Xing Yi Quan: wikipedia article and Ba Gua Zhang: wikipedia article and Tai Ji Quan: wikipedia article
We teach the internal styles of kung fu from China. There are three styles that traditionally bear the label of "internal", they are Xing Yi Quan, Tai Ji Quan, and Ba Gua Zhang. KWA teaches all three systems. Xing Yi is world renown for its intensity of spirit and for its ability to create power within short distances from its target as well as its linear movements. Xing Yi is a mostly hands style that tries to keep its kicks low, a strategy that is very hard to defend against. It is said to date back thousands of years in China and is supposedly founded by a legendary general of high moral standing and military genius named Yue Fei.
Ba Gua Zhang is the youngest of the three internal arts and focuses on circular, evasive footwork to find the best angle of attack. While Xing Yi is very direct and linear in its footwork, Ba Gua will turn, spin, walk, and redirect away the attack until it is ready to counter attack. Founded by Dong Hai Quan, it is a very sophisticated method of fighting and not easy to master. It focuses intently on being in constant motion, constant change, and lots of footwork. Very effective by itself if trained properly, paired with Xing Yi and Tai Ji, it is even more so.
Tai Ji originated in Chen Village in China and is one of the most popular forms of martial art today, unfortunately, it is primarily seen as a form of exercise and has lost its martial origins in its translation to most people. We practice a form of Chen style taiji known as HunYuan Chen Tai Ji, and we teach it as a martial art. Tai Ji focuses on slow motion training to ingrain the proper mechanics and timing in the motions. It is a strong close range art that uses balance disruption and takedowns to defeat its opponent.
Traditionally, kung fu systems don't use sashes or belts. This tradition was added into our lineage from our Taiwan origins through the Tang Shou Dao (Tao), aka TST, from Master Hong Yi Xiang. In the KWA, we offer training in the individual arts in the traditional manner (with no ranks) or in all of them in a black sash track. We have a common curriculum for all students in order to give foundation in kung fu and then they begin their journey through the internal arts in whatever order their Shifu decides is best for them, eventually learning all 3 of them if they stick around long enough.
This school, while focusing on fighting from a standing position, includes a complete regimen of technique from qin na (grappling) to tumbling to simple block and counter techniques. In my personal experience working with a wide variety of different styles, I have always been able to take what I have learned and apply it to their unique style and approach.
The KWAMA is a founding member of the Christian Tang Shou Tao Association, an association of schools and teachers who delineate from Xu Hong Ji through Mark Kimzey. The association was established to facilitate Christian fellowship around the study of the arts. We are also affiliated with the Gospel Martial Arts Union and the Christian Black Belt Association.
We also do free Tai Ji classes for exercise in the community in association with local businesses, and offer Women's Self Defense Seminars periodically.
(also spelled: Hsing I Chuan, pronounced shing ee chwan; Pa Kua Chang, pronounced bah gwah dj-ang; Tai Chi Chuan, pronounced tie jee chwan)