This book examines the experiences of long-term practitioners of Chinese martial arts in Britain. From an eclectic theoretical perspective martial arts researcher George Jennings explores two popular styles, Wing Chun Kung Fu and Taijiquan (Tai Chi) through ethnography, life histories and autoethnography, by drawing upon his own life story. He demonstrates that no matter if you are a 'fighter' or a 'thinker', martial arts are never an individual pursuit as there are issues of shared cultivation that bind practitioners' experiences and allow the art to be transmitted to the next 'generation' of practitioners and to contribute to wider society. This book will appeal to martial artists, students and practitioners of sociology, anthropology and social psychology and anyone interested in how people can change through the long-term devotion to a sport or physical culture.

George Jennings PhD is a sociologist of martial arts interested in martial arts and social theory and the qualitative study of martial arts cultures. His previous research has investigated the Chinese styles in Britain and he is now researching prehispanic martal arts in Mexico. George is also interested in traditional, folk and alternative sport.