge Kung Fu Arnis Academy

of

Mountain City, TN  

1220 S. Shady Street

Mountain City, TN 37683

Tel: 423.727.4474

Children’s Sil Lum Kung Fu
Tuesdays and Thursdays  7:00pm – 8:00pm
Adult Beginners Sil Lum Kung Fu
Tuesdays and Thursdays  8:00pm – 9:00pm

Master Chris Laing, Master Instructor

MULTI-STYLE MARTIAL ARTIST

       Master Chris Laing began training in 1988 at the age of fourteen.  Chris began teaching on his own during his senior year of high school.  Chris started teaching at Valle Crucis elementary for the after school program.  The next year he added Mabel Elementary.  Chris continued to teach at these schools while going to Caldwell Community College where he received an Applied Associate of Science Degree in Biomedical Electronic Technology.  After teaching at the elementary schools for over three years, Chris opened his first school at Damascus, Virginia.  He has taught in Damascus for over ten years.  In November of 1996, Chris acquired the Kung-Fu academy in Mountain City, Tennessee.  Chris has been training for over nineteen years and is the highest ranked student of Grandmaster Rick Ward.  Chris is also an inheritor and apprentice of  Grandmaster David E. Kash.  In 1998, Chris began teaching Tai Chi at Virginia Highlands Community College in Abingdon, Virginia and at Ashe Memorial Hospital Wellness Center in West Jefferson, North Carolina.  He also opened Blue Ridge Kung-Fu Arnis Academy of West Jefferson.  Chris is the Vice-President of the International Kung-Fu Arnis Association (I.K.A.A.) and the I.K.A.A. Weapons Society.
In 2004, Chris was ranked to 7th Degree Black belt in the art of Comjuka-Kali, appointed Tennessee and Virginia State Director for the United States Kali Association (USKA), and became a Licensed Police Self Defense Instructor of the USKA-Inc. Law Enforcement Self Defense Tactics Division.  Chris also founded the Traditional Chinese Filipino Martial Arts Association. Another big event in 2004 was the move of the Damascus Academy to Abingdon, Virginia.  Some of the awards Laing has received are induction into the Filipino Martial Arts Hall Of Fame in 1998 and 2006, became member of  “Who’s Who” of Martial Arts, and received Honorary Top 100 Martial Artist of the World Award by the International Martial Arts Federation.

TRAINING HISTORY

1988    Began training in Sil-Lum Kung-Fu, Weapons, and Chin-na under
               Grandmaster Rick Ward.

1990    Began private lessons and became Closed Door student of Grandmaster
               Rick Ward.
       Begin studying Modern Arnis.

1991    Promoted to Black Belt (Sash) in Sil-Lum Kung-Fu.
       Began teaching Sil-Lum Kung-Fu in after school program at Valle Crucis
               Elementary.
       Began studying Outdoor Survival.

1992    Began teaching Sil-Lum Kung-Fu in after school program at Mabel
               Elementary.

1993    Opened Blue Ridge Kung-Fu Arnis Academy of Damascus, Virginia.
       Became Committee Member of the International Kung-Fu Arnis Association
               (I.K.A.A.)  I.K.A.A. is recognized by Grandmaster Remy Presas and the
               International Modern Arnis Federation and Master Allan Woods and the
               A.K.F. enterprise, and Grandmaster Dermon Hodge and the World
               Moosul Kwan Federation.  I.K.A.A. is the governing body for Kung-Fu
               Arnis in the WMKF.
       Appointed VA. State Representative for I.K.A.A.
       Began studying Tai Chi Chuan.

1995    Introduced to Dr. David E. Kash (Wei Jung Dao), 10th degree Grandmaster,
               Chief Advisor of the World Cloud Forest Martial Arts Association.
       Attended Dr. David E. Kash 5 Element Study Seminar and received Top
               Student Award.
       Promoted to Black Belt in Modern Arnis.
       Awarded Outstanding Martial Arts Award by the Cloud Forest World Chinese
               Martial Arts Association.

