About Us
Opened in 1977 Shaolin Martial Arts Center not only offers the best Martial Arts training but has a rich history too.
Who we are
The Shaolin Martial Art Center's are dedicated to developing a strong Body, Mind and Spirit through rewarding physical and mental discipline with the support and encouragement for each individuals abilities.
We believe in taking an active role in the Martial Arts community promoting a positive image and greater understanding of the Traditional Art of Chinese Martial Arts.
What we teach
Difference between Kung Fu and Other Martial Arts
Kung Fu Puts Philosophy into Practice
The philosophy of Chinese martial arts originated not with warlords whose aim was to kill, but with Buddhist masters whose aim was to prolong life. This philosophy and history has led to a difference in the practice and the attitude of students of Chinese martial arts.
Unbelievable violence and hostility are found in some martial arts systems. Such behavior is not found in Kung Fu training, because the nature of the training is such that a calm disposition and a feeling for one's training partners are developed intrinsically, and harboring selfish, aggressive attitudes would work against the practitioners themselves.
Kung Fu is a Comprehensive System
Martial arts techniques are divided into four areas: striking, kicking, grappling and throwing, and seizing and locking the joints. Every type of Chinese Kung Fu contains techniques from each of these four areas. This is important because each category of techniques is effective against one or more of the other categories. A Chinese martial artist, therefore, can deal with every type of attack and defend himself effectively.
Other martial arts, like Karate, Judo, Jujitsu, and Taekwondo, specialize in only one or two of the four categories of techniques. Because of the nature of these martial arts, their practitioners often have difficulty if opponents use attacks that fall outside the categories in which their respective arts specialize.
One way to prepare yourself to handle any fighting situation is to learn all these different martial arts. A better alternative is to learn a Chinese martial art from a reputed school. It not only saves time and effort, it also gives advantages not found in other martial arts.
Where to find us
Find the Branch Closest to you, and get started.
Styles Taught
From open hand to weapon forms.
Every from and style in Chinese Martial arts is designed to benefit you, the practitioner in a variety of ways. Some are designed to enhance strength and agility others focus on improving balance and body conditioning.
All of them however require Patience, Discipline and Hard Work to master.
Here is a basic breakdown of the styles taught at the Shaolin Martial Arts Center.
1st form
The 1st form is the most basic form in the Leong Cheung family system, and is taught to students once they start at the Shaolin schools.
Co-ordination and balance is the main concentration, teaching students the basics of martial arts. This is a form that incorporates Wing Chuan as well as Lin Wan Keun, which therefor incorporates short defensive deflecting movements as well as high kicks and low sweeps, so therefore it is a defensive attacking form.
2nd form
A deep step into the Leong Cheung System, once the students have completed the 1st form they then go on to the 2nd form. The 2nd form, which combines Wing Chun (deflection), Lin Wan Keun (ever returning fist), Bong Sou (elbow blocks and strikes), leg work and ground applications. One has to reach a certain amount of stamina and focus to complete this form, as it is physically demanding. This form is taught after 1-2 years training.
4th form
This form is a northern style using long punches and strikes, the stances are much wider and lower allowing the student to be very stable.
The northern style also offers a vast range of high kicks. This form requires lots of agility and is taught to the student after approximately four years of training.
The short staff
This is a form that is taught to the students once they start, it teaches you the basic handling of a short weapon. This weapon can be used in any situation and is easy to carry around or to find as a substitute in a situation of need. There is applications of blocks, pushes, strikes, change of hands, locking and spinning all integrated into this form making it practical for every situation.
Unarmed short staff form
This is weapon form done barehanded, this teaches the student to use the same qualities as using a weapon, but empty handed to defeat it's opponent. The angling of the hands and the placing of feet are the main factors in this form. This form is taught to the students once they have completed the short staff form. There are no legs used in this form due to the concentration on hand applications.
1st staff form
The 1st staff form is a short basic guide to the usage of a staff.It teaches you to control and strike with stepping at the same time.Handling the staff in long powerful strike's and extensions is always difficult to execute and there for is taught to the student's with in the 1st year of training at the Shaolin Martial Art Centre's.
