Accomplished kung fu instructor Mark Hobbs has been training in martial arts since the age of six.

Now the 28-year-old is to bring his extensive martial arts experience to Croydon with the opening of the latest branch of the United Kingdom's Wing Chung Kung Fu Academy.

"I've been training and teaching martial arts all my life, I've never had to get another job," says Mark. "When I was about 16 I was training around eight to 10 hours a day."

Mark has been taught techniques few Westerners ever learn during trips to China and the Far East.

It was while he was travelling in the Far East that Mark met, and was taught by, Master Lun Gai, one of the few students of Grandmaster Yip Man who trained the film legend Bruce Lee.

"Learning Chinese kung fu is very different from Japanese martial arts," says Mark. "Japanese martial arts is based much more on the military format.

"In China martial arts are taught within the family. So when you are taught by someone you become part of their family. I still visit my instructor in China."

Mark is one of the few Westerners to have learnt the vu gai tai cuc pai fighting technique, which is generally taught behind closed doors.

"During the cultural revolution in China the Government viewed martial artists as a threat," explains Mark.

"Many fled to places like America and Vietnam. In fact one of my Chinese tutors trained in secret for many years. Now it's much more in the open.

"But you find that some systems, like vu gai tai cuc pai, are still taught behind closed doors and Westerners generally don't learn all the secrets.

"I managed to get permission to learn it because my instructor realised I was quite accomplished.

"Although many Chinese tutors will hold back some of their secrets, when I teach I don't hold back."

Mark has taught members of the Australian SAS and devised a close quarter fighting system for the soldiers.

"Sometimes soldiers might be protecting a diplomat, find themselves in a hostage situation or are faced with a crowd they can't fire upon. So I helped devise techniques that didn't require any weapons."

But even without weapons the soldiers were able to deal with dangerous situations.

"The methods I taught were still lethal. It enabled the soldiers to deal with a situation without having to fire a gun. But it was still a lethal system."

Mark finds the best thing about teaching is that the pressure to do his best for his students ultimately improves his own fighting style.

"When you train alone there's not the pressure to improve. When you teach other people you want to do the best by them which means you are always looking at ways to improve your system. You can always learn from other people.

"The thing about kung fu which is different from joining the gym is that you get the opportunity to get fit, but also to learn something new.

"Most people find their confidence improves, not just because they are able to deal with possibly violent situations, but because they are learning in a environment where they train with other people."

Mark will be holding one hour lessons from 7.30pm every Wednesday from April 28 at Bedford Hall in Wellesley Road, Croydon.

For more information visit www.kungfu-academy.com or call 07793 134223.