Focusing on the Practical Aspects of Classical Kung Fu
Frequently Asked Questions
If you cannot find an answer to your question here, please contact SijoDavidF@gmail.com.
You are welcome to visit the school during regular class times. You may observe the class (as many times as you desire) and you may participate in one free trial class. If you want to enroll after that trial class, please see Sijo David to complete paperwork and pay your first month's fee (or contact Sijo David by phone or email for further instructions).
No. All students must be at least 13 years of age to train at Yinglong School of Kung Fu. Many of the concepts, techniques, and applications of our system are too complex for children to grasp and integrate, so we restrict enrollment to adults and teens (13+) only.
ABSOLUTELY! Personal protection is for everyone. Yes, some things may take you longer to master, and some things may need to be adapted for you; but we will do our best to help you progress through the Yinglong System as far as your body will let you.
Sifu David brings over 27 years of kung fu training and over 20 years of teaching experience. He began training in kung fu in 1998, and began his teaching career in 2003 when he was made an assistant instructor. He was then made a full instructor in 2009, and earned the title of Sifu (which means ‘Master’ in Mandarin Chinese). After more than a decade as a full instructor, and developing his own system over that time, he opened the Yinglong School of Kung Fu in 2022.
The cost depends on how often you want to train. For training 2 days per week, the current tuition is $60 per month. For training 1 day per week, the current tuition is $30 per month. If approved by Sifu David, a drop-in option is available at $10 per class. Payments may be made by cash, check, Zelle, Venmo or PayPal. Convenience fees may apply depending on the payment method used. Find more information in the Class Cost section of our Class Information page.
Yes, though at Yinglong School of Kung Fu we have intentionally kept costs as low as possible. Tuition is set based upon space rental costs. Compared to many other local schools, you will find us very affordable. For example, if you check out the Class Cost section of our Class Information page, you will see that we do not charge extra fees for testing, just the cost of your earned sash. We don't require (or even offer) contracts. You may pay month-to-month and choose the tuition attendance level for the frequency you desire. We have 3-month and 6-month packages available at discounted pricing. We also have a very robust referral program that can save you money as well (see an instructor for more information). Please speak to Sijo David about other ways to reduce costs if needed.
It is entirely up to you as to how much you attend. While we encourage students to attend as much as they are able to so they can maximize their learning, we understand that people have busy lives outside of training too. That is why we offer different tuition options. Find more information in the Class Cost section of our Class Information page. If you have a highly variable schedule, please speak to Sifu David directly, and he can help you decide the best attendance and tuition plan for your needs.
Not as part of our general offerings. If you are looking for some one-on-one training, speak to Sifu David directly to discuss the possibility of making special arrangements.
Yes, if there are alternate classes available to attend during that month. As a practical matter, this really only works for students who are signed up for 1-class per week. If you miss a class, just let the instructor know when you plan to make it up so they are aware of the change.
Our month-to-month tuition plan makes this a very easy process. If you are going to pause for a period of time, you just wait to buy your next month of training until you are ready to return. If you start or end in the middle of any month, your tuition would be appropriately pro-rated. A partial-month credit can be held if notice of a pause is given. If you have purchased a multi-month training package, we would simply put your account on hold and keep the remaining time as credit for when you return.
If you decide that you need to terminate your training, we simply ask that you inform us of that so we are aware. If a student stops attending without letting us know, we would likely reach out to check on them, so letting us know saves the concern and any confusion. We do not offer refunds, but we will hold a credit if notice of a pause is given.
At first you should wear a comfortable t-shirt and pants or shorts that allow you to move around freely. You should also bring a water bottle. Once you have signed up for ongoing classes, you should arrange for the purchase of a uniform, which you should wear to classes from then on. Find more information in the Class Uniform section of our Class Information page.
Tuesday and Sunday classes are 2 hours in length. We start with warm ups and stretching, either as a group or individually depending on who is in class that day. Usually the first part of class is spent on drills and practicing techniques. We always make time for forms training as well, and for weapons practice. We will also make sure that students get regular breaks for water. Find more information in the What Happens During a Typical Class section of our Class Information page.
