Foreign practitioners perform white crane kung fu at the Global White Crane Kung Fu Gala in Yongchun, Fujian province on Nov 8. [Photo by Hu Meidong/chinadaily.com.cn]

He said my mentor's master, who was also from London, learnt the arts in Singapore and then imparted the technique all the way to him. "You may find some minor differences between my style and the one in Yongchun which is the cradle of the martial art. Learning the art far away from its birthplace, my mater's master adapted the art form a little bit based on his own personality and preference," he said. He finds the White Crane Kung Fu is a flexible art form, allows adaption and wiggle room.

"There's no fixed pattern of performance. And we can't say the adapted style strays from the traditional pattern. It's not a matter of right or wrong in the martial art."

He added that this martial art not only makes his body stronger and muscular but benefits him emotionally and psychologically. "You need to always challenge yourself so that you can advance to a new higher level."

At the backstage of the gala, a young man from Chile but now working and living in Singapore was flexing his muscles in preparation for a performance on stage. Anibal, 29, was an engineer whose job involved a lot of computer tasks in the office. "I really appreciate the health merits that the White Crane Kung Fu yields. For people like me whose jobs are constantly sedentary, practicing the martial art is a rewarding attempt. I realize I'm not as susceptible to illness as before," said Anibal. Although he can't come to Yongchun frequently for systematic training as he has a full time job, he would come here once a year for a short term course while practicing back home on daily basis.

What he cherished most was the friendship forged with "a lot of wonderful local people" when he spent time in Yongchun with his fellow trainees.

Training routines are strict and painstaking, said Kang Jinyi, the president of the Zhong Xiang White Crane Kung Fu Research Institute.

"This martial art places great emphasis on coordination of head, body and feet. Your whole torso should be always straightened up. The rigid discipline manifests the famous Chinese saying 'stand like a pine tree and sit like a bell'," said Kang.