2nd staff form
Spinning, turning is the subject in this demonstration form, the staff is used to distract as well as strike using a combination of staff spinning and extending.This is a powerful form and insists that you have complete control over your weapon. This form is taught after 2 years in the system.
3rd staff form
This form providing you with short defensive movements as well as long round powerful strikes, speed is a grate factor in this form showing it superior agility and controlled strikes. This form is the most powerful of the all the staff forms due to the concentration on circular staff and body movements creating devastating blows.This form is taught after 3-4 year is the Shaolin System.
4th staff form
Superb handling, precession strikes and complete focus is now at its best display in the 4th staff form
Short strikes, overhead strikes and advancing strikes shows a complete all round usage of this weapon. Throwing and spinning the staff also shows great understanding of speed, direction and weight.
This form is taught to the students training in the Shaolin Martial Art Centre after 7-8 years of training.
Animal Styles
1st tiger form
This is a attacking system it has no fear in its advancement of attacking, the tiger or hung-gar is a system which trains the bones to resist
heavy shock. Low stances and an all round agility is the most important factor in the 1st hung-gar form teaching the student to use ground and grabbing applications.
2nd Tiger form
The 2nd hung - gar form focuses on a wide range of legwork, flying kicks, jumping kicks and rolls.
Balance and power are at its best display in the tiger form, and therefore needs a strong physique and well-developed body. This form is taught after 2-3 years of training.
3rd Tiger form
This form develops the skill of turning and low \ high strikes, placing of feet and weight are very important in this display. It combines aggression with grace therefore able to move in any direction with great ease. This form is taught to student after 4-5 years of training.
Monkey form
This is a form that is pure power, speed and has agility that can break down any opponent.
The monkey is known for it's low ground movements and jumping. This form was developed by monks trying to defend themselves from thieves as were many other animal styles. By watching these animals defend themselves in nature allowed the monks to develop the skills of for example the monkey. This form is extremely strenuous on the whole body and therefore taught to students after 11-12 years of training.
Crane form
The Leong Cheung crane form is a powerful but yet graceful form, it is done at a medium pace to build up the internal strength that it brings out into each strike. Balance and stances are at its best in the crane form teaching the student how to develop his mind as well as his body.
The positioning of the hand are to be noticed, the fingers all come together to make a beak as the crane would make when striking its opponent.
Three animal form
Here is something spectacular (Snake, tiger, and Crane) 3 animals combined into one devastating form. It combines the 3 fighting techniques (Snake for speed and internal power within the strikes)
(Tiger for strength and aggressiveness) (Crane for its displays flow, grace and agility)
this form includes a wide range of acrobatic manoeuvres and would only be taught to students training for over 8-9 years.
Lau gar form
This form is a combination of crane and tiger, low stances, low kicks and direction change show a solid stability. This traditional form is a well known through out the world and was introduced in to the Shaolin system by master Seng Au and is taught to the students after 4 years of training
The nine sectional whip
Inspiring is the word to describe this form. It displays the use of a chain (whip) which was originally used as a belt wrapped around the waist. There is a sharp dart at the end of the chain; this is used for penetrating its opponent, or as a hold once rapped around its opponent's neck. Agility, speed and suppleness are needed to do this form. There is use of the neck, legs, elbows, shoulders, and lower back to move and guide the chain. This form is also very difficult and is taught after 8-9 years of training.
The Choi Li Fut Spear
This is the 1st spear form that is taught at the Shaolin martial art centre's as it is the simplest of all the spear forms, giving you a basic guide in to the usage of the kings weapon.
This spear routine has a number of reoccurring movements to each side, giving you an understanding concept of striking in every direction. This form is done at a medium pace and has a number of fancy footwork, and long double handed strikes. This form is taught after 1 and half years to 2 years in the system. And taught in many different schools of martial arts.
