Our foundations in just about everything we do in LA Jin Yin begins with Martial Arts. Should you decide to join us, we will impart as much of our knowledge to you as we possibly can. We only wish for you to become better not only as a Martial Artist, but as a person as well. We ask for your time and dedication to the pursuit of self improvement.
Sifu Michael Cheung is a 4th generation student of Imperial BaGua Zhang. He has also trained in Yang Style Tai Chi and various other Martial Arts from China. Sifu has decades of experience in Martial Arts and has laid the groundwork for us to continue in the traditions of LA Jin Yin.
Our emphasis is on Kung Fu. The primary systems we teach are Xing Yi, Yang Tai Chi and Imperial BaGua Zhang. These forms are similar in origin and are complements of one another. An external style and two internal styles.
External Martial Arts is very physically demanding. Examples of external Martial Arts are Xing Yi, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, etc. They focus on the use of force tempered with discipline to accomplish their goals. Although it sounds like it is difficult, learning an external Martial Art is just like most other activities or sports. You get better if you physically train yourself and practice. A solid foundation with the basics of an external Martial Art can prepare you for just about anything life has to throw at you.
Internal Martial Arts is not as easygoing as Tai Chi makes it look to be. As much training in external Martial Arts is required for internal, just in a totally different way. From the slow moving Tai Chi to the brisk movements of BaGua Zhang, internal forms of Martial Arts focus on maintaining balance, channeling energy, and using force to defeat itself. Thus, internal forms of Martial Arts tend to take a significant amount of time to master. Learning the movements and exercises along with their meaning and application, makes it very important to understand the philosophy behind the Martial Art. This is what truly makes it an “art”.
Among these three primary systems/styles we teach, here is a list of others that we have knowledge to impart…
- Choy Lay Fut
- Long Fist
- Wing Chun (Wooden Dummy)
- Wu Shu
- Brazilian Ju-jitsu
- Grappling
- Muay Thai
- Taekwondo
- Kendo
- Capoiera
- Jeet Kun Do (not so much as a style, but a philosophy that we embrace)
Some of the above, we are either learning it or have limited experience with the form… That pretty much summarizes our weaponless forms.
Below is our weapons forms list…
- Staff/Bo
- Chinese Broadsword
- Spear
- Horse-Cutter
- Qwan Dao
- Double Chinese Broadsword
- Chinese Straight Sword
- Double Chinese Straight Sword
- Butterfly Knives
- Whip Chain
- Ball & Rope
Weapons are usually taught in that order…
For performances we often do sets/forms with or without weapons. Early on instruction will focus on unarmed sets/forms. As you improve and become proficient, you will move on to weapons training.
With a solid foundation in which to rest upon, you will also learn Lion Dancing. Our Lion Dancing is the Southern Form (Futsan/Foshan) which can be distinguished from the Northern Form from the extra long tails of the lions. For those familiar with Jet Li’s movies “Once Upon A Time In China” series, Jet Li’s character (Wong Fei Hung) demonstrates his skills in Lion Dancing throughout the series. There are many aspects to learn when dealing with Lion Dancing. First and foremost is the traditions which we uphold. The act of following those traditions is what makes Lion Dancing a difficult yet rewarding tradition.
All of the above will be taught to you. We only require in return that you remain committed to the group, perform what we teach you when there are shows, and strive to be a better person.
