Our Teenager classes empower the students to be Confident & Capable in Life
We want our teenagers to "Find Their Identity" as they move towards adulthood. We guide them on their journey teaching them skills and strategies that will allow them to walk through life with an underlying confidence in themselves and their abilities. It is not about "learning to fight" but more about developing the qualities that they need to make them happy and successful.
We develop their Leadership and Communication skills whilst promoting personal strengths such as Tenacity, Resilience and Mental Agility. All this is underpinned by our core values: Respect, Integrity and Humility.
They will be strong and powerful individuals as well as learn to defend themselves Physically, Mentally and Emotionally.
Why Study this style of Kung Fu?
The Kung Fu classes at Inner Depth are specifically for 11 – 18 year olds no matter their gender or ability, and provide a whole new level of learning experiences for individuals.
They are founded in the ancient Lee Family style of Feng Shou (Hand of the Wind) which is about fast and dynamic application of techniques through soft contact and the use of “angles” to go around the force, not against it. As such, it achieves very powerful results.
The Chinese would say "use a feather to move 1,000 pounds" — muscles and strength are defeated by technique and angles.
We prefer to be the "fast, explosive, whip" rather than the "slower, more destructive, staff". We avoid the use of excessive force and search for control of our opponents. Our way is to defend ourselves and not to damage the attacker unnecessarily.
"Have you ever tried getting a child into a car seat if they don't want to go? This example of inner strength is far more than normal muscular strength. We all have it and the Chinese call it Chi or Qi."
—Steve, Master Trainer
Further Values for Our Teens
01
Tenacity
To always 'show up'
02
Leadership
To teach by example
03
Expression
To be clear & articulate
Read What The "Kung Fu Teens" Have To Say
Knowing self-defence has helped me deal with the world better
I have been doing Kung Fu since I was 3 years old and so it has always been in my life. It is only now that I see the confidence and awareness that it has given me.
Just learning basic self-defence helps develop your self-confidence, self-esteem and self-awareness. Knowing how to use your own body, mind and voice, and being aware of the world around you, makes living so much easier.
It is about being aware of what your capable of, no matter what your size, age and gender. For me, I have always loved that anyone coming into the classes feels welcome and safe.
Mackenzie Alexander:
Age 21
I have found secondary school easier than I thought
When I first went to secondary school, I was really worried about bullying and teasing from the older boys. I have just finished there and that has not happened.
My Kung Fu always taught me to be aware of situations that could be a problem. Any time I saw something that I thought might be troublesome, I was able to change direction or join in with other things until the problem moved away. It was not hiding, it was being sensible. As our teacher always tells us “just because you are sensible doesn’t mean everyone is”.
Another thing that really helped was our Codeword that is given out in the Kung Fu classes to all teenagers. Using that word means that any of the Kung Fu students will be there to help you whether it is a physical problem or, sometimes, you just need a bit of emotional help. It is great to know you can call on older ones to help you when you need it the most.
Luke:
Age 16
It is like the boys at school give me more respect
Going to secondary school is always a bit worrying particularly when some of the girls can be so nasty. I have always had a lot of confidence and self-belief because I have trained with the Kung Fu Dragons up into the teenager classes. Even so, some of the things that are said or shouted at you can be hurtful.
In one incident, it all changed. I had to use a lock to put a boy on the ground so they wouldn’t punch me again. Punch me! I could have put them in hospital with one kick!! But my powerful technique worked and, although I didn’t hurt him, I caused enough pain to stop him wanting to try to hurt me. After that people were very wary of what I could do and never really bothered me again. In fact, they would move aside when I walked down the corridors.
It doesn’t mean that the girls weren’t still nasty sometimes but I was always given a lot more respect even from the boys.
Sarah:
Age 15
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are new to Inner Depth, you will have questions. The ones we hear from prospective parents looking to bring their child for the first time are listed below with appropriate answers.
We have a few different classes for "Teens Kung Fu" so if you’d like to come along, do contact us using the "Try a Class for FREE" form and we can check availability and answer any other questions you may have. See you in class soon!
When are the classes?
We have various classes for different ages / abilities. Please contact us first to discuss the right class for you / your child, and to check availability.
Can I just turn up for my FREE session?
Before you can attend your FREE session, please contact us by filling in the “Try a Class for FREE” form. What have you got to lose? Come and see what our classes are all about
What do I need to bring with me?
Clothing-wise — please make sure you are comfortable. We suggest a t-shirt, joggers and trainers to start with. And don’t forget to bring a drinks / water bottle so you stay hydrated.
How much does it cost?
When you first start, you can pay weekly, which is £7.00 per class, until you decide you are committed to carrying on. When you decide you want to keep coming and you pay half-termly, classes reduce to £6.50 per class. We also offer further discounts for siblings, so why not get the whole family involved?
My teen has no prior experience. Is that OK?
Yes. We have a class specially designed for Teen beginners, and you are welcome to join at any time, providing the class is not full. We have ALL been beginners at some point, so please don’t feel nervous or anxious. We are here to help YOU.
My teen is being bullied. Can you help?
Yes. We can help in a variety of ways. We teach them how to become more aware of situations, to recognize where there might be potential problems, almost like doing a risk assessment in your head to help them to make the correct choices and be strong in themselves. All of our Teens have a secret code word that they can use at school. So, if they have any kind of problems, or maybe are just feeling sad or overwhelmed, they can say this code word to any of our students, and that student will drop everything to make sure they are OK. ALL of our Teen students understand that it is their responsibility to make sure that their fellow students are safe. We are a “family”, and we look after each other. We teach them to develop self-belief and self-confidence, and help them to “use their voice” which empowers them with communication and leadership skills. And of course, on top of this, they learn self-defence techniques for lots of different scenarios, so they can look after themselves.
What are Workshops & when are they?
We hold various workshops throughout the year, usually on either a Saturday afternoon or Sundays. These are a great opportunity to work with students and teachers from other classes and we are able to cover far more syllabus work as we are normally restricted to only an hours class. The workshops are normally 4 hours and you won’t believe how much we can cover in an afternoon.
I have more questions. Can I call you?
Yes of course. We are always happy to answer any questions you may have. Our contact number is 01803 431 847. You can also email us using the email address: findme@inner-depth.com
Turn Up, Join In, Have Fun!
We want your teenager to experience just how different our classes are compared to a typical martial arts class. If you happen to live locally to Totnes, South Devon you are in luck! Click the button below to find out how to claim your FREE lesson.
From The Blog
Inspiring articles drawing on over 3,000 years of ancient knowledge combined with our own experience of teaching kids these principles for over 18 years.
Are we Really Investing in our Children?
Being raised in the "outback" of Australia gave me the freedom to explore open bush land, invade banana plantations, climb the massive Jarrah eucalyptus trees, catch freshwater lobster and electric eels, fish, explore vast beaches, and go to school with the aborigines — over 1,000 kids and only my brother and I were the "white fellas"!
Life Skills — but not as we know them!
Stunning! Amazing!! Fantastic!!! These were accurate words to describe a local Dance show. There were over 200 young performers and I delighted in the obvious pride of the Principal of the school having seen the results of her efforts. I know I feel it when I see my Kung Fu Teens do the same. They are so skilful with such noticeable progression from the very young through to the confident teenagers and it is a real honour to be part of that development process.
Stop Thinking All Martial Arts are the Same
There is much confusion about the martial arts which has been fuelled by the media portrayal of them as a spectacular way to hurt people. The perception is that they are of a singular type and solely about fighting. This is not so and, as is the case in the world of dance, the methods by which you achieve the necessary skills is different. You don't take ballet classes to learn how to tap dance.