Testimonials
Barbara Elzey (2nd Degree Black Belt)
I began Shaolin-Do Karate in 1982 while a junior at the University of Kentucky at the urging of my fiancé, who was a black belt in the style. I entered the study of karate with a certain amount of skepticism. I did not have a great desire to be punched and kicked and began, as most women begin, with a very tentative attitude. I had been an athlete all through high school and college so the physical exercise was something I was used to, but I soon found that Shaolin exercised muscles I never knew I had. During that first year, I went to a seminar at Sin Thé's dojo. There, a female green belt kicked me so hard in the stomach that I went down and couldn't get back up for what seemed an incredibly long time. It was then and there that I came to a strong realization. If a woman smaller than me could put me down to the ground, just about anyone could. It was time to learn how to prevent that from happening.
And so, my serious study of the martial arts began at that moment. I was no longer tentative. I, in fact, pursued the martial arts with a passionate desire to obtain expertise. In 1986, I achieved my black belt. That same year, I moved to what was then West Germany, together with my husband, the aforementioned black belt. There, I taught elementary school at a local Department of Defense school and began my own Shaolin Do karate class with the children who attended my school. It was a wonderful experience teaching all of my children about one of the things I loved most. They, too, took to it with a passion.
In 1988, I returned to the United States and tested for my 2nd Degree Black Belt. At that time, I helped Grandmaster Sin Thé in teaching his white through brown belt level classes. Several years later, I left Shaolin in order to have a child and then to deal with two successive bouts with cancer, but Shaolin never truly left me, and in fact, gave me much of the fortitude and mental discipline that it took to deal with my health issues. Now, although quite a bit older than I was when I began this endeavor, I can say that Shaolin brings me far more than it ever did. Mentally, Shaolin tests my memory to a far greater capacity than the college level mathematics I now teach. The mastery of its applications, both internal and external, requires a great deal of critical thinking. Its internal forms give me both relaxation and focus. And it provides better exercise than any sport I could possibly pursue. My self-discipline is strengthened by its practice. My confidence remains strong that I can protect myself. The friends I have made within Shaolin are becoming like another family. More importantly, without a doubt, I know that Shaolin is extending my life and improving my health.
Claude Meares (3rd Degree Black Belt)
I began my studies in Shaolin-Do in June 1992 under the guidance of Grandmaster Sin Kwang Thé. At the time, I was merely looking for a better way to fight and stay in shape. I am no longer looking. To bluntly state that Shaolin-Do has changed my life is an understatement. Shaolin-Do is so rich and fulfilling that I have spent the last half of my life learning and using it, and I've just barely even stratched the surface.
Due largely to its sheer complexity and extensiveness, the lifestyle of Shaolin-Do can often feel somewhat difficult or overwhelming. All too often, I have literally left class dripping with sweat, and with more questions than when class began. This, however, has never been a discouragement because it should take years to learn and execute the most complete, comprehensive, and dangerous martial art on the planet. I can't even begin to imagine what my mind, body, and spirit would resemble without the practice of Shaolin-Do.
Since 1993, I have had the privilege of practicing Shaolin-Do under the guidance of Elder Master Bill Leonard who, in my opinion, is the most capable martial artist I have ever met. His classes have always stressed patience and practice, as well as discipline and the value of hard work; principles almost everyone truly needs (yet few actually have) to be successful in life, as well as in the martial arts. As a result, I have found Shaolin-Do to be an invaluable tool, useful in almost any situation.
As I mentioned above, it has taken me years to learn and practicably execute Shaolin-Do. In that amount of time, I have seen many Shaolin-Do students come and go, and some seem to have quit just after receiving the rank of black belt. In Shaolin-Do, unlike other martial arts, black belt is not an end to one's training; rather it is only the beginning. At first this was a difficult concept. After all, I had spent three years of my life coming to a class regularly and training hard. I was also in better shape than ever before and could definitely defend myself against an attacker. Later, I realized those same three years were merely the foundation for a much broader and challenging experience which would not come easy, but then again, nothing truly worth having ever does.
Thankfully, patience is also an attribute I have gained with the practice of this acient Chinese fighting art. Patience is truly necessary when you consider the amount of time necessary to learn and develop Shaolin-Do in a meaningful and practical way. Perhaps my advice might seem over simplified, but I assure you it has worked for me: practice, practice, practice and patience, patience, patience; you can only get better.
Associate Master Herman Collins (5th Degree Black Belt)
I got my black belt at the Sports Center in 1979, the same year my son Ben was born. In the 80's I took a few years off, but I returned to the club in 1989 along with Ben. He and I been working out together ever since and tested for our second degree black belts together. Since 1992, I've been lucky enough to continue my studies under Elder Master Bill Leonard. In 2003, Grandmaster Sin was gracious enough to promote Ben and I to fifth degree black belt.
Mark Bongard (2nd Degree Black Belt)
My journey to Shaolin started with my family in April 2002. To explain, though, I have to go a little further back in time. My two sons, Matt and Alex had taken Tae Kwan Do and had tried to get me to take it with them. I have jogged regularly since college, so I was in fairly good shape, but I did not think that I could jump, kick and remember kata. I was then in my early 40s and it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks. Therefore, I always resisted their invitations.
Alex earned a black belt and Matt was just one belt shy of black when they lost interest. They had always been disappointed that there were no weapons in Tae Kwan Do. Matt started looking for another martial arts school that included weapons. He found the Sin Thé Karate School and asked if he and Alex could join. I told him not now, because they just lost interest in one variety of martial arts and we would not spend more money on another martial arts school so soon after they quit the other school. My response is probably understood by all of the parents reading this.
I do have to admit that my wife, Judy, and I were curious about the school that Matt found. We belonged to the Sin Thé Sports Center when I was in law school from 1979 to 1982. We assumed that this must be the same Sin The from the Sports Center, but we were not sure. (Of course, once we joined we learned that Grand Master Sin The is the same person from the Sports Center.)
Well, Matt persisted and my parental stamina broke down. We stopped by the school one Sunday afternoon in late March 2002 and took a look around. Everyone was friendly and helpful. We asked questions and got answers. Before we left, my whole family signed up! I signed up for the karate with my two sons, while my wife and daughter, Rachel, signed up for Tai Chi. You might wonder what changed from when my boys took Tae Kwan Do. After all I knew that Shaolin was going to involve kicking, jumping and memorizing, which are the three reasons why I never accepted my boys' invitations to join them. Also, I was then 44 years old and had never played a contact sport in my life. Why would I sign up for Shaolin when I would never even try Tae Kwan Do?
Well the date had a lot to do with it. On September 11, 2001, I was scheduled to fly to Washington D.C. on business. My late morning flight was obviously cancelled. Washington DC is about the only place I travel to on business. When my children asked me to take Shaolin with them one of my thoughts was that no one would take over a plane I was on, once I studied Shaolin. So the combination of national events and the simple desire to participate in a sport with my children started my journey in Shaolin. I am still early in my journey, but I have achieved first black and will be eligible to test for second black in September 2006.
I must admit that it has not been easy. I had trouble learning kata. My sense of right and left is often reversed and I am not naturally athletic. While I played tennis in high school, my coach used to laugh and marvel at how someone so off balance could still on occasion hit the ball over the net. And I can tell you that my balance was not better at age 44 - it was worse! Even though I have no natural ability I loved the classes! I think I liked them even more than my children. I practiced a lot at home and I came to the gym on Saturdays when I could to have one of the black belts help me. Sometimes it is good to be stubborn. Through injuries (of which there were several on my way to first black) and through confusion (which still plagues me), I was determined to stick with it.
I have stuck with it and I am glad that I did. I have fun and get a great work out of body and mind. The people at the gym are great and the black belts are always helpful. In fact I think it is the people at the gym as much as anything else that keeps me coming. The members come from a wide variety of backgrounds and that makes for an eclectic mix. Thankfully, my wife indulges my interest in Shaolin and is not too bothered by my frequent visits to the gym, even when I am not having my classes. She does, however, refer to Shaolin as my mistress.
I highly recommend Shaolin. It exercises the mind and body and challenges you to overcome inner fears (like of doing cartwheels). It is something you can do with your family and it allows you to meet interesting people and make new friends. Shaolin can even open up a world of travel through the periodic trips to China that the schools across the country take. In 2005, my wife and I went on the China trip and had wonderful time. Finally, Shaolin provides a sense of personal accomplishment balanced with a humble spirit. You learn much, but you also see that there is always much to learn. You can see your own improvement, but you are also aware there are many who are more skilled than yourself. I believe that these are lessons that transfer well to the other aspects of our lives.
Angel Careaga (2nd Degree Black Belt)
My first year of college, 2001, was a year of change. That change was one of both positive and negative. The positive was that I found the writer inside me and began writing my first book. The negative however, was that with the increase in studies, reading, and writing, I didn't get the proper exercise I needed. That combined with the malnutrition of campus life, and by the end of that year, in May of 2002, I had ballooned 31 pounds. It was terrible because everybody saw it, and I began to receive hints that I was becoming a fatty. I had been lifting weights, but the fat was starting to become a problem that needed attention.
That summer then became to me the largest waste of time I have ever experienced. I was out of work, and I grew lazy and lost in general. I tried going to the YMCA to play basketball, but soon my shin splints set in and I had to stop. I was just too fat!
When I first walked into Sin Thé Karate School in 2002, I didn't know what was right there in my hometown. I had merely decided to try out the kung fu related entry in the phonebook. I have to admit I was skeptical at first. Grandmaster of all Shaolin? Wearing "Japanese" gis? Belts? Where are the trophies? Where are the elaborate decorations and Chinese art? Where's the peppy guy in a clean white T-shirt with Shaolin-Do written on it that is supposed to be talking me into joining? Confused however so, I was hooked by watching the class itself. There was so much energy and hard work in the very air! Without hesitation I decided to join. Something special was going on, and I was going to find out what it was.
The more and more I attended classes, the deeper I realized the rabbit hole had become. There was way more than I expected - more than I could imagine any one school would have. Just a glance at the list of information on the walls, the curriculum, and the history was enough to make me shudder. Then to learn that Master Leonard had studied for over 35 years and still was 'only' a 7th degree! It amazed me to no end. I eventually decided that Shaolin-Do was the lifestyle for me. The thing is, I never had a real lifestyle before. Writing is more of a hobby and pass-time for me... a sort of interest. I had no religion. I had no affiliation. But in the dojo I quietly found my sanctuary from the world's senselessness. I found teachers who understood my philosophies, and I found friends that accepted me as a unique individual with ideas. Moreover it was very healthy for me, and I learned how inept a fighter I really was. I saw the difference between the ways a real dojo operates and other schools that are out just for money.
The farther along I went, and the better in shape I got, the more I began to understand my path in life. I am a martial artist, and Shaolin is my art. To me, this means more than just exercise or learning how to fight. It's a Lifestyle: a way of living that is a part of who you are, from your heart to your soul to your mind. And for once, I've found a place that accepts this lifestyle and a group of people that understands how I feel. I've made friends I'll have for the rest of life, and grown in ways I can't yet comprehend.
There's one thing I know for sure at least: less than two years later I'm 33 pounds lighter, with more dense muscle than before, a tougher mentality, and certainly a lot more understanding of who I am and where I belong. You can't place a dollar value on such things... that is what makes Shaolin-Do so priceless to me.
David Duncan, M.D. (2nd Degree Black Belt)
Elder Master Leonard accepted me as a white belt having already attained advanced rank belts in five Korean and Okinawa martial arts styles. Shaolin-Do training had been a lifelong dream for me. No style compares to the comprehensive, intensive, and diverse curriculum taught under the guidance of Grandmaster Sin Thé. The purity of the ancient art developed in the temples of China has been preserved for the benefit of the serious student of the martial arts. If you are a committed prospective student of Shaolin Kung Fu, you have arrived. Welcome and best wishes as you begin your journey!
