Music career, martial arts career of martial artist Thanh Tam

Multi-talented teacher

Born and raised in Ngu Hung commune (Thanh Mien), in 2001, Nguyen Thanh Tam (born in 1980) studied at Hai Duong High School of Culture and Arts (now Hai Duong College of Culture, Arts and Tourism), majoring in musical instruments.

In 2006, he became a music teacher at An Duc Primary School (Ninh Giang). He has achieved many outstanding achievements in teaching such as winning first prize in the district-level excellent teacher competition in 2013 and many high awards for the art movement of the provincial education sector.

Teaching music to students for nearly 10 years, in 2015, Mr. Tam began giving students traditional martial arts exercises of Nhat Nam sect to practice.

“Unlike the familiar music subject, I was quite worried about the first martial arts lesson, partly because the children were not used to it, and partly because it was the first time teaching martial arts so I was still confused. Fortunately, the school's Board of Directors encouraged me, and seeing the children excited and quick to learn, I was even more determined to teach well to help them learn the traditional martial arts of the nation,” Mr. Tam recalled.

In order to best impart this martial art, Mr. Tam has researched and studied traditional martial arts training methods for primary school students. By 2018, the Traditional Martial Arts Club of An Duc Primary School was established with 80 martial arts students from grades 3, 4, and 5, studying extracurricular activities one session per week.

Mr. Tam told about his fate in martial arts. In 1993, when he was a 7th grader, he accidentally met and was taught by Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hung, a student of martial arts master Ngo Manh Hung, head of Nhat Nam Hai Duong sect.

At that time, Mr. Tam learned and knew that Nhat Nam is a traditional martial art, formed in the Thanh Hoa - Nghe An region, converging many quintessence of traditional Vietnamese martial arts. After being taught, Mr. Tam passed on these martial arts to his own students. "The students are very excited to participate in this martial art. Maintaining practice helps students improve their health and cultivate ethics, discipline, and agility in studying as well as in daily life," said Mr. Tam.

Multi-talented in both music and martial arts, Mr. Tam is loved by his students and colleagues. With his achievements in training martial arts students in the club, in 2024, Mr. Tam was awarded the title of martial arts master. Mr. Tam shared that music is a profession but martial arts is a career, traditional martial arts is a part of life. Combining these two forms helps himself and his students to be healthy both physically and mentally.

Student favorite

Over the years, the Traditional Martial Arts Club of An Duc Primary School has trained many students to become excellent martial artists, winning many high prizes in and outside the province, becoming a bright spot in the traditional martial arts movement in schools of Ninh Giang district in particular, Hai Duong in general.

Currently, 369 students of An Duc Primary School have been introduced to traditional martial arts, of which 70 students participate in the school's Traditional Martial Arts Club. Most students enjoy this subject because of its flexibility and agility in each movement.

Nguyen Tien Dat, class 5C, An Duc Primary School said: “Learning martial arts is more fun than normal physical exercises. I really like learning this subject because it helps me stay healthy, learn self-defense skills and build a spirit of solidarity.”

In each class, martial arts students are often introduced by Mr. Tam about the tradition of building and defending the country of their ancestors so that students are more proud of their nation's history. For students of each grade, the content is selected by Mr. Tam with simulated, gentle, soft movements that focus on performance such as child prodigy boxing or basic exercises, martial arts moves, performances as well as martial arts moves of an antagonistic nature...

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga, Vice Principal of An Duc Primary School, said that in order to incorporate traditional martial arts into extracurricular activities, the school has invested in facilities such as a dome house so that teachers and students have the necessary conditions to practice. With the admirable enthusiasm of Mr. Tam and the attention of the school and parents, the Traditional Martial Arts Club of An Duc Primary School has participated in many competitions, exchanges, and performances, achieving many successes in and outside the province...