POWER. FOCUS. CONFIDENCE.

Ready for adult Martial Art class that you can safely begin at any age or fitness level?

Master Sbarge (back) teaches Sifu Wesley Adams a Tai Chi Self-Defense application.

Master Eric Sbarge demonstrates a combat application on Sifu Adams.

Kungfu Offers You:

• Exciting new levels of fitness and coordination

• Devastating ancient fighting and self-defense techniques
• New levels of discipline and mental focus
• The philosophies and wisdom of traditional Asian culture

“The curriculum here is diversified. It offers something for any age or type of person. The instructors treat every student with respect and help the student reach the highest level of martial arts they are capable of.”
Frank Tippett, Bond investor

Shaolin Kung Fu

Originating in the Shaolin Temple in China over 1500 years ago, Shaolin kungfu is an extremely broad and comprehensive martial art. Often referred to as the “Grandfather” of Asian martial arts, Shaolin has influenced the development of later eastern martial arts such as Japanese karate and Korean tae kwon do.

Shaolin offers you great fitness and health, effective fighting skills, and it is a visually exciting and beautiful art, as shown by the entire movie genre of “Kung Fu movies.”

Shuai Chiao Kungfu (Chinese grappling)

The oldest documented of all martial arts in East Asia, Shuai Chiao is recorded dating back more than 2500 years to the time of the Yellow Emperor. With emphasis on explosive take-downs and throws, Shuai Chiao offers a truly devastating arsenal of effective combat techniques for those serious about real fighting skill.

Though not for the faint-of-heart, Shaui Chiao is a powerful addition for students of “stand-up” fighting styles such as Shaolin Kungfu, Karate, Tae Kwon Do or Boxing.

For those who want to learn an effective Martial Art for Self-Defense, Columbia Kung Fu Center is truly a rare find.

“I have studied under six of the top martial arts experts in the world, including the president of the World Tae Kwon Do Association and the president of the World Karate Association. One thing I look for is an instructor who truly knows the material he is teaching. This Kung Fu Instructor is WORLD CLASS!”
John Barry, Columbia, SC

Wes learning a Tai Chi self-defense application from his teacher, Master Sbarge (left)

 

If you are interested in martial arts or self defense–whether it’s Muay Thai Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, mixed martial arts, or traditional martial arts like Judo, Karate, or Taekwondo–Chinese Kung Fu is considered the “Grandfather” of Eastern martial arts. Real Chinese martial arts (these days more often known as Kung Fu or Guo Shu rather than Wu Shu) is highly respected by those who know and understand the martial arts at a high level.

Many of the students here are focused on cultivating the mind, body, and spirit through Tai Chi training, and that’s great. However, many students here wish to develop a real ability to defend themselves. Finding a place where you can learn true Kung Fu combat skills is extremely rare.

Wes learning a Tai Chi self-defense application from his teacher, Master Sbarge (left) Gorgeous routines, back flips, and fancy kicks may look good in movies or win competitions, but they have absolutely nothing to do with surviving a dangerous street attack. To survive, you need to know how, where, and when to strike back. Remember, every second you are in a fight you are in great danger! Fighting is a sport. Self-defense is the art of avoiding, escaping, or ending a fight very quickly—and going home alive!

 

But, even more important than physical skill, getting home alive when confronted with a violent attack is a matter of mental training. Though I had wrestled in high school and studied various martial arts in college, I didn’t realize that I had not developed a realistic mindset for protecting myself when in real danger. That is, until I began training under Master Eric Sbarge at The Peaceful Dragon.

“I like having a fixed, regular class routine to help me stay in practice; I like the sense that I’m learning self-defense skills, not just a set of stretches and poses; I like that every single individual I’ve met at our school is friendly, supportive, and positive.”
Thornwell Simons, Age 33, Columbia, SC

While there is no doubt that modern mixed martial arts fighters can defend themselves, even in fighting sports you are operating under a controlled situation with a certain set of rules. For an average person trying to learn practical self-defense, this isn’t ideal training. Street self-defense has no rules or rounds—it’s pure survival. Mindset, skill, and physicality all count when your life is on the line, so if you pursue training in Kung Fu as a martial art here at Columbia Kung Fu Center, you’ll likely become the most confident, disciplined, and physically fit you’ve ever been in your life.

I have been practicing and refining the skills that I learned from Master Sbarge for over 20 years, and I teach these skills to those students here at Columbia Kung Fu Center who are up to the mental and physical challenge of learning to defend themselves.

Columbia Kung Fu Center’s Approach to Kungfu

Over 1500 years ago, the Shaolin monks of China began studying martial arts as part of their lifelong journey of enlightenment. They knew that the body, mind and spirit are inseparable, and so they followed these three essential pillars in their training. This included martial arts and Qigong to strengthen the body, meditation to clear and focus the mind, and spiritual inquiry for answers the deepest questions of their being.

At Columbia Kung Fu Center, we adhere to this traditional Shaolin “three pillar” approach, teaching authentic lineage Kung Fu styles, Qigong, and Meditation. The journey is a demanding one, and requires self-discipline and dedication, but the rewards are always more than worth the effort.

We constantly motivate our students to strive to reach their full potential. Traditional Chinese martial arts have no “belt rankings” or other competitive grading systems; the only test is whether you’ve made a little more progress today. True martial arts mastery as a lifelong process and we aim to help you build a strong foundation for optimal progress. You’ll receive personalized instruction in Qigong, forms, breathing methods, conditioning, meditation, self-defense applications, sparring, weaponry and more:

  • Diverse kungfu styles and forms including the Shaolin styles of Mei Jong, Lohan, Shuai Chiao and Kenpo, and the internal styles of Bagua and Hsing I.
  • You progress at your own pace – no standardized pace that rushes some and slows others
  • Day, evening, and weekend classes in clean, spacious studios with bathroom and  dressing room
  • Positive, motivated fellow students to train with

The Taoist arts of Pa Kua and Hsing I

 

Although not as well known as Tai Chi or other forms of Kung Fu, Pa Kua is an effective internal art, focusing on circular movements as well as on methods of meditation and qigong that are a perfect complement to Tai Chi training for health. At first Pa Kua is practiced slowly and gently, making it ideal for people of all ages and health conditions. If you are interested in cultivating high-level fighting skills, you’ll benefit greatly from the evasiveness, efficiency, and speed that comes from mastering Pa Kua movement.

Hsing-I is based on the five elements of metal, water, wood, fire and earth. In this art one develops great internal power and goes directly to the opponent to attack. Even though Hsing-i looks like an external art, it’s power is truly internal. However, many call it ‘The Bridge Art’ because in some ways it is a middle ground between an external and internal style.

If you want to fully understand the depths of Taoist philosophy, Tai Chi introduces the first of the three conceptual pillars–“Yin and Yang”–and Hsing I and Pa Kua represent the other two–the “Five Elements” and the “Eight Trigrams”.


All classes are held at 2761 Rosewood Drive.

If you live in West Columbia, Lexington, Blythewood, Irmo, Cayce, or any other area around Columbia, don’t worry, we have many students taking classes here from your area, and with our many flexible class times, you will be able to find times that work for you. If you live in West Columbia, Lexington, Blythewood, Irmo or Cayce but work in Columbia, then it’s even easier because we have many evening class times—so don’t let distance keep you from improving your mind and body with Kung Fu!