Appeal

Kung Fu and Children

Kids gain a great deal from our classes. Most are naturally flexible and more
relaxed than adults, so it is quite easy for them to adapt to the training routine
and their initial progress can come fairly quickly. However, coordination, strength
and endurance are three areas of physical development where Kung Fu study
can be of great benefit to kids. Likewise, poor posture, another problem children
often face, can be corrected by Kung Fu's focus on balance and correct alignment
of the body.

During these developmental years it is important that children are challenged
both mentally and physically, but equally as important that they are able to succeed
and gain both confidence and improved self-esteem from the experience. Our
classes help children work hard and strive to do their best, giving them the
opportunity to excel under the guidance of experienced instruction. The study
of Kung Fu also teaches respect, patience, humility, self-discipline and concentration,
all traits that are invaluable to a child's well-rounded development.

Because its benefits are so broad and its training so
adaptable, Kung Fu can be practiced by all ages, male or
female. No prior experience in martial arts is needed to
begin study, and because training is gradual, new students
might feel challenged, but never overwhelmed.

Regardless of one's motivation to study Kung Fu, its rewards
can be felt in even a short amount of time. Stretching, which
precedes every class, soon renews flexibility, and our
fundamental exercises bring steady improvement in
coordination, balance, endurance and circulation. Relaxing
one's joints and muscles during practice is a basic goal, and
learning to do so helps relieve stress, increase awareness
throughout the body, and restore vitality.

Kung Fu and Older Students

There is a common misconception that Kung Fu is an art to be practiced only by the young and athletic, that its
training may be too stressful for older students. Actually, because Kung Fu puts such an emphasis on relaxing the body
and its joints, along with increasing flexibility, older students quickly feel the benefits of training through improved
health, stamina and vitality. Students are allowed to progress at their own pace, but are always given encouragement
and guidance during their training. If a student doesn't seem ready for a particular movement, the instructor will
gradually work a student up to the challenge.

Our classes may be challenging, but students progress at their own pace, guided by experienced instruction.
Self-defense techniques are learned gradually and naturally, as part of a student's ongoing practice of forms. As
students advance, they overcome new challenges and gain greater confidence and will power.

Starting to practice Kung Fu at this age brings fast progress.
Students of this age, around 15 to 25, are old enough to be quite
coordinated and young enough to feel full of energy and ready for
just about any challenge. They also have enough focus of mind to
bring more out of their training than younger students might.

The benefits gained though study go beyond the physical. Kung
Fu pushes one's mental focus, and this has effects in everything
we do. Young adults benefit from this advantage, not only during
practice, but in any of their activities. It is also an excellent way
to not only gain new abilities and feel their effects, but also to
reinforce one's confidence when facing entirely different
challenges.