Originally from the rural farmlands of central New York State, Tempe martial arts instructor Ashe Higgs moved to Arizona in 1998. He had a deep fascination with martial arts since childhood. “I always had an interest; there just weren’t a lot of options.”
Instructor Ashe Higgs
“I’ve been lucky to sit at the feet of one of the greatest masters of our time.”
Ashe’s first taste of martial arts instruction came as a brief membership in a Tae Kwon Do class held at the local YMCA. Although circumstances would prevent him from pursuing martial arts classes until later in life, a strong desire to learn would stay with him.
After moving to Arizona in 1998, the call to begin training in martial arts became too loud to ignore any longer.
“I started reading a lot of books to try and figure out what kind of martial art I wanted to learn. It wasn’t until I read Yang, Jwing Ming’s books that I knew I wanted to learn an “internal” martial art. That’s when I really started looking for a teacher, but after looking around at a lot of different places, I couldn’t find anyone who impressed or inspired me.”
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A Master Appears
Remembering the Chinese proverb that “it is better to spend three years looking for a good teacher than to spend three years learning from a poor one,” he kept looking and hoping that “when the student was ready, the master would appear.”
By chance, Ashe happened to hear about a man named Chen, Ruey Tang, who was giving a Tai Chi demonstration in downtown Phoenix as part of a celebration of the Chinese new year.
“So I went to check him out. I had a lot of questions. I’m a fairly big guy, and Ruey is half my size, but he tossed me around fairly easily. I immediately knew this was something real.”
Ashe continued to take classes under Ruey until December 2002, when he officially retired from teaching. At that same time, Master Sam FS Chin, his good friend and the man who taught Ruey I Liq Chuan, came to Arizona for the first time.
“I was always in love with the idea of the enlightened warrior. When I met my Sifu, he was like something out of the movies. He had the whole package, wisdom, and power. I was blown away. I had to learn everything I could from him.”
With Ruey’s blessing and encouragement, Ashe became a distance student of Master Chin.
“The first few years were tough for sure. I didn’t see my Sifu often back then, but I just couldn’t give up on something so amazing.”
Tempe Martial Arts Classes Begin 2005
In 2005 Ashe received his Instructor Level 1 certificate from Master Chin and began his first martial arts classes in Tempe, Arizona, in the local parks.
In February of 2007, after years of dedication and effort, a dream became reality when Master Sam FS Chin accepted Ashe as a personal disciple.
Achievement Unlocked!
Ashe achieved a significant milestone on February 20, 2023, when he received his certificate of mastery in I Liq Chuan – from Grandmaster Sam Chin. This accomplishment represents years of hard work, discipline, and devotion to mastering the methods and principles of this unique martial art. With this achievement, Ashe Higgs has proven himself to be a skilled and dedicated practitioner of I Liq Chuan, and he is sure to continue his journey of personal and physical growth through the practice of this amazing art.
Ashe Higgs’ achievement of receiving his certificate of mastery is not just a personal milestone but also an opportunity to inspire and guide others on their path of personal growth. With his extensive experience and dedication, Ashe Higgs can share his knowledge and help others achieve their own mastery of I Liq Chuan.
Through teaching and mentoring, he can pass on the principles and methods of this martial art, empowering others to develop their own skills, discipline, and awareness. Ashe Higgs can serve as an example to others that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible, and personal growth is a lifelong journey that can be achieved through the practice of martial arts.
Accomplishments
During that same year (2007), Ashe continued the tradition of proving the effectiveness of I Liq Chuan as a martial art by competing in full-contact fighting tournaments. Since then, he has won the following awards;
- Gold Medal – 2007 Taiji Legacy (full contact, light-heavyweight)
- Gold Medal – 2008 World Kuo Shu (unlimited weight)
- Silver Medal – 2009 Legends of Kung Fu (full contact, heavyweight)
- Bronze Medal – 2009 Legends of Kung Fu (forms)
- Inducted to the Internal Martial Arts Fighters Hall Of Fame – 2010
- Master Level – received certificate of mastery on Feb 20, 2023, from Grandmaster Sam Chin
