World Taji Boxing Association Instructors Of The Old Yang Style
Certificated by Erle Montaigue.
Nasser Butt is a Senior Instructor and the North England Representative for the World Taiji Boxing Association and has been studying Chinese martial arts for over 20 years.
He initially trained in Wing Chun for several years before moving onto what is now his main area of study - The Erle Montaigue System Of Fighting & Healing, comprising of Taijiquan, Baguazhang, Wudangquan and Qigong. Nasser started his study of the internal arts, particularly the 'Old' Yang Style of Taijiquan and Baguazhang, almost 15 years ago.
"I was lucky to find a good instructor who introduced me to the neijia and the work of Erle Montaigue", he says, "I was totally mesmerized and hooked from day one. Up until then, like most people, I had considered Taijiquan as a health exercise for the elderly or for those who weren't interested in learning a 'real' martial art and not a brutal fighting system!
How wrong was I to be - watching instructional videos of this 'crazy, wild haired' Australian Master, who was as brutally honest with his opinions on the fighting arts as his fists! Yet, as I was to discover later, also a gentle, kind spirited man, with a deep passion for these eclectic arts!”
In 1999, Nasser attended his first workshop, in Folkestone, to finally meet and train under Erle, himself, during the European leg of his tour. The pattern of attending these yearly workshops, while practicing under Erle's UK representatives, was to continue over the next few years until Erle finally left Australia and moved to Wales at the end of 2003.
From then onwards, Nasser studied regularly under the watchful gaze of Erle on an almost monthly basis until Erle’s untimely death at the beginning of 2011, continuing to improve his Taijiquan and Baguazhang, as well as improving his fighting skills and rising to the rank of a senior instructor. He is currently regarded as the ‘most highly trained instructor in the UK’ for The Erle Montaigue System.
"Erle had been a father figure for almost a decade, constantly advising and encouraging all of us, who studied his system, whilst still allowing us the independence to 'work' things out for ourselves," he keenly adds, "but more then that he was a mate, readily available whenever needed."
He has been teaching Taijiquan as a fighting system, alongside his training partner and fellow WTBA instructor Elliot Morris, in and around Leicestershire, for over 10 years and is deeply passionate about people 'rediscovering' the real nature of this wonderful art.
In 2006, Nasser left his day job and began teaching on a full-time basis. He has taught people as young as 6 to 100 years old and has held several workshops for carers groups within the local community and for Leicestershire County and City councils on a regular basis.
In 2010, after several years of hiring of halls - Nasser finally decided to set up a purpose built school dedicated to the WTBA and The Erle Montaigue System. Located near Aylestone Locks, just off the Narborough Road in Leicester, Fa-jing Ch’uan Internal Chinese Boxing School was formerly opened in October 2010, with the help of many friends and students.
Nasser is, also, teaching at several other locations, including De Montfort University, Leicester; The Peepul Centre, Leicester; and Age concern to mention a few. In the past, he has, also, taught at Leicester University's Green House for nearly 2 years, Greens Health & Fitness and Burleigh Sports College Loughborough, on their adult education program. He has also taught in several local schools, introducing the concepts of Taijiquan and Baguazhang's training methods as an alternative way to exercise.
In his spare time, Nasser is also the editor and publisher of the prestigious Combat & Healing magazine - dedicated to the internal martial arts. Originally edited by Erle Montaigue, himself, for almost two decades, before he handed over the reigns to Nasser in 2009.
Nasser continues his training with Eli Montaigue - Erle’s son and now the head of the World Taiji Boxing Association and it’s Chief Instructor. Eli holds regular monthly classes at the WTBA School in Leicester.
Elliot Morris/ Jerry Walker