Our Team

In any school, and in particular in martial arts schools, nothing makes more difference than the quality, experience and character of the teachers. They are the people who make the school great. We know that a great teacher not only needs to know their Kung Fu, they also have to know how to pass it on to others. They also need a genuine desire to get the best out of their students. We run ongoing teacher training 5 days a week to keep our teachers sharp and motivated because we know that if they are not constantly improving, they are not good enough for our school.

• All of our teachers are long term members of Nam Yang and all teach the same arts – no confusion, no contradictions.
• All lessons are taught in fluent english, meaning we do not use translators. For many of our teachers, english is their first language so they are comfortable with communicating complex concept efficiently.
• Our teachers do not go home on the weekends - they live here! They eat, train, and live together with the students, which is a testimony to the quality of our school and helps provide a good ethos. Meal times are therefore ideal for discussing Kung Fu and asking questions!
• They do not teach for money - they teach because they love Kung Fu and the lifestyle that goes with it.
• We do not have classes of 100 students with one teacher standing up front on a podium demonstrating. We have high teacher to student ratios and we use assistant instructors to make sure that there is usually at least 1 teacher per 10 students, usually more.

We have 5 levels of Instructors

Master Iain Armstrong

Master Iain is the driving force behind the Kung Fu Retreat. He and his wife founded the Retreat in 2007 and he lives and teaches here. He is a Kung Fu philosopher and author with 36 years of living Kung Fu. Trained personally by Grand Master Tan Soh Tin in Singapore, he’s a two-time world champion and veteran of real street battles. Famous for his high-quality Kung Fu teaching, his instructional films and magazine articles, and for his demonstrations of Iron Shirt Chi Kung, Master Iain is a mine of information but retains a very practical, down to earth, and realistic approach. Most people who meet him are struck by his air of calm, patience, and wisdom. Read his full biography here.

Instructor Michael

Meet Michael Worthman, an integral and very much valued member of the Nam Yang family. Michael first came to the Retreat in 2015 as a student and loved what he found here so much that he returned the following year, making a big life change by joining our instructor team. He is very interested in the history of Kung Fu and Nam Yang Pugilistic Association, and is very proud to be a part of such a distinguished tradition. Michael strives to live Kung Fu and incorporate it into all aspects of his life, as well as helping others looking for the same thing. While he currently lives in Guatemala teaching Kung Fu And Qigong (Chi Kung), he often travels between there, the United States, and Thailand, all while helping us at the Retreat.

Instructor Ophir

Ophir found Nam Yang looking for personal recovery, injury management and healing. He found our training and stretching routines aided him in this direction and found more than what he was looking for regarding personal development. Eager to make his life better and aid those around him, he joined our instructor team seeing that it would do just this! Ophir is usually present at Nam Yang 4-6 months a year. He also assists with the Children's Classes.

Instructor Buddhason

Buddhason comes for a Chi Kung background with 20 years experience and has passed a 1 year medical Chi Kung course. He knows a number of different Chi Kung systems and is a qualified teacher of both yoga and meditation, having studied Vajrayana Buddhism under several master lineage holders. He came here to build up his Chi in preparation for performing Chi healing and because he wanted to be part of a community focused on self-development. He chose Nam Yang because we offer chi kung teacher training and have an English speaking master with real/serious credentials: lineage holder, world championships etc. During his time here he has become more and more interested in Kung Fu and is looking forward to gaining a solid, well recognised instructor qualification. He is also one of our Meditation Masters.

Instructor Brad

Brad first came to the Retreat in 2024, but has been training with Nam Yang Pugilistic Association for 26 years. He first started training with Nam Yang through the Nam Yang Kung Fu Club in Epsom, England. He enjoyed his time so much there that he decided to come to the Retreat and become an Instructor. He finds honor in being an Instructor of Nam Yang, to help those who lack self-confidence and raise them up to see their potential. One day, he hopes to attain the title of Master.

Assistant Instructor Prisca

Prisca first came to the Retreat in 2021 looking to further connect the body and mind, and find something that would help her constantly evolve. She enjoyed it so much due to our location, the full time training, and all of the oportunities that we offer that she returned in 2024 to join the instructor team. She wishes to become a great teacher to share her passion for Kung Fu and how it can support and help people in their everyday lives. For her, Kung Fu is a way of life that can bring you happiness and lightness in life. She hopes to open her own school in France in the future. Prisca also has previous experience in martial arts such as the Vietnamese Hong Quyen, Krav maga, Capoeira, some Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu, and has 13 years of Classical Dance experience. She enjoys drawing in her spare time.

Learn more about Prisca's Kung Fu Story:

Trainee Instructor Isa

Isa first came to the Retreat early 2023 searching for a place to work intensively on her mental and physical development. She wanted to find somewhere to chisel out the leadership qualities within herself in order to be more capable of assisting people with difficult mental health issues, and was more than pleased to have found Nam Yang and the community it offers to do so. Isabel also has previous experience in Kyokushin Karate, and it is one of the reasons why she chose Nam Yang. Because of her goals, she returned to become an Instructor later in the year, and we are very pleased to have her with us.

Trainee Instructor Greg

Greg first attended the Retreat in 2023 for 3 weeks as a former Discus athlete and had always been interested in the fitness aspects, strong body structure, and resilient mindset of Kung Fu. After his initial time at the Retreat, he enjoyed it so much that he later returned to become an Instructor to profit from Master Iain’s vast knowledge in Kung Fu and eastern approach to life.

Tea Master Dmitrii

Dmitrii first started training with Nam Yang Russia in 2011, and was able to visit the Retreat in 2023 looking to evolve his mind, body, and soul. As a Philosophy Teacher and previously as a Yoga Instructor, he found great interest in our Instructor training and the arts that we teach here so as to find a way to constantly develop. He enjoys the ability to share his experience to make people more mindful and healthier physically and mentally. While at the Retreat and working through his journey, he is also one of our Tea Masters. He believes that “Tea culture is also an endless process of developing your skills and knowledge. Chadao (The Tao of Tea): It's a way, like Kung Fu. So if you go this Way, it's already an interesting journey". Dmitrii has been practicing yoga since 2007, and Karate since childhood. He speaks English, Russian, Chinese, and German.

Tea Master Johnny

Johnny first came to our retreat in 2011, drawn by a lifelong passion for Chinese culture and martial arts. Since then, he has returned year after year, having discovered Nam Yang as the perfect place to deepen his skills in Chi Kung, meditation, and self-defense while maintaining balance in both mind and body. During his time here, Johnny has also become one of our esteemed Tea Masters, a role he holds with great pride and pleasure, feeling honored to be part of our global family. His expertise in the art of tea-making is both well-honed and highly respected.

What people are saying about our Instructors: