About Our Style and Classes
Austin Kung-Fu Academy is rooted in three primary Martial Arts that form the heart and soul of our unique method:
Choy Lee Fut Kung-Fu (Powerful, dynamic striking and traditional forms)
Yang Family Tai Chi (Internal balance, health, and fluid movement)
Gracie Combatives Jiu-Jitsu (Practical, effective leverage oriented defense)
While I frequently weave in influences from Aikido, Escrima, Chen Style Tai Chi, Praying Mantis, and Baguazhang, those three pillars are our foundation.
In our classes, we focus on drills and forms, but we do it as a team. We are a group-oriented school—everyone works with everyone because we are all about creating a strong, supportive community.
My Philosophy (The TL;DR Version)
I am all about Kung-Fu and Martial Arts as a way of life. I don’t mean to sound like Yoda, but we are surrounded by energy—we are energy. Kung-Fu is simply a way to direct it, harness it, channel it, develop it, and SHARE it.
“Yeah, yeah, but will I be able to defend myself with it?” Of course.
Want to know how to neutralize an attack? I got you. * Want to know how to escape a choke or a grab? I got you. * Want to know how to generate twice your body power through technique instead of just muscle? I got you.
But here’s the thing a lot of martial arts teachers won’t admit: You can go live a long, happy life without martial arts. Billions of people have!
So why bother?
Meditation in Motion
Kung-Fu is incredibly effective at developing your mind and brain. From cultivating a mindset of constant awareness to straight-up cognitive strengthening through memorization, the mental effects are extraordinary.
But it’s all in how you approach it. I can give you the moves in a class, but if you don’t do anything with them, not much happens. If you practice every day—or even every other day—you will start feeling the effects. You get stronger, more coordinated, and gain more control over your body, your mind, and your emotions.
As the saying goes, “You can sometimes be your own worst enemy.” Usually, that means getting stuck in a mindset that is limited or destructive. In Kung-Fu, you learn to let that go physically and mentally through postures and movement.
The Infinite Game
My advice? Create your own personal practice time. It only takes 5 minutes a day. Give yourself that time to practice your Kung-Fu. It doesn’t even matter exactly what you practice—just choose something and make it a daily habit. This is the first step in making Kung-Fu a way of life. You’ll start seeing the difference in about 10 days.
Finally, I encourage you to think of Kung-Fu as an “infinite game.” The goal of an infinite game is to keep playing forever. My wish is for you to benefit from Kung-Fu as much as I have, with the infinite game mindset.
Ready to start your own practice? Come join the game. [CLICK HERE TO TRY A CLASS]
Instructor Santanu Rahman
Instructor Santanu Rahman started Austin Kung-Fu Academy in 2006. He has taught thousands of kids and adults in Austin, produced gold-medalists in tournaments, and has published a book and articles in trade martial arts journals. He is a recipient of the PODER Social Justice Leadership Award