About Us
What is 6 Monkey Kung Fu?
Monkey Kung Fu is an ancient and revered martial art, which has its roots in the Northern China. This style of martial arts dates back to 1911 and was developed after a man named Kou Sze had a vision of the Monkey King Sun WuKong. Although similar to other martial arts forms, Monkey Kung Fu has its own unique features that differentiate it from the rest.
In order to properly learn and practice Monkey Kung Fu, one must first understand the basics of this form of martial arts: what it is, how it functions, and why it uses six monkeys for representation before beginning any formal training.
Why 6 Monkeys?
First off you need to understand a little bit of Monkey Kung Fu history. Before Sijo Kou Sze created Tai Shing (Monkey Kung Fu). He was a grand master of an art called Tei Tong. Tei Tong was a low to the ground hard style of Kung Fu.
While serving a prison sentence Kou Sze had a vision of Sun Waking (Monkey King). Also, in this vision Sun Wukong taught Kou Sze Monkey Kung Fu through 6 variations.
Brief History
Sijo Kou Sze is an iconic figure in the martial arts world, having created the style of Tai Shing Monkey Kung Fu. This distinctive style was born out of a vision he had while serving a prison sentence. He had an epiphany when Sun Wukong, better known as The Monkey King, appeared to him and taught him the six unique variations that comprise this ancient art.
These six distinct forms are Tall Monkey, Lost Monkey, Stone Monkey, Drunken Monkey, Wood Monkey and Night Monkey. Each variation focuses on different aspects of combat such as hand strikes, kicks and joint locks with each providing its own unique benefit when combined together.
Six Monkey Martial Arts started with a basic, simple goal…
Six Monkey Martial Arts was founded with the goal of demonstrating to students and practitioners worldwide the power and potential of traditional martial arts practices. Through its unique training program, based on the core concepts of reactivity, distance control, and timing, Six Monkey Martial Arts offers a comprehensive system that is designed to be applicable to all skill levels. Moreover, its global reach and availability makes it possible for those who do not have access to local martial arts schools or centers to still benefit from this powerful training system.
The journey that eventually led to Six Monkey Martial Arts began in 1911 with the creation of Tai Shing, a form of Chinese martial arts that serves as the foundation for this contemporary practice. All strikes, kicks, applications, and drills are drawn from this original source material and teachings.
At Six Monkey Martial Arts, there is an emphasis placed on teaching students how to use their body naturally so that they can move with greater agility and precision in any situation. This includes promoting highly reactive movements which allow practitioners to respond quickly to changing conditions while also learning how best to use body mechanics such as torque generation and strength management in order to maximize their effectiveness when sparring or engaging in self-defense situations.
In addition to these physical lessons, part of what makes Six Monkey Martial Arts special is its approach towards “whole person” development. By embracing principles such as mindfulness, compassion, discipline and perseverance into their curriculum they provide practitioners with an opportunity to grow not only physically but spiritually as well. Ultimately this allows them to become more aware of themselves both inside and out while also giving them tools and skillsets which will enrich them throughout their life’s journey.
About Sifu Barber
Sifu Barber has dedicated his life to learning and teaching the ancient Chinese martial art of Tai Shing. He is now a highly trained master, having studied extensively under Sigung Ah Sang for 10 years. During this time, he learned all 6 Monkeys of Tai Shing, which are the core principles that make up the art.
He originally started out training in Tae Kwon Do at 8 years old and won 2 local tournaments before switching over to Atemi Ryu Karate at age 12. He continued refining his skills in Karate and boxing while competing in tournaments throughout the next few years until he met Sigung Ah Sang at 18.
Impressed by the dedication level of his student, Sigung Ah Sang began instructing Sifu Barber in the art of Tai Shing (Monkey Kung Fu) and invited him to train with him so that he could further develop his knowledge of the discipline. For 10 years, Sifu Barber followed Sigung Ah Sang’s teachings and practiced diligently.
As a result, today he is an established master with hundreds of students from around the world learning from him through our online Kung Fu program. Through their study with Sifu Barber, students come closer to unlocking their inner warrior as they practice techniques like Monkey Hands, Iron Palm Strikes, and advanced Dim Mak training. It is only through training under an experienced master such as himself that one can truly learn these advanced techniques.
Our Values
At Six Monkey Martial Arts, we hold ourselves and our students to a higher set of values. Other martial art schools either don’t teach these or fail to implement them. We may seem strict but I assure you we have the best intention for all.
Honesty
We value this by being straightforward in all of our videos. We never lie about our skills or ranking and want our students to follow suit, this serves as a foundation of Monkey Kung Fu values.
Integrity
While integrity means being honest and upholding moral principles; we define integrity as doing what is right when no one is watching. Do not seek a pat on the back for everything you do. Real righteousness is knowing at the end of the day you did what is right and did your best as a person and as a Monkey Kung Fu student.
Self Discipline
Martial arts is founded on this value. Training your hardest even when no one is there to push you to do more. We take this one step further and ask all of our students to be self-disciplined in all areas of their lives. At work we want you to work harder. At home we want you to do more as a spouse, parent, adult child, or responsible person. In society, we ask you to be an upstanding member of your community.
Respect
Respect is due to all people everywhere regardless of color, age, or social status. Respect your elders, they have been through much in their lives and have the wisdom to share. Respect your adversaries, we learn much about ourselves through them. Respect your fellow students and teacher, they mold us into who we are. Respect all people, if you want to be respected then give respect to all. If you disrespect someone who seems lesser than you then do not be mad when someone greater than you does the same.
Control
You can learn potentially lethal techniques in our program. We express the value of control constantly. Just because you can hurt someone doesn’t mean you should, just because someone hurt you doesn’t mean you should cripple them or worse. Control your newly learned skills. Use your own wisdom to know what to do and when to do it.
Perseverance
Our MSTR program (Monkey System Training Regimen) is a 42-month program with over 100+ videos on Monkey Kung Fu. There is a lot to learn. Take your time and don’t rush through a lesson. Most importantly, when the training gets tough we encourage you to persevere and keep training. Some students burn out. We have a well-thought-out method of encouraging you when we see you have slowed down on your lessons. Ultimately, at the end of the day, it is up to you to decide to log in and practice more. If you do so at the end of your lessons you will not be disappointed.