Shaolin Kung Fu Curriculum

Our Shaolin Kung Fu curriculum is organized into 12 levels designed for systematic progress. The first two levels consist of all of the fundamentals of Shaolin Kung Fu: how to generate an energy flow throughout your body, build internal force, use stances and footwork to move with agility and grace, and apply basic hand attacks and defenses. Students also learn One Finger Shooting Zen, one of the treasures of our school, at the first level.

Sifu Chris Didyk executes the Shaolin Kung Fu pattern "Bail Moon From Sea"

Once students are proficient in the fundamentals, they practice the 16 basic combat sequences. These two-man sequences cover all four categories of attack: hand strikes, kicks, felling/grappling, and chin-na (gripping). Through our sparring methodology, students systematically learn how to apply and adapt the sequences in free sparring.

After the 16 basic combat sequences, students train classical kung fu sets. First, Cross Roads at Four Gates, which was once the fundamental set practiced by all martial monks at the southern Shaolin Temple, then, the Ho Family Flowing Water Staff and Plum Flower Sabre. As part of their weapons training, students learn the characteristics and some signature patterns of each of the major weapons. (After completing the 12 levels, students may choose to focus more deeply on a weapon.) It’s worth noting that when we train sets, we also train their signature skills, force-training methods, and how to apply their patterns in combat.

In the last levels, students learn how to disarm an armed attacker and fight multiple attackers, both armed and unarmed. It is often difficult to grasp the depth of Shaolin Kung Fu, but maybe the fact that these 12 levels only represent the basics gives you some idea! After completing the curriculum, there is still much to learn, and students can choose from a number of sets and skills for specialized training.

While the material in the curriculum is focused on the combat aspects of Shaolin Kung Fu, a point of emphasis in Shaolin Wahnam is that practicing Shaolin Kung Fu should enrich our daily lives. Students become healthy, relaxed, happy, and full of energy. Their minds become clear and sharp and their performance improves in everything they do. In short, they realize the best versions of themselves. These benefits are a direct result of practicing high-level Shaolin Kung Fu and are enhanced as students progress.

Please note that advancement is earned on merit, and the timeframes for each level are based on a typical student. It takes such a student 4-5 years to complete all 12 levels.

Level 1: Foundations (4 months)

Material

  1. Basic stances
    • horse
    • bow-arrow
    • false leg
    • single leg
    • unicorn
    • 4-6
    • goat
  2. Basic footwork
    • gliding forward/backward in bow-arrow
    • stepping forward/backward in false leg
    • stepping forward/backward in bow-arrow
    • stepping forward/backward in single leg
    • stepping forward/backward in bow-arrow + unicorn
    • compass point bow-arrow
  3. 8 basic hand patterns (attacking and defending the 4 directions)
    • Black Tiger Steals the Heart
    • Single Tiger Emerges from Cave
    • White Snake Shoots Venom
    • Golden Dragon Plays with Water
    • Precious Duck Swims Through Lotus
    • False Leg Hand Sweep
    • Hang a Golden Star at Corner
    • Immortal Emerges from Cave
  4. Internal force-training
    • Zhan Zhuang cycle
    • One Finger Shooting Zen
  5. Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung
    • Entering a chi kung state of mind
    • Generating a chi flow
    • Standing meditation
    • The Big 3 Chi Kung exercises: Lifting the Sky, Pushing Mountains, Carrying the Moon
  6. The Art of Flexibility
    • Three Levels to Ground
    • Dancing Crane
    • Lohan Touches Toes
    • Dragonfly Plays with Water

Objectives

  1. Relaxed 5 minute horse stance
  2. Can build internal force with all stances and One Finger Shooting Zen
  3. Can move in stances using good footwork and harmonious body movement
  4. Can execute the 8 basic hand patterns well
  5. Can apply the 8 basic hand patterns from Two Tigers at the Ready
  6. Can generate a chi flow with Lifting the Sky, Pushing Mountains, and Carrying the Moon

Level 2: Lohan Asks the Way (4 months)

Material

  1. Lohan Asks the Way set
  2. Taming/Asking the Way
  3. Footwork with a partner
  4. Pattern-level sparring
  5. Basic kicks
    • Happy Bird Hops up Branch
    • Yellow Oriole Drinks Water
    • White Horse Presents Hoof
    • Naughty Monkey Kicks Tree

