What to expect at Silent Dragon School of Kung Fu and Tai Chi

As a beginning student at Silent Dragon schools, you will receive some of the most knowledgeable internal/external training in the country.

On the very first night, you will be able to perform very powerful kicks and strikes. Power strikes are not rocket science, nor do they require you to be "in shape," although our classes will give you a very powerful, flexible, toned body with dense, usable musculature.

Most schools tell you that it takes months, or even years to produce these results, and they are right-for them. What makes us different?

We have taken the time and effort to learn the pre-20th century martial arts, with methods and curriculum that were closely held secrets only a few years ago, and some that still are. Then we made a point of finding ways to rapidly teach those methods to beginning Americans, resulting in outstanding results in terms of health, fitness, power, and internal strength.

I'm not telling you it's easy, but I am telling you that even below average physical specimens can and generally do rapidly change their physical appearance and composition, as well as learn to fight like a buzz saw.

We make a point of removing all cultish and mind controlling behavior, such as exotic costumes, titles, and ceremonies. I have managed schools in the commercial manner, but prefer to help my students free themselves and their minds, rather than take advantage of their inexperience with Asian thought to make money or manipulate them unfairly. My ego is plenty big enough without making all my friends and student bow to me and call me by some esoteric title.

This is an adult school, and I insist upon surrounding myself with adults. Most of my students are in their 20's 30's and 40's, and have wives and kids and jobs and such.. I welcome teen agers, and expect them to access their inner adult. Most can and do; otherwise they leave. We do not act in a foolishly macho manner, boasting and quarreling are not the way adults genuinely act, regardless of what is portrayed in bad movie and television scripts.

Professional boxers, Muy Thai Boxers, wrestlers, and other prize fighters work out at least 20 hours a week; Shaolin monks work out for 30 hours or more. We have to pack as much martial training as possible into a much more limited time. All of our exercises have to do at least double duty.

Once the body's central core is warmed, we work on controlled fighting drills that allow for spontaneous and imaginative "play" within strict safety guidelines, as well as promoting health, pumping up the immune system, and improving mental function and hand-eye coordination. These include push hands or sticky hands, close quarters grappling and floor grappling, distance and timing exercises, or whatever seems interesting that night. We have a large curriculum and extensive outside knowledge; we feel it important that our students have an opportunity to be exposed to all sorts of knowledge. Many schools are insistent on keeping their styles "pure," not realizing that almost all styles go back no more than a few decades. Our style hangs together and is not threatened by a student learning something new or "from outside the system."

We also make extensive use of the Chinese exercise programs to produce consistently strong and fit students.

Most schools (I know because I have taught for them) have a limited number of techniques, so everyone, big or small, tall or short, athletic or not, learns the same thing.

We have a great deal of material. You will see hundreds of different moves and many concepts in the first few weeks at our school. We hope to find only two or three that are perfect for you, and then help you work those extensively until you have a viable fighting style.

Okay, enough for this article. Check out some of the others. If you feel like calling me with questions or to try out a class, you can get me at 937-0402. Have fun.