1996    Became member of Tzu Jan Chuan Pai Natural Combat Systems,
               3rd degree Apprentice.
       Conferring of Chinese name Wei Chung Hsin, of the Wei family by
               Grandmaster David Kash
       Appointed as an International Committee Member of the Society Of The
               Natural Fist.
       Took over ownership and operation of Blue Ridge Kung-Fu Arnis Academy
               of Mountain City, TN and became the TN State Representative of the
               International Kung-Fu Arnis Association.
       Appointed VA and TN State Representative for the International Modern Anis
               Federation (I.M.A.F.)
       Attended the First Open Wei Family Natural Fist Seminar, USA as Assistant
               Instructor and received Excellent Hsing Yi Chuan Award.
       Awarded the title Sifu by the Cloud Forest World Chinese Martial Arts
               Association.
       Authorized to become an Independent Branch School President of the Cloud
               Forest Association (CFA).
       Certified to teach Tai Chi Chuan.
       Began studying Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Acupressure, and
               Acupuncture under Dr. David Kash.
       Appointed the rank 1st Deng Black Sash, with the title Ting Shih in Shaolin
               Temple Iron Palm, five element style.

1997    Promoted to 4th Degree Black Belt (Sash), Master Rank in Sil-Lum Kung-Fu.
       Member of American Chinese Chi Kung Acupressure Association.
       Ranked to Certified Chi-Kung instructor.
       Became member of Branch No. 14 Headquarters School of the Overseas Chinese
               National Martial Arts Association Founded in 1919 by Grandmaster
Wong Ark Yuey.
               Promoted to 3rd Deng in Shaolin Temple Iron Palm Five Element Style.
               Awarded the title of Chuan Lu by the Cloud Forest World Chinese Martial
                       Arts Association.
               Became member of the Ark Wong Memorial Society.
               Became member of the Ku Yu Cheong Iron Palm Memorial Society.

1998            Received Honorary Top 100 Martial Artist of the World Award by the
                       International Martial Arts Federation.
               Became member of the Cloud Forest Chin Woo Association.
               Began teaching Tai Chi at Virginia Highlands Community College,
                       Abingdon, Virginia.
               Began teaching Tai Chi at Ashe Memorial Hospital Wellness Center,
                       West Jefferson, North Carolina.
               Opened Blue Ridge Kung-Fu Arnis Academy of West Jefferson,
                       West Jefferson, North Carolina.
       Selected for Filipino Martial Arts Hall Of Fame.
       Selected as Member of “Who’s Who” of Martial Arts.
       Received ranked of 5th Degree Black Belt (Sash) Shaolin Long Fist
       Promoted to 4th Degree Black Belt (Sash) in Sasamba

2001    Promoted to 6th Degree Black Belt (Sash) in Sil-Lum Kung-Fu.

2002    Received rank of 6th Degree Black Belt in Comjuka-Kali.

2003    Promoted to Punong Guru (Head Instructor) of the Sasamba System.

2004    Promoted to 7th Degree Black Belt in Comjuka-Kali.
       Appointed TN and VA State Director of the United States Kali Association.
       Certified as a Licensed Police Self Defense Instructor of the USKA-Inc.
               Law Enforcement Self Defense Tactics Division.
       Founded the Traditional Chinese Filipino Martial Arts Association.
       Move the Damascus, VA Academy to Abingdon, Virginia.

2005    Selected for Filipino Martial Arts Hall of Fame (Weapons Expert)
       Recertified as a Licensed Police Self Defense Instructor of the USKA-Inc.
               Law Enforcement Self Defense Tactics Division.

2006    Recertified as a Licensed Police Self Defense Instructor of the USKA-Inc.
               Law Enforcement Self Defense Tactics Division.

2007    Nominated to the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame
       Recertified as a Licensed Police Self Defense Instructor of the USKA-Inc.
               Law Enforcement Self Defense Tactics Division.

2008    Recertified as a Licensed Police Self Defense Instructor of the USKA-Inc.
               Law Enforcement Self Defense Tactics Division.