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Kung Fu For Life | Martial Arts in Calgary
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Why Choose Us?
    • FAQ
    • Testimonials
    • The Five Shaolin Animals
  • Programs
    • Introductory Program
    • Private Lessons
    • Womens Self Defense
    • Belt System
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Phone: 403.243.5433

The Martial Art of Hapkido

9/1/2020

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the martial art of hapkido

The Martial Art of Hapkido

For anyone interested in getting into martial arts, there is certainly no shortage of choices on what to study. Over the last year we’ve talked about some of the more “famous” forms – like karate, tae kwon do, and ninjutsu – but there are many others that are less well known. One of these is hapkido.

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The Martial Art Of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

7/19/2020

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Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

BJJ - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

    The history of martial arts is often richly layered and deep, with many different forms coming from the same original set of teachings. We’ve covered some of these in the past, and even in the modern age, many of these forms come into being as variations of more traditional forms. Today we’re going to be talking about one that is very popular in modern sports: Brazilian jiu-jitsu, also known as Gracie jiu-jitsu.

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The Martial Art Of Tai Chi

5/26/2020

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the martial art of tai chi

The Martial Art Of Tai Chi

The words “martial arts” conjure up all kinds of imagery – and it’s usually Hollywood-style, over-the-top fight scenes that just barely jive with the laws of physics. But the truth is, the disciplines of different martial arts cover a wide range of activities and goals, and many of them are not focused on fighting. In fact, some of them have historically prioritized form, meditation, focus, balance, and other “inner” qualities. Tai chi quan, meaning “supreme ultimate boxing” and simply known as tai chi in most of pop culture, is one of them.

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The Martial Art of Kendo

3/23/2020

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kendo

The Martial Art of Kendo

We’ve spent a lot of the last few months talking about different martial arts – karate, tae kwon do, kickboxing, and so on – but for the most part, those have all focused on disciplines that prioritize body movement over weapons. While some, like ninjustsu, allow for the use of weapons like staffs, the majority of the training is on how to strike, block, and counter with your own body. Today let’s talk about a martial art that goes the other way: the Japanese school of kendo.

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The Martial Art of Ninjutsu

2/25/2020

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The Martial Art of Ninjutsu

The Martial Art of Ninjutsu

Of all the different fields of martial arts that we have already looked at, or will look at more closely in the future, perhaps the most misunderstood one is that of ninjutsu – the art and techniques of the nearly-mythical hidden attackers known as ninjas. From its ancient roots to its explosion in popularity during the last few decades, mostly thanks to pop culture phenomena like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the idea of what ninjutsu is and what its practitioners do has always walked the line between legend and reality.

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The Martial Art of Wing Chun

1/26/2020

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the martial art of wing chun calgary

The Martial Art of Wing Chun

A lot of people will ask about martial arts as if it’s a competition – which one is the best, which one is better for winning fights, and so on. But one of the best things about all martial arts in general is that they are all different expressions of the same underlying philosophy: that through training, discipline, meditation, and practice, anyone can become more in tune with themselves and their environment, and live a better life. And when we’re talking about styles as different as kung fu and wing chun, that distinction makes a big difference.

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Why Kung Fu Loses Against MMA

12/17/2019

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why kung fu loses against mma

Why Kung Fu Loses Against MMA

If you go to any bar on a Saturday night, you might encounter a room full of people glued to the TV, watching Pay-Per-View coverage of the latest big-name title fight. From humble origins, mixed-martial arts (MMA) fights have come up to be hugely popular, often getting tons of attention from people around the world – and more often than not, drawing parallels with the more traditional martial arts from which MMA is descended.

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The Martial Art Of Taekwondo

11/30/2019

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the martial art of taekwondo

The Martial Art Of Taekwondo

In prior months we have covered some other common forms of martial arts like karate and kickboxing. Today we’d like to talk about another one, which you’ve no doubt heard about in many movies, TV shows, and probably even within your personal friend group: taekwondo.

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Kickboxing: A Descendant of Martial Arts

8/26/2019

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Kickboxing: A descendant of martial arts

Kickboxing: A Descendant of Martial Arts

Fighting in some form or another – and with the elements of rules and sportsmanship – has been around for millennia, as shown by the huge number of ancient arenas and fighting pits that have been discovered dating back to some of the oldest human cultures. But these days, it’s much more than just tossing a couple of gladiators in a circle and placing bets. From those old traditions come some of the most common and recognizable disciplines we see today, including kickboxing.

Last month we talked about the origins and forms of karate, and that ties into kickboxing because that’s where the sport began! Though it may seem like a natural offshoot of a fighting style – after all, kicks are more powerful than punches – it actually was not until the 1950s that the sport we now know as kickboxing began to take shape in Japan.

Drawing not only from traditional karate, but also from muay thai, a man named Tatsuo Yamada began outlining the forms of the new sport and throughout the early 1960s, it took hold in students of both disciplines. As more people learned the rules of the sport, and the first competitions and events were taking place, soon kickboxing was expanding around the world and by the 1980s, it had grown into North America and Europe. Moving back and forth in popularity since then, and with very broad scope of rules and styles, it is one of the most enduring schools of modern martial arts for people of all skill levels.

Though each country seems to have its own rules, the bouts that most people are familiar with in kickboxing are generally based on full-contact karate, where the opponents fight through rounds until one of the fighters is knocked out or submits. There is no specialized equipment or weapons; generally only a mouth-guard, hand wrappings, and other protective gear is needed. Rules vary on low and high kicks, hits to knees or with elbows, use of spins, and other details. That means that each fighter has to be pinpoint accurate, quick to strike and to retreat, and ready to react to their foe in an instant. As opposed to the more meditative nature of karate and kung fu, kickboxing is much more fast-paced and focused on the immediate impact of kicks and punches.

There are dozens of sub-styles of kickboxing, including shoot boxing (where fighters can use standing chokeholds and armlocks),  sanshou (which incorporates elements of wrestling and takedowns), and Japanese K-1 (which allows lower-body strikes and grappling).

Whatever your personal style may be, if you like to fight, chances are good that there’s a kickboxing genre for you. However, if you prefer something more holistic and meditative, you can’t go wrong with studying kung fu – and we just happen to know the perfect place to learn: right here at Kung Fu
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The Martial Art Of Karate

7/31/2019

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the martial art of karate

The Martial Art Of Karate

When it comes to martial arts, many people think that they’re all the same – that kung fu is the same as judo, or karate, or tae kwon do. But if you look a little further into it, you’ll discover that there are plenty of ways that these skills manifest in practice, and that all of these different styles have totally different focuses and areas of expertise. We’d like to explore a little bit of what makes each discipline unique, and how they are similar to the kung fu we teach here at our studio. 

​Today we’re going to talk about karate, which is one of the most popular martial arts in Calgary and, indeed, in the world. You may have seen it (or heard it misidentified) in hundreds of movies and TV shows, where it is often synonymous with any form of self-defense. There’s even an episode of The Simpsons where Bart claims to be learning a “Touch of Death” at his karate class.

Luckily, karate is not all about causing harm to your opponent, but much more about self-discipline, training, and constant learning to always improve. Stemming from a blend of Chinese kung fu and Okinawan fighting styles, karate developed over many hundreds of years into different forms, types, and functions. Generally, they emphasize proper stances, strike and block techniques, and exercise, while psychological elements like leadership, perseverance, and virtue are built as well. A student can learn karate as an art (known as budo), as purely self-defense, or as a full combat sport – usually reserved only for competitions within the sport, but this is where the media’s portrayal of fighters usually draws from. There is even an offshoot called kyokushin that highlights full contact, toughness, and takedowns over the more mental aspects of the sport.

Many practitioners of karate appreciate its simplicity, both in the training and in the materials needed. Traditionally, learners needed nothing more than a wooden post, some blocks of stone, and various other common materials in order to increase their strength, stamina, coordination, and speed. That means it’s easy to do wherever you are, and cost is not as much of a factor when trying to learn. The name itself, kara-te, even means “empty hand”, referring to the training of one’s own body to be efficient and effective. Of course, some schools and some students choose to train with weapons as well, such as the bo (staff), sais, or nunchaku, but these can be harder to work with as one must consider the laws regarding the use and transport such weapons (you can see our blog right here).

You may be brand new to martial arts in Calgary (or in general), or you could be a seasoned pro, but with the sheer amount of new styles and techniques that are always being created, there’s always something new to learn in karate, kung fu, and all the others. Come see for yourself why these physical arts have lasted for centuries and still bring millions of people enjoyment, stress relief, and satisfaction all around the world. We can help show you the way at Kung Fu For Life, located just down the road from 39 Ave C Train station in Calgary!
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