Tustin Shaolin Martial Arts

02/17/2026

Happy Chinese Lunar New Year! May everyone be blessed with health, happiness, and abundance in the Year of the Fire Horse!

12/26/2025

Merry Christmas to our friends & family, and the entire community around Tustin Shaolin Martial Arts!🎄 May the season be filled with joy and good training.

07/11/2025

This is an interesting story to me. It highlights the potential differences in self defense between the law, the ethics, and the policies one might fall under in any given situation. Most would see what the defender did in this situation as being ethically warranted (not all would agree). The police were uninterested in charging him for defending himself against a drunk bully. But he may face repercussions with his employer (a youth hockey league). Know what's at stake in all cases.

Police Drop Bombshell Verdict on Viral Brawl After Ex-NHL Star Nick Tarnasky Schooled Drunk Golfer in Wild Showdown

Full story via 🔗 in comments. 👇

06/02/2025

An occasional topic that comes up is the question of whether a child should be allowed to pause their self defense training to go do "other things for a while," or not. I've heard parents say, "well, I can't force em to train." Really? How many kids wake up occasionally and say, "I don't wanna go to school!" And what do we do as parents? We send them to school. How many kids eventually declare that they hate a topic in school, like math or history, etc, and want to stop doing it? Practically all of them hit that place on something at some point, don't they?

The question to me is whether you, as the parent, believe self defense should be part of their curriculum as a young person, or not. Would you let them skip math if they wanted time off from it, or to stop doing it all together? I think no reasonable parent would do that.

How important is it for humans of all ages to be able to defend their own bodies? It's a basic human need that goes unmet for a wild percentage of people. The result is that they either walk around with a false sense of security, thinking they're equipped to be able to handle whatever comes their way in life, or they walk around feeling inadequate to the task. If they're not trained, they're the target. It's that simple.

Would you let a kid drop math because they want to do other things or really don't like math? I bet you wouldn't. I would argue that their ability to defend themselves, and maybe even defend someone else, is at least on par with math, and probably even more important.

Keep em training.

06/01/2025

In a conversation with a lifelong friend I've known since elementary school, he mentioned that he wanted to rebuild his lungs. The conversation started in the context of breathing technique during running. The first thought a lot of people have when it comes to rebuilding their fitness is that they need to start cardio, and they think of running, cycling, or swimming. There's a place for those if you have time, but they're not actually the top priority. Here's what I said to him. Try it on for size:

You could start with just walking fast. Running in the sense of distance jogging is probably overrated, especially if you have joint problems now. But if you can walk, you can still challenge your heart and lungs.

I think the most important things to do involve challenging the muscles. Pick up some dumbbells or kettlebells or a resistance band set. Stick with simple moves. Push, Pull, Squat, Dead Lift, Kettlebell Swing, Carry (one- handed like a suitcase, or two- handed like a Farmer's Carry).

There are lots of variations of movements in those ranges of motion. They'll all challenge the heart and lungs, as well as all the major muscles of the body. Worth doing, even if you have to start light in a difficult range due to old injuries. The body is amazing in its ability to rebuild.

05/20/2025

An article from Sports Illustrated on the connection between strength and longevity.

Maybe it’s my age, or maybe it’s the fact that anti-aging and life extension have exploded into a multi-billion-dollar industry over the past two decades, but e

05/17/2025

05/15/2025

A message about what's going on with kids right now. We need to give them a better chance to develop movement skills, situational awareness, and the ability to handle situations in life. It's so easy to fall into using technology and forget to do anything in the real world, now.

04/23/2025

In our school, we blend the use of traditional forms with sparring practices that are closest to modern Sanda sparring rules. There has to be a combination of practicing fundamentals, forms, and partner training including sparring for students to gain effective usage of practical kung fu.

Understanding the Depth of Wushu: Beyond Surface-Level Perceptions

Wushu, as a traditional Chinese martial art, is often misunderstood by those who observe only a fragment of its vast and complex system. A common misconception arises when individuals judge the entirety of Wushu based solely on Taolu—its performance-based component. This is akin to watching a boxer engage in shadowboxing and concluding that he lacks real fighting ability. Such assumptions overlook the broader context and the distinct purposes of Wushu’s various branches.

Taolu, by design, is not a direct reflection of combat application. Rather, it represents the artistic and athletic dimension of Wushu. It is a highly disciplined form of expression that emphasizes technical precision, physical conditioning, rhythm, balance, agility, and explosive power. Taolu showcases the beauty, tradition, and philosophy embedded in Chinese martial arts, drawing from centuries of heritage while evolving through contemporary athletic standards. Its purpose is to preserve and demonstrate the essence of martial techniques, not to simulate real fighting scenarios.

For those seeking evidence of Wushu’s effectiveness in combat, one need only look to Sanda—Wushu’s full-contact fighting system. Sanda practitioners are rigorously trained in striking techniques, defensive maneuvers, wrestling, and takedown strategies. Their preparation equips them to compete at high levels, including in mixed martial arts (MMA) arenas, where they have consistently demonstrated their capabilities. There are numerous instances where Sanda fighters have entered MMA competitions and secured decisive victories, sometimes within mere seconds. These outcomes are a testament to the practicality and efficacy of Sanda as a combat discipline.

Therefore, it is reductive and inaccurate to judge Wushu solely by the lens of Taolu. Both Taolu and Sanda serve distinct yet complementary roles within the Wushu system—one emphasizing aesthetic and technical mastery, the other focusing on practical combat proficiency. To dismiss the entirety of Wushu based on a single aspect is to overlook the depth, diversity, and richness of the art.

In conclusion, Wushu is far more than what is visible on the surface. It embodies a complete martial philosophy that integrates body, mind, and spirit. Whether expressed through the graceful movements of Taolu or the dynamic force of Sanda, Wushu remains a profound and disciplined path, deserving of deeper understanding and respect.

11/17/2024

Tao-with-Coffee-or-Tea-Ching:
Verse 7, Detachment

11/16/2024

Tao-with-Coffee-or-Tea-Ching:
Verse 6, The Great Mother