Objectives

  1. Can do Lohan Asks the Way set with good form, force, and flow
  2. Can apply 8 basic hand patterns from poise patterns
  3. Can apply footwork to move with a partner
  4. Relaxed 10 minute horse stance
  5. Can execute kicks with good form and force from poise patterns
  6. Can spar at the pattern-level slowly and relaxed following good kung fu principles using the 8 basic hand patterns

16 Basic Combat Sequences (8 months)

Material

  1. 16 basic combat sequences
  2. Zhan zhuang with hand forms
  3. Art of 100 kicks

Objectives

  1. Can apply the 16 basic combat sequences pre-choice with good form, force, and flow
  2. Can build internal force with zhan zhuang using hand forms
  3. Relaxed 15 minute horse stance
  4. Can do Art of 100 Kicks while moving with good form, force, and flow

Level 3: Black Tiger Steals the Heart (3 months)

Material

  1. Combat Sequences #1-4 (basic hand attacks)
  2. Black Tiger Steals the Heart set

Objectives

  1. Can free spar at the sequence level using sequences #1-4
  2. Can do the Black Tiger Steals the Heart set with good form, force, and flow

Level 4: Fierce Tiger Speeds Through Valley (3 months)

Material

  1. Combat Sequences #5-8 (more advanced hand attacks)
  2. Fierce Tiger Speeds Through Valley set

Objectives

  1. Can free spar at the sequence level using sequences #1-8
  2. Can do the Fierce Tiger Speeds Through Valley set with good form, force, and flow

Level 5: Happy Bird Hops Up Branch (3 months)

Material

  1. Combat Sequences #9-12 (kicks)
  2. Happy Bird Hops Up Branch set

Objectives

  1. Can free spar at the sequence level using sequences #1-12
  2. Can do the Happy Bird Hops Up Branch set with good form, force, and flow

Level 6: Felling Tree With Roots (3 months)

Material

  1. Combat Sequences #13-16 (felling/grappling)
  2. Felling Tree with Roots set

Objectives

  1. Can free spar at the sequence level using sequences #1-16
  2. Can do the Felling Tree with Roots set with good form, force, and flow

Level 7: Cross Roads at Four Gates (6 months)

Material

  1. Cross Roads at Four Gates solo set
  2. Cross Roads at Four Gates two-man combination set
  3. One hand to spar, one hand to drink tea

Objectives

  1. Can do the Cross Roads at Four Gates solo set with excellent form, force, and flow
  2. Can apply the sequences from the combination set at full speed pre- and self-choice
  3. Can apply Cross Roads at Four Gates in free sparring
  4. Can use the tactic of one hand to spar, one hand to drink tea at full speed against all categories of attack

Level 8: Ho Family Flowing Water Staff (3 months)

Material

  1. Ho Family Flowing Water Staff set
  2. Applications from staff set

Objectives

  1. Can do the set with good form, force, and flow
  2. Can free spar staff vs. staff at half speed

Level 9: Plum Flower Sabre (7 months)

Material

  1. Plum Flower Sabre set
  2. Applications from sabre set
  3. Major characteristics of and selected patterns from:
    • spear
    • guan dao
    • trident
    • dagger
    • sword
    • soft whip

Objectives

  1. Can do the Plum Flower Sabre set with good form, force, and flow
  2. Can apply patterns from the Plum Flower Sabre set in free sparring vs. long and short weapons at half speed
  3. Understands the characteristics of the major weapons
  4. Can execute selected patterns of each major weapon with good form, force, and flow
  5. Can apply selected patterns of each major weapon against each other (including the staff and sabre) in free sparring at half speed

Level 10: Single Unarmed vs. Single Armed (2 months)

Material

  1. Disarming all major weapons

Objectives

  1. Can disarm and defeat an opponent armed with any major weapon in free sparring at half speed

Level 11: Single Unarmed vs. Multiple Unarmed (3 months)

Material

  1. Tactics vs. 2, 3, and 4 opponents

Objectives

  1. Can defeat 2, 3, and 4 opponents in free sparring at full speed

Level 12: Single Unarmed vs. Multiple Armed (3 months)

Material

  1. Tactics of single armed vs. 2, 3, and 4 armed opponents
  2. Tactics of single unarmed vs 2, 3, and 4 armed opponents

Objectives

  1. When armed, can defeat 2, 3, and 4 armed opponents in free sparring at half speed
  2. When unarmed, can defeat 2, 3, and 4 armed opponents in free sparring at half speed