The flexibility of our training options also means that class size can be difficult to predict. Students attending one class per week might choose a different day to attend each week. Class size could vary anywhere from 1-10 students at any time. We are always ready for prospective students to try us out, and for new students to join as well. We can comfortably train at least 20 students during any class.
All of our students train together. However, drills and exercises will often be tailored to each student’s level. Advanced students will do a more advanced version of a drill, while newer students will do a simpler version. While we always want you to feel challenged so you can grow, we never want you to feel you are expected to perform beyond your abilities.
Yinglong School of Kung Fu is located in the Marshall Avenue self-defense training space, connected to Rising Sun Martial Arts Supplies (Yinglong is not affiliated with Rising Sun). There are seats for spectators near the door. Along the wall there are a number of hanging and standing bags. There is a changing room in the back near the water cooler, and a bathroom downstairs. The main training area has a very thick pad on the floor. Students can go barefoot or can wear dedicated (non street-use) training shoes. See our Class Information page for more information.
There is a changing room available at the back of the space, and a bathroom downstairs as well. While we don’t have lockers, the training area is open with lots of chairs and spaces, so people can simply stow their belongings anywhere they are comfortable. This also makes them easy to access during breaks.
There is free street parking all around, there is a free parking lot behind the building, and there are 3 spots available at the gas station across the street from the school. We are located on 2 bus lines, the 87 and the Metro B line. There are several bike lock stations directly in front of the school. Find more information on the Contact and Class Information pages.
Many martial arts systems require quite strict etiquette and behavior in the class. However, we are far more casual in our system. There are only 3 times we bow as part of class. We all form a circle at the start of class and bow to each other. We bow at the start and end of all forms. And we bow at the beginning and ending of sparring. When addressing an instructor, students may use the instructor’s name or title, whatever the student prefers. One tradition we follow, which is common in many Chinese arts, is that all students are expected to help out other students, especially new students, when they have questions or are struggling with some part of training. That is why, when someone receives their first sash, the other students (not the instructor) show them how to tie it correctly. Once a student has their sash on for the first time, we will say, “Welcome to the Yinglong Family.”
Students with previous training will often pick up the new training more quickly than someone who does not have previous training, though that can depend on what kind of other training they’ve had and how long ago they trained. On the other hand, other ingrained training may make it challenging to adapt to smoother versus sharper movements, for instance. Sifu David can discuss your particular experience if you want to better understand the differences and similarities in training.
We have no specific policies on this. Students are free to train anywhere they wish. While it can sometimes get complicated to keep everything straight and organized, many students have been very successful training in different arts at the same time.
Kung Fu was created in China, and the term is generally used to describe any style of martial arts that originated in China. There are over 800 distinct styles of Chinese martial arts and many are radically different from one other. The most common description of Chinese martial arts is that they are more fluid in their motions than other martial arts. Karate is similar to Kung Fu in its motions, but does tend to be more linear. Tae Kwon Do is from Korea and focuses almost entirely on kicks over hand strikes.
No. The Yinglong System is focused on practical self defense. If students wish to enter competitions on their own, they are certainly free to do so.
At first glance it may seem odd that Yinglong training includes traditional weapons, especially since the focus of our System is on reality-based self defense. After all, who gets attacked with a spear in a dark alley? We train with weapons partly due to tradition, but mostly because weapons training helps hone rhythm, hand-eye coordination, and speed. Weapons work also forces you to extend your situational awareness. Lastly, learning to use weapons offensively helps you understand how to defend against any kind of weapon you may face.
Yes. Sparring drills, full sparring rounds, and even weapons sparring will occur as part of Yinglong training. Sparring is imperative to training as it forces students to pressure test what they know. It also allows students to learn to keep a clearer mind in a high stress situation. But don’t worry, we take many safety precautions and introduce people to it gradually and safely.
Yinglong School of Kung Fu
2054 Marshall Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104