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Each studio has different class schedules to match the needs of the community it is located in. You can find the current class days and times on the Studio’s location page.

There is no set time each person is required to come in. Twice a week works well. Once a week is common for those traveling a lot. Use us as a school. Learn, take our principles with you wherever you go and you will grow. Some individuals come in everyday and programs are set up for them, and we have programs that we take to private homes and businesses where the individuals or groups rarely, if ever, come to the studio location. The more you can be involved the better. But, quality is more important than quantity. Take your time and really use it, and you’ll grow.

Regular practice helps you cement what you have learned in class. Even 10 minutes a day helps you make consistent progress.

Each of our instructors must be well trained in the Arts they are teaching, and they must be trained in teaching those arts. They must complete our instructors’ college, serve an apprentice program, and pass background security checks. They must certify under the international PAI association, and must continue to certify in all these areas as long as they wish to represent Shaolin Arts in any professional capacity.

Shaolin Arts has always provided a complete program, because that’s what works. Kicks, punches, stances, defense, grappling, chin na, offense, chi, healing, philosophy, health, sport, street, weapons, etc. Some individuals do come in for just one piece or style of the Arts, which is fine, but we do like to teach the full program when possible. It’s fun, it’s real, and it works. Let us know, and we will set up the best program for your interests and needs.

No. A well-run program will decrease aggression, channeling youth energy to positive activities. We all get frustrated, youth too. Frustration does not need to become anger. Discovering you can have control of your circumstances is a wonderful feeling, a powerful feeling. The feeling of true freedom all ages desire.

Shaolin Arts studios pride themselves on their excellent safety record. Far more injuries occur in so-called, non-contact sports, such as basketball. You do not have to be hurt, nor hurt another, to learn good martial arts, self defense, kung fu or Tai Chi. The Arts were designed to make you healthier and stronger, not weaker.

You can start classes in whatever physical condition you’re currently in. Being in perfect shape would be nice, but to be in perfect shape you’d likely already be doing one of our programs. Our programs are designed to take you from where you are to where you want to be. Just come and tell us what you want. We’ll take care of the rest.

Currently, our oldest student to date is 87. With each age comes a different set of life experiences, abilities, and desires. The trick is to match the program up with you, the individual.

Uniforms accelerate the learning process. They are just clothes that work best for the given activity. They are safe, functional, create a mood, and convey information. They are used because they make a significant difference.

No. Many religious people study the Arts, and the basic philosophies complement good core values, but no religion is involved. Good Arts must be built upon true principles to work and last, just like good people must be built upon to be their best and last.

Yes and no. Videos can help remind us of what we have already been taught. Learning new skills is difficult, and refining is almost impossible by watching a video. Five minutes of details with a good instructor will save hours of effort and a lifetime of errors.

Rank, belts, or sashes are part of the uniform and are colored to represent your progression through the different skill levels. They create motivation, organization, and safety. A good program will teach you in a safe progression, called rank so that your body is ready for the next set of material. It is a wonderful way to set you up for success after success.

The main reason for testing or reviewing for rank is for your experience and growth. Each rank review will be longer than the previous one because you have more material to review and will be in better shape to review it. Only you can ‘earn’ your next rank. Not your parent or spouse. Shaolin Arts is not setting you up for failure. Each review is designed for your learning experience and benefit.

It can take just a moment of correct instruction to realize the potential the Arts can give us. Real change does take time. The first difference happens within 3 months, then 6 months, etc. Some people will have set goals, which can be reached in a set time period, and then they will come in occasionally for a review or refresher. Others discover there is a lifetime of material available – a lifetime of growth, adventure, and fun. Shaolin Arts strives to make each class worthwhile. All of us have found that remaining active in the Arts improves our quality of life and whole being. Staying active makes everything else we do better.

Traditional often refers to old or ancient ways versus modern relating to our own time period and circumstances. In the Arts, something that is thousands of years old may be just old and outdated, or it might mean it has ‘stood the test of time’, that all through the ages, nothing has ever been invented better. Certain techniques worked in the past because of the core principles they utilized and, therefore will work well now, in our times and circumstances, if we can be taught the same methods. When we understand why and how things worked in the past, we can have all their strengths for the future.

Yes. Weapons are an extension of the body. Any error the body makes the weapon will exaggerate. Therefore weapon training can give the body great feedback. They are wonderful tools for developing the mind and body. Certain traditional weapons aid in this process more than others. Thus at Shaolin Arts, for those students who are interested, we like to introduce classic or traditional weapons training. Secondly, weapons are a part of our society. Understanding how they work increases our understanding of how to defend against them.

There is a perspective among some accomplished masters of the Arts that sports and competition have had a detrimental impact on their craft. They believe that certain techniques have suffered as they were modified to be safer for casual engagement, yet ultimately underutilized. The deterioration of skills is evident when participants merely simulate hits instead of executing meaningful and effective movements. Additionally, they observe that attaining trophies often prioritizes a superficial display of energy and power, reminiscent of Hollywood aesthetics, rather than recognizing genuine power and true ability.

On the other hand, sport- or competition-type activities can develop the desirable skills of coordinating your movements with another’s. Good sportsman-like behaviors can develop with well-run activities. The idea is to use sport for the strengths it can develop and not confuse sport skills with true street or fighting skills. At Shaolin Arts, you can have Arts that are fun to do and still be powerful and effective.

Meditation is simply relaxing the mind. But simple is not always easy. The more relaxed the mind, the better it can function, react, and be fully aware. Techniques are taught to aid in this process. Tai Chi is sometimes referred to as “meditation in motion.” Good meditation can calm a busy mind or stimulate a dull one. It can bring us back to center.

Bowing in the Arts is like a handshake. It is a greeting to the physical training area and one another. Like a handshake, bows can have different meanings and can transfer many feelings. Students enjoy learning to express themselves and understanding the body languages bowing can radiate.