A brief history....

Chinese Gongfu, more commonly Kung Fu (US), is the martial art origin lineage from which all modern day martial arts developed.  Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Krav Maga, Aikido, Kenpo (Kempo), and many more ALL have traceable beginnings in Chinese Martial Arts. So why not go to the source?

It began as a simple system of exercises to improve a Buddhist monk’s focus during meditation and to aid in self-defense while traveling throughout China, Asia and the rest of the world.  The benefits of Kung Fu are as varied as the people who study it, and often they discover that the reason they continue their study is not the reason they began.

Our Philosophy

Kung fu, also called wushu, is a way of life. This art was key for people to survive in the past. The purpose of kung fu is to fight against animals so people can survive. Later on, people discovered weapons, that is when people started to come up with all the different types of weapons. Steadily, people started using this art on each other. This is the time when they came up with all the different weapons and different styles, and how to use each weapon against other weapons. In the beginning, martial arts came from the people, later it turned into the military, and finally returned to the people. The history of the Chinese martial arts is almost as old as China, over 5000 years. This art is not only about fighting but also the art that can help you be healthy and strong. It is not just some sport that you can only play when you are young. You can start young and keep going for the rest of your life.

There are many different kinds of Chinese martial arts. In Monk Wise, our goal is to let you taste and try most of it. It doesn't matter Northern style or the Southern style, or even all the different kinds of the animal style, we have it all in Monk Wise. We are not just teaching you one form after another, our goal is to help you understand each move and its purpose, why the form is designed the way it is. If you only learn  the move itself, it would be like dance moves, losing the purpose.

In the monk wise kung fu system, this is what you will learn:

套路 Forms:  Forms allows you to practice the whole body’s power. It is not just one part of the body you need to work on. It is also helps you to let understand the power.

兵器 Weapon: Chinese martial arts weapon system teaches you to use weapons. The three main weapons in martial arts are broadsword, staff, and short stick, but there are many other weapons. In fact, basically any object can be used as a weapon, even something as small and simple as chopsticks. Each weapon is special and useful in its own way.

點 Acupuncture point: Here you will learn where pressure points are around the body that can make the human body feel numb, sour, or pain, with just very small push.

打 Hit:  In the Monk Wise kung fu system we will teach you how to use the animal style to protect your self, how to used the move in the martial art to defend yourself when someone attacks you. You will find each animal style is different any special. In the end you will be good with all of them, but also find the one or two that you enjoy it the most.

摔 Throw:  Monk Wise teaches Chinese wrestling. We teach you how to throw and take people down. We will also show you things that can happen leading up to that point. You will have a chance to taste the things that are designed for battle and quick death.

拿 Chin Na: This is one of the famous pieces in the self defense. People want to make sure that other people won't have the power to attack them. In Monk Wise you will learn how to lock down people, but at the same time you will learn how to get away with it. You will understand the purpose of all the little moves.

What animals do we teach?

We teach both Northers and Southern animal styles. There are eight principle animal styles:

Dragon (龍), tiger (虎), leopard (豹), snake (蛇), crane (鶴), monkey (猴), mantis (螳螂), and eagle (鷹).

We teach more than just those eight animals, but these are the main ones. Please feel free to ask an instructor about other animal styles if you are interested.

In Monk Wise there are no hidden secrets. All the things you are learning have been tested over 5000 years and proven to work effectively. Once you try the class you will find out Monk Wise is the only school in Utah that really teaches the traditional martial arts without hiding moves from you.

We know practice is hard. You can always find a reason to put it off for tomorrow. Come in to Monk Wise today and you will find out you can reach your dreams, move faster, do something cool at parties, or even just show off your muscles at the beach. Don't put it off for one more day. Come try and you will find that your dreams and goals are not so far away.

Self-Defense

Your most powerful self-defense weapon is your mind and your ability to use it. Following your mind, your body is your second most powerful tool. You use your body to employ weapons or other physical tools to aid in self-defense. Possessing a sharp mind and a skilled body allows maximum benefit from any tools or weapons. Although many people gain a sense of security from owning a weapon, when faced with a threatening situation an untrained person will not possess the skills to use it effectively in their defense. Our self-defense programs increase a person’s awareness of the tools around them as well as instilling the ability to use them effectively.

Animal Styles

We use the animal styles to relate to different personalities, energies and body types. By training this way we are able to use our natural strengths and learn to achieve positive results in diverse situations.  The most common Animal Styles covered at Monk Wise Martial Arts Academy:

Tiger – Tenacity, power and courage

Dragon – Flexibility with twisting, rising and falling

Eagle – Swift direct power, with gouging and tearing

Leopard – Speed with coordinated foot work

Monkey - High energy with unpredictable and confusing strikes

Crane – Balance and gracefulness with agility

Praying Mantis – Trapping, seizing, rhythmic movements

Snake – Suppleness and rhythmic endurance

Kung Fu – Self Development

The reason most people study the martial arts is simply to improve themselves. Individuals may use terms like self defense, physical fitness, relaxation, a new challenge, stress release, fun, philosophy, or mental awareness, but the bottom line is to improve and maintain an increased quality of life.

This is your instructor’s #1 priority. We will use time tested physical and mindful practices to help you towards your personal goals.

Our doors are open, we invite you to walk through.