Deer horn hooks
This form is used for penetrating with the sharp dear horn like blades, the design of the weapon also allows no damage to be caused to your hands as they are protected. They are sharp all round, for the multiple uses that it applies to strike or defend. Low stances and fast gouging movements are its main characteristics.
The Shaolin Spear
This is the most traditional of the spear forms,It has a strong combination of short strikes as well as long one handed strikes,Placing of feet and stances play a large roll in the leong cheung system. It is fast and very accurate and has an all round defence and attack.This spear form is taught after training for more than 5 years in the leong chung system.This is to ensure that you have the level of focus needed to execute.
Broadsword
A weapon that was made for fighting and only used for fighting used by warriors to protect their masters and family. This traditional Leong Cheung broadsword uses powerful one handed as well as double handed strike to attack it opponent, it also offers some defensive applications.
It demonstrates control, balance, stances and deadly cutting techniques. This form is taught to students studying martial arts for over 3 years of training.
The Saber Sword
This is a deadly weapon due to it superior reach and length of the blade. This is a traditional weapon and is only used by a very few masters around the world. The weapon is very heavy, but looks like a feather in the hands of a master. There is footwork, stances, balance, power, speed, focus and multiple use of different strikes.
Ring blades form
Used for slicing your opponent and trapping the arm with in the ring and then chopping it off.
Well used to fight against all other weapons as it protects your hands and cuts the striking weapon at the same time. It is used as an extension of your hand and they're for able to swivel it in different directions so that a punch can be formed if not wanting to curse server damage to the opponent. This form is taught after 11-12 years of training.
Trident spear
Used for cleaning fields, cutting rice or stabbing rodents became a useful weapon if enemies ever attacked them. This weapon is used not only for stabbing like a spear but to chop, slice and hook its opponent, this form also includes a large amount of defence movements countering its strikes. Feet are very stable and stances are very evident, blade of the trident is always turning to ensure maximum usage of the blade. This form is taught after 10-11 years of training.
Kwan-dao form
Used by the greatest of worriers, this weapon one of the most feared and the most regarded weapon of all. It is very heavy as it was used to take down the horses legs from under them, when been attacked and to chop the riders of with one single blow. There great precession in this form using both the blade and the spear tip at the other end of the weapon. Is a medium paced form and needs a great amount of strength to be able to handle it.This advanced Leong Cheung form is taught after 11-12 years of training.
Double daggers
This is a form that provides its attacker with some second thoughts, there are two weapons to content with now. There is power, speed, stances, and aggression that are being relayed into this form.
Co-ordination and good legwork is very important; this form has an all round advantage in fighting and defending.
Taught after 12-13 years of training.
Bagua internal form
This is a form that works the internal system of your body creating energy to flow through the internal organs to endure a healthier life style. There is no jumping, rolling or fast movements in this form due the fact that you are basically meditating movements, there for developing the mind more than the exterior body. Although slowly done it requires a great amount of strength in the legs and needs a good focus on balance.
Bagua straight sword
The internal chi that every person has, can be developed by training your breathing and you mind and there for .in the strait sword we are utilising all of these factors, just adding a weapon to it to intrigue the mind even more. It is calm and relaxing relieving stress and tension that builds up with in each one of us. Perfect for anyone with any injuries or anyone looking for some relaxation.
The bagua spear
Grace, flow, power, speed, and internal strength this is a spear form that works your internal strength as well as you're external. Movements are very accurate, versatile and focussed, the sliding and angling of the spear tip is one of the main features of this advanced form. This Leong Cheung form is taught to the students of Shaolin Art Center's only and is taught at 5-6 years of training.
Tri-sectional staff
Used in the fields for beating off the rice, it then became a tool for fighting off attackers.
This is a very difficult weapon to use as it has a tendency to some how always hit you.
The tri-sectional staff provides short fast strikes and long powerful extended strikes for maximum reach. This includes ground and spinning techniques with fast movements don't give its attacker a chance to come in at all. Legwork is also present in this display. This form is taught to students after 7-8 years of training.