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While in China his teachers introduced him to a famous Tai Chi Master. Robert Gemmell turned down the opportunity to train due to his loyalty to Kempo (Chuan Fa). Eventually accepting the need to learn the "Soft Art" Robert Gemmell once again embarked on a new path.
The next decade saw him make numerous trips into China to study full-time the Internal Schools of Bagua, Tai Chi, H'Singi and Chi Gung. His offer to teach this system alongside Kempo which was well established in New Zealand (Kempo-Bushido-Ryu-Karate & Gung-Fu Assn.) was accepted by 95% of students - a few left stating the "Soft Style" would water down Kempo. Now through the formation of the Shaolin Chuan Fa Association , Internal Arts study is an integral part of his school. Observing the progress of his students very closely Robert Gemmell would rate them as follows:
1/ Students who practice both Kempo and Internal Arts.
2/ Students who practice only Kempo.
3/ Students who practice only Tai Chi.
Mr. Gemmell believes that he has revived the old art Chinese Kempo or Chuan Fa as it was known. Also meaning fist or boxing the word Chuan follows nearly every art form taught in China today. Examples are Tai Chi Chuan, H'Singi Chuan, and Pakua Chuan These arts are now called Taiji, Bagua Xing yi (Quan). His form of Chuan Fa retains the old values and training methods, but is systemised to enable specific study.
Progressing through the Black Belt Ranks Robert Gemmell has a reputation as a doer. He is critical of those who talk loud and do little. He considers himself the most active teacher of martial arts in New Zealand. His work includes many years of assisting Police Special Squads, Schools, Tournaments and other martial arts organisations.
Grand Master Gemmell is documenting his system on an ongoing basis. This involves the production of Syllabus, Training Manuals and Guidelines. He says that while the technique is important, without the true philosophy and discipline the technique is worthless. For this reason Instructor Training rates high on his list of priorities. Hand in hand with his own studies and a hugely active teaching life, go services to the community. As a full time professional teacher, he has taught to thousands of individual students and such community groups as Stroke Rehabilitation, the handicapped, those in "half way houses" for alcohol and drug dependence programs, and in schools, Government Departments, and on Adventure Pursuit Courses. Today he spearheads a large health and harmony Tai Chi program for the elderly.
In 1976 the Porirua Community recognised his worth and awarded him the Sports Administrator's Award of the Year. He organised many of the first Multi Style Martial Arts Tournaments in the country, and embarked on a series of Live In Seminars which were completely innovative to the New Zealand scene at that time. These Seminars are still very much a part of his on going programs with the 82nd live in event being held in June 2001.
In 1985 he helped organise the Martial Arts Council, the first Government recognised Body, whose aim was to bring together the martial groups in New Zealand, and to lay down the Ratification Guidelines for recognising high levels and Instructor grades throughout this country. The major Government recognised bodies in New Zealand today have stemmed from these beginnings. Founding the Sokeship Council of NZ. this body will focus on the ratification of high grades in martial arts. SEE SOKE SHIP DOCUMENT adopted by the Australasian Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and Australasian and N.Z. Sokeship Council as the foundation document for sanctioning high grades.
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