Shan Tung Kung Fu Assoc — Local services in Pasadena

I am a former student of the school, where I actually began my Kung fu career. Previously, I had trained at a Karate school and things didn't really click for me there. Back then I found Shan Tung in the yellow pages called up and came down to meet the instructor. Master Edwards from the beginning was truly professional, and surprisingly very personable. After quickly speaking and touring the school I decided to bite the bullet and sign up on the spot. Yes you do sign a contract, but not unlike at your local gym.

People don't seem to realize that almost every exercise studio be it gym, martial arts, gymnastics, yoga etc all have these same check and balance systems in place, because certain risks will always be taken by the student when they train, so waiver's and contracts are what they are ..standard. These establishments are business' after all. To those that have issues with this, I say go train at a park with a guru or whoever is willing to train you for $5. As the saying goes though you get what you pay for.

Master Edwards curriculum is designed to expose the student to some of the best the traditional martial arts has to offer from hand forms, to weapons, to self defense, and sparring. Safety first was a firm rule, so everyone had to have the proper gear in order to participate in sparring classes. Overall my experience there was a fun one that always kept my guessing and learning which I appreciated. I found myself going to kung fu class more than the gym, and it quickly became my main workout.

Also unlike many other large martial arts schools Master Edwards teaches and oversees the majority of his classes. His instructors that teach the other classes are hand selected and black belts who are proficient and professional as well. They also have various classes for children, and adults, and after relocating to New York later I found his prices were actually quite fair in comparison to a lot of other schools I checked out.

If you're looking for a professional Martial arts school with a well rounded curriculum, and not to mention fun environment, give...

I cannot recommend this business at all. Sifu Kenneth is not transparent with pricing and terms, which I will expand on later, and felt very pressured into signing up for classes initially; Sifu Kenneth was very insistent that I could not spectate a lesson and must pay for trial lessons when I first contacted the school, and after my trial lessons, he was very insistent that I decided quickly whether to sign up for classes. I had been taking kung fu lessons for over 10 years before moving to the area, and after trying lessons here for a few months, I found the style of teaching less than ideal. Some lessons, Sifu Kenneth would sit in his office the whole time while other students taught the material. He would sometimes conduct "show & tell" and have students demonstrate in front of the class without forwarning, which I felt uncomfortable with. He made a joke about putting up curtains to hide my clumsy demonstration on one occasion. He would often take his phone and film the class doing a drill, reminding us not to mess up as to make him look good. After I concluded this was not an ideal learning environment for me, I emailed Sifu and told him I would not be attending lessons anymore. He then reminded me that I signed a contract for one year of lessons and that there was no way to cancel my plan. Long story short, I had to settle up $1600. This was a pretty substantial financial hit as a minimum wage worker paying Pasadena rent, but unfortunately Sifu is a ruthless businessman who spares no sympathy. I don't fault anyone who feels that they resonate with Sifu Kenneth's teaching style, but understand that he will not let you cancel and he will take your money if you sign, without...

I've always wanted to take a martial arts class. I did Crossfit/Bootcamp for over 6 years and finally pushed myself to look into a martial arts class. I drove by Shan Tun Kung Fu and met with Master Kenneth Edwards. He was very friendly and made sure I understood that this is a private martial arts school. I completely understood. I mean, you don't want the wrong people joining up and then disrupting or giving attitude in class. So, after the free private lesson to get a better idea of what is involved, I signed up and I'm so glad I did!! Every class is like one big family. Everyone there has there own personal goals, but everyone has the same goal, which is to continue to learn and perfect their martial art moves. It challenges you physically and mentally. It's been almost a year since I signed up and will be several more before I reach my goal in becoming a black belt! Master Edwards even has classes for kids. I wish I had taken this when I was younger. If you have any interest in martial arts, I highly recommend you visit with Master Edwards. He's a great teacher and knows how to motivate you in a friendly and...