As we transition to a new, permanent location, we continue to meet in our very lovely parking lot (no, really, it is a fantastic place to work out)! All Classes Santa Cruz Bible Church Parking Lot 440 Frederick St, NE corner of parking lot All classes Monday-Saturday Enter at Broadway and Frederick Streets, next to Arana Gulch Trail, turn left at the end and parallel Arana Gulch. We will be in the NE corner.
Continue reading →Temporary Time Change for Tai Chi Classes Long Form Class: M/W 5:15-6:15 (shorten to an hour) Intro to Tai Chi-Short Form Class: M/W 6:15-7:15 (15 minutes earlier) We will soon be back to our regular schedule. ***************************** Well, movement is what we do at the Academy, so that’s not much of an announcement. However… After 35 years, the building we called home sold. We have yet to find a permanent workout space, so our classes are currently being held in a very nice tree-lined parking lot where Frederick and Broadway meet; see below for details. What you need to know: … Continue reading →
Got a nice letter from our gone-but-not-forgotten student and friend, Kaz, who moved to Humboldt a few months ago. Here are some excerpts: How are you guys? I miss you! We are pretty settled in up here, and generally loving it! Moving really discombobulated me; I was out of sorts for a couple of months, but now I’m feeling pretty good. It is beautiful here, a land of vast forest, rivers, coastlines and fog. I’m beginning to find some favorite outdoor places; in Santa Cruz I spent a lot of time at the river and the beach, but because it’s … Continue reading →
We’re starting to open up classes to new students! Interested in trying a class at our world-recognized Academy of Martial & Internal Arts? Click HERE to let us know.
Continue reading →Hello Students! Environmental circumstances (heat, air quality and—potentially—rain) are making it difficult for us to responsibly hold classes, making occasional cancellations possible. We want to make it as simple as possible for you to know if class will be held on any particular day, so just check below for that information. Individual Dates: Saturday, March 6. Class, yes! Saturday, February 20. Yes, class (but…) At the risk of being repetitive, light showers forecast early, but should clear by class time. See you soon! Saturday, February 13. Yes, class (but…) Light showers may or may not materialize and they may or … Continue reading →
This simple method of breathing works well for people practicing Chinese martial arts, Chinese medicine, meditation and what is commonly referred to as Qigong (Chi Kung). We call it simple, but it is also profound; as it relates the physical act of inhalation and exhalation with the mind’s intent, keeping a special focus on a most familiar activity. A little investment of time each day is all you need to start, and, unlike more rigorous approaches, this one will never hurt you. Try it!
Continue reading →Thanks to Travis for sending us a small part of his daily training routine. We’d love to see yours, too…. [KGVID]https://www.reelingsilk.com/academy/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Travis-Plays-the-Bagua-Poles.mp4[/KGVID]
Continue reading →Master Ted Mancuso, the proprietor of Plum Publications and founder of the Academy of Martial and Internal Arts, is my elder Kung Fu brother, or my Sihing (師兄) in Cantonese. We both trained in Northern Shaolin Kung Fu (Bak Sil Lum 北少林) under Grandmaster Kwong Wing Lam and our friendship spans nearly four decades now. Master Ted graciously allows me train alongside his students, my martial nieces and nephews, or my Sijat (again in Cantonese 師侄 – it’s not the same in Mandarin), and I’m very grateful to be part of his Academy. Thanks to Ted’s foresight, the Academy closed … Continue reading →
Hello all, We’ve been getting nice emails from some of you, letting us know how you are doing. Some tales even include pictures and videos! Woohoo! We love that. Below is a taste of what we have received. If you would like to contribute, by all means write to us. We miss you. More from John: Seeking the round in the straight and the straight in the round From Tony (Tai Chi class): Thank you for the update. Although I feel somewhat isolated, this has been a profoundly creative time for … Continue reading →
Update, March 26: Hello dear friends, Well, we thought we would check in with you, see how you all are faring, and update you on our classes. These last couple of weeks have been difficult for so many people—really, all of us, even those introverts among us! Pieces and parts of our normal lives have been upended, and something which for many was a distant concern came suddenly to the forefront. I think we have all spent at least a few moments treasuring our communities and friendships, big and small. We’ve heard from a few of you how much … Continue reading →
What? New T-Shirts? New Design? They’re here! Click the image above and you can go to the order page, or pick one up at the studio when you come to class.
Continue reading →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 →
Rod Oka, long time student here at the Academy, passed away on the third of this month. He had been fighting pancreatic cancer for about a year. During his time with us he had studied Shaolin and Tai Chi. In both arts he brought a combination of martial spirit and good humored comradeship. He literally raised the spirit of a class just by attending. While training to refine his martial skills, he was a long-time master of puns, funny ideas and questions about how much damage could be done to students other than himself. Rod was fearless in volunteering his … Continue reading →
We’ve moved Heaven, Earth and one large Dragon… and, once again, have Academy T-Shirts! You can order HERE or just ask at the studio. Be the envy of your friends and Wear the Dragon!
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