Author Archives: school

Workshop Report: The Fine Art of Choking

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A demonstration and workshop on the fine art of choking was a change in schedule for the Saturday morning Kung Fu class last week. Black sash instructor, Mike Gruber—highly knowledgeable about Kung Fu, and an expert Judo player—opened the class, demonstrating basic chokes and strangles (not the same thing). He explained that knowing how to execute chokes would render them much less worrisome for the recipient. At first everyone looked around, nervously, to see who would volunteer to be the first victim. But, once we started practicing the clear and safe instruction offered by Mike, everyone breathed easier. Next we … Continue reading →

Adam Hsu Linking Fist

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We are happy and proud to teach one of the best beginning Kung Fu forms:  Sifu Adam Hsu’s Linking Fist. This combines elements of traditional practice with modern methods of instruction. The entire form is 16 movements with not one repeated. These take you through kicks, punching patterns and crucial stance training. A great beginner’s form! For a glimpse of the set, go to  Sifu Marie Anthony’s Cupertino Kung Fu school.

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Hello from Wales

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Dear Students, I hope everyone is practicing and having a good time. Many schools go through a re-calibration when the head-instructor is away. But this is actually an important time in martial training, when students are face to face with one another instead of relating through the teacher. I hope the consequence is kindness, cooperation and camaraderie. I know that this sounds a bit hokey, but it took me a long time to see that harmony—such as I’m talking about—is not just some passionless dream. Harmony requires dynamic rather than static balance. I don’t know that “character” can be trained, … Continue reading →

Interview with Grandteacher Adam Hsu (Added parts 4 & 5)

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Adam Hsu is one of the top Kung Fu teachers in the world. He is also one of the “grandparent” teachers at the Academy, having taught both sifus Linda and Ted. In this series—the first THREE parts now posted—he begins an in-depth conversation on the meaning of true Kung Fu. Update: Parts 4 & 5 Now available   Want to watch on youtube? Click HERE Want to watch on our affiliate site (plumpub.com?) Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

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Martial Basics: Not What You Think

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Everything starts with basics. And when you are young and/or just beginning a long term study of expertise, whether your taste runs to the piano or the basketball hoop, there is always a sentinel line of basics to be crossed before you get to the “good stuff.” But the surprise—slow and sometimes disappointingly painful—is that there is no end to the study of basics. When you have learned the most exotic parts of some discipline‑let’s be obvious and say martial arts, for instance—and mastered the strangest weapons, you will put them away, at least for most of the time, and … Continue reading →

Wang Zi Ping

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Of course, part of martial arts learning resides in traditional choreographed forms. We at the Academy, take this one step further and teach classical forms for two people (partner routines) such as the San Cai Sword. In the film clip below, long-lived and famous Muslim Kung Fu teacher Wang Zi Ping instructs some young students in traditional combat, then performs the Golden Dragon Double Sword form that he invented. Enjoy this vintage film.

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The Profile of Long Fist

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The Core of Long FistThe types of material we teach here—Tai Chi, Bagua and Long Fist Kung Fu—all belong to a large family of Kung Fu style from middle and northern China. Tested in war and refined in peace, this huge family of Kung Fu styles has many unifying principles. Most of the principles here were rarely spoken in ancient days.

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Training and Training: Shifu Sweats!

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There’s training and then there’s training. In Kung Fu there is a kind of training that so challenges the way of thinking AND the body that people successfully ignore it for years and even decades. So begins Shifu’s newest article, printed on our sister site, adamhsukungfu.com. Click the picture to continue reading. We are a little more than two weeks into our Taiwan trip, and have been very busy eating delicious food, meeting Shifus and publishers and, of course, training. Shifu Adam Hsu teaches 7 days a week and encourages his students to practice every day, even if not in … Continue reading →

Five Elements Seminar

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Click image above and it will take you to page where video will load. May take a minute!   Here’s a very condensed version of our Five Elements Xing Yi Seminar (6 hours become 3 minutes). Everyone did a great job. Thanks for your participation.

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Tea Time with Marcus McDonough

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For any who has seen Marcus McDonough’s work at the Academy, it will come as no surprise that Senior teacher John Ottenberg recently awarded him the rank of Black Belt in an open ceremony at class. Marcus is a talented martial artist who  works hard to surpass his natural gifts in order to become an exceptional practitioner. His dedication is evident, not only in his work but also in his concentration and the spirit with which he practices. He is also a generous partner with other students, a qualifying trait for this rank. Marcus has been involved in martial training … Continue reading →

Arts of the Academy

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Congratulations to Steve Strasnick, longtime Academy student, who recently attended the 22nd Annual Chinese Martial Arts Tournament, on March 15, in Berkeley. Steve won the Internal Style Men’s Division by performing a number of styles, including Taijiquan and Bagua Zhang. Check our bulletin board in the school vestibule for postings on upcoming tournaments and events.

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