Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Shaolin-Do?

Shaolin-Do means "The Way of Shaolin." Shaolin is an ancient Chinese martial art developed at the Shaolin Temples in China some 1500 years ago by the Buddhist monks who lived there. For a more detailed explanation of Shaolin-Do, check out our History page.

2. How much does it cost?

If you are interested in obtaining our prices, please check out our Prices page for more information.

3. Are you a kid's school? Do you teach children?

No and yes. We are not a children's school and we are not a baby-sitting service, although we do accept children as students. For children under the ago of 10, we offer two options. For children from ages 5 to 12, we have a Shaolin Kids class that meets on Saturday afternoons. For children over the age of 10, they can join our regular classes, however we require an older and responsible family member (parent, grandparent, aunts/uncles, or older siblings) to join and attend classes with them. We find that this practice helps the young children stay focused during class, learn the material more easily, and strengthens the bond between them.

We have many families that study here, of all ages. We also offer a family discount for those who want to sign up with their children. Please contact us for more information.

4. What will I learn if I sign-up for Shaolin-Do classes?

If you are interested in what physical skills you will learn, here is a partial list of the material you will learn between the rank of white belt and black belt, in our kung-fu classes: 30 short kata, 20 sparring techniques, 25 self-defense techniques, 4 tiger forms, 7 bird forms, 3 bo (staff) forms, 1 stick form, 1 broadsword form, 15 nunchaku spins, and 1 sai form. Simply stated, we are the most material rich and expansive martial arts school in the world! If you are interested in our Tai Chi program, you will learn 4 Tai Chi Forms (2 empty hand forms, a sword form, and an iron fan form), 1 Pa Kua form, basic principles of meditation, and some of the classical I Chin Ching (conditioning) exercises.

If you are referring to what mental skills you will learn, we concentrate on enriching our students' lives through the principles of honor, loyalty, respect, and self-discipline.

5. What can I expect in my first class of Shaolin-Do?

When you sign-up for classes with us, you can expect to become part of the family. You will be treated with respect and given every chance to succeed in the martial arts. As for your first actual class, every class begins with a formal bow and then a series of warm-up exercises to help you get ready to work out and prevent injuries. The bulk of the class time will be divided into practicing basics, reviewing previous material, learning new material, and some conditioning. Finally, each class closes with a conditioning segment, consisting of push-ups, abdominal work, and frog-jumps to build your strength.

6. What should I do if I have studied another martial art before?

Sign-up today! Many of our students have studied other disciplines of martial arts prior to joining us. Because each martial arts system has different requirements for rank advancement, all beginning students must start at white belt, regardless of any other ranks they may have attained.

If you are a former Shaolin-Do student (from a school/teacher in good standings with Grandmaster Sin Thé), you may retain your rank when you join us. However, you must present to us your latest rank advancement certificate in order to do so.

7. If you are a traditional Chinese style of martial arts, why do you wear Japanese style gi's (uniforms) and belts?

When Grandmaster Ie Chang Ming fled China to Indonesia, he had to disguise his art from the government because of their hatred of the Chinese. Rather than abandon his life practice, he simply adopted Japanese uniforms and belts. He also added the Japanese word Do to Shaolin, which means "The Way of"

In fact, the common frog-button style kung-fu uniforms of today were made popular in the 1970's by Bruce Lee in many of his martial arts movies. Traditional Shaolin monks wore a wrap-around style uniform very similar to the gi's that we wear today.

8. Why do some of your students wear gi's and belts and others wear sams and sashes?

Our external students wear the traditional gi and belt like Grandmaster Sin Thé, while our internal students wear a sam and sash. While belts and sashes are not equivalent, they are useful in gauging a student's progress and abilities, and in distinguishing between the two programs.

9. What is the Shaolin-Do Association?

The Shaolin-Do Association (SDA) is a national organization of Shaolin-Do schools and students who support Grandmaster Sin Thé and the art of Shaolin-Do. Membership is optional, but includes such benefits as a quarterly newsletter, a training manual, a patch for your gi, a membership card, discounts on equipment, and reduced admission prices to the national fall tournament and several seminars each year! Most of these seminars are only open to Shaolin-Do black belts and any SDA member! This is your chance to get ahead and learn some advanced material!

For more information on the Shaolin-Do Association, including how to join, visit their website at shaolin-do.com.