Kung Fu Tai Chi September - October 2015

Welcome to our annual Tiger Claw Elite Championships and KUNG FU TAI CHI DAY report issue, our most self-promotional installment of the year. Production of our tournament and street fair requires a Herculean on the part of everyone in our company, so please forgive us this indulgence. We put a lot of work into this and we’re very proud of what it brings to the martial arts community. Through our magazine, our events get more coverage than any other such gathering in the martial arts. Beyond what you see here in print, we’ve published over 50 videos on our YouTube channel, over 500 photos in our facebook album and over 300 more photos on Tiger Claw facebook albums. And if you are a subscriber, you received an exclusive commemorative DVD…

On May 16 and 17, 2015, Tiger Claw held the 2015 Tiger Claw Elite Championships and the 4th Annual KUNG FU TAI CHI DAY in downtown San Jose, California. Once again, the Tiger Claw Elite Championships combined three tournaments, but this year there was a change. The three tournaments were the 7th Annual Tiger Claw Elite KungFuMagazine.com Championship, the 3rd Annual Tiger Claw Elite Taekwondo Championship and a new event, the 1st Tiger Claw Elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Invitational. Last year’s Tiger Claw Elite Traditional Karate Championship went on hiatus. KUNG FU TAI CHI DAY was held on Sunday in San Jose’s Plaza de Cesar Chavez, a street fair open to the public with ongoing Chinese martial arts demonstrations and free workshops by leading masters. The Tiger Claw Elite Championships initially began in…

The Tiger Claw Elite KungFuMagazine.com Championship reached its competitor cap of 400 prior to the pre-registration closure date, but there were several late adds for outstanding Tiger Claw clients. When all was counted, it was just two shy of 500 competitors in this year’s Tiger Claw Elite KungFuMagazine.com Championship, far beyond what was anticipated. Over 200 spectator tickets were pre-sold specifically through the Chinese side alone; some 900 walk-up spectators came too, but whether they came for the Chinese martial arts, Taekwondo or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu wasn’t tabulated. Hopefully, everyone watched a little of everything, but more likely, each group stayed close to their respective styles. There were eight rings, including one wushu carpet and one Push Hands mat, plus the main stage. Once again, Coach Christopher Pei (Cover Master September+October 2013)…

SPONSORS Grace Wu Kung Fu School - www.gracewu.com University of East-West Medicine - www.uewm.edu US Shaolin Kung Fu Yuan - www.usshaolinkungfuyuan.com Zang Lijuan, TCM James K. Yu DDS Chinese Today Radio - www.chinesetodayradio.com City of San Jose - www.sanjoseca.gov Kung Fu Girl Riesling - www.charlessmithwines.com/qr/kung-fu-girl WildAid - www.wildaid.org Bad Ass Bunny Productions - www.badassbunnyproductions.com Rock Med - www.rockmed.org BEST ATTENDANCE SCHOOLS USA Wu Chi Kung Fu Academy Kung Fu Dragon USA Shaolin Shaolin Martial Arts International Chi Institute Dragon Rhythm Shaolin Kung Fu Legend Kung Fu Academy Elite Kung Fu Kung Fu Temple SUPPORTING SCHOOLS American Chen Taiji Society, Bei Dou Kung Fu Academy, Ben’s Shaolin Kung Fu, California Martal Arts Academy, China Cangzhou Ruiheng Team, China Shanghai Dragon Martial Arts Club, Champsforce Martial Arts Enrichment Academy, China Taichi Kungfu, Dragon Rhythm Shaolin Kung Fu, Elite Kung Fu, Fawang Temple, China, Fei Si Fu Kung Fu Academy, Five Claw Martial Arts, International…

The inaugural Tiger Claw Elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Invitational was overseen by Tiger Claw TJitsu TC ustomer Service Representative Chris Kronkright. Kronkright currently holds the rank of 2nd Dan in Judo and a Purple Belt (with four stripes) in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Charles Gracie of the founding Gracie family. He has been competing for years, earning gold medals at the California Judo Open, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu American Cup, the U.S. Open, and at the North American Grappling Association Championship. With the generous support of Coach Eric Mananzan, Kronkright spearheaded this event as an introduction to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for Tiger Claw Elite Championships. The Tiger Claw Elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Invitational had a modest beginning with only one mat and less than a dozen competitors. The focus of the Invitational was largely on…

The 3rd Annual Tiger Claw Elite Taekwondo Championship was overseen by Grandmaster TChampionship T Kwang Il Bae and his team at Palo Alto Martial Arts again this year. The Palo Alto Martial Arts (PAMA) is a World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) and KUKKIWON-affiliated Taekwondo studio located near Stanford University. Grandmaster Bae is a lifelong Taekwondo practitioner, honorably discharged from the Korean Army Special Unit (akin to America’s Special Forces) as a First Lieutenant. He is currently ranked as 7th Dan in Taekwondo and 5th Dan in Hapkido. He is also certified as an international-level Taekwondo referee for both forms and fighting. The Tiger Claw Elite Taekwondo Championship has the blessing of Grandmaster Jin Ki Lim, President of the California United Taekwondo Association (CUTA). The Tiger Claw Elite Taekwondo Championship continues with its…