Click a question below to learn the answer.
Why is your site called Not Karate?
So is Kung Fu better than Karate?
If I train at the Shaolin Kung Fu Studios, will I have to become a Buddhist monk?
What is your relationship to the modern Shaolin Temple?
Why do you use a colored-sash ranking system?
How long does it take to get a Black Sash/Belt?
I just want to fight....Do I need to learn all that other stuff?
Is this an offensive/aggressive or defensive/pacifist style?
Is this all there is? I really want something more than kicking and punching....
Is this page done yet?
Are more updates coming soon?
Q. Why is your site called Not Karate?
A. Because many people consider any martial art to be "Karate." This is in fact not true. Technically there are many more forms of Chinese Kung Fu than there are of Japanese Karate. [back to top]
Q. So is Kung Fu better than Karate?
A. Absolutely not. Just as all roads once lead to Rome, all martial arts can lead one
toward perfection of character. One must simply find the style of martial arts that compliments one's lifestyle. [back to top]
Q. If I train at the Shaolin Kung Fu Studios, will I have to become a Buddhist monk?
A. While we do recognize and respect our Buddhist ancestry, students need not become monks--or even Buddhists--to train at our school. [back to top]
Q. What is your relationship to the modern Shaolin Temple?
A. Our system left the Shaolin Temple in the mid 18th century, so any ties to the modern Temple are simply as fellow martial artists, and cousins in the Shaolin Tradition. We continue to teach the Lohan system as it was taught at that time. [back to top]
Q. Why do you use a colored-sash ranking system?
A. Traditionally, colored sashes were not used to denote rank. Rather, the students who knew more and performed better were acknowledged as such, and the students who needed help to excel got it. Rank was something for the ego, and therefore was not a concern of the Buddhist monks using these techniques in their search for enlightenment. In modern America, however, students train at various frequency due to the pressures of juggling family life, work etc. In order to help students track their progress, we have adopted a colored-sash system similar to that used in Japanese and Korean systems. Additionally, there is a saying in the Chinese martial arts that a student will search for a good teacher for three years; the teacher will then watch the student for three years before accepting him. This is reflected in the colored-sash ranking system, as it takes about 3-6 years to advance through the beginner and intermediate levels before the student presents himself for the Black sash exam, and enters the inner teachings of the system. [back to top]
Q. How long does it take to get a Black Sash/Belt?
A. As long as it takes...typically 3-6 years with a consistent training regimen. Every student is an individual and progresses at his or her own pace. People have done it in as little as a year, and people have done it in much more. [back to top]
Q. I just want to fight....Do I need to learn all that other stuff?
A. Check out our San Shou classes! This class is designed for those who just want to improve their fighting skills. While we demand the same moral and ethical values in our San Shou students, we do not require any forms, weapons, or internal training of them (although we do highly recommend it). [back to top]
Q. Is this an offensive/aggressive or defensive/pacifist style?
A. Any style that contains strikes or locks can be an offensive style, just as any system using evasion and blocking can be defensive. While we do always stress the fact that one should avoid fighting, Shaolin kung fu represents a complete system of martial arts, allowing us to both attack and defend as needed. [back to top]
Q. Is this all there is? I really want something more than kicking and punching....
A. There is always more. For those interested, we have several "inner circles" teaching various forms of internal work. These range from Ch'an Buddhist philosophy and Taoist meditative teachings for those more open to the Eastern schools of thought, to several traditions of Western work for students more firmly rooted in European/American ways of thinking. [back to top]
Q. Is this page done yet?
A. No, not yet. [back to top]
Q. Are more updates coming soon?
A. You Bet! [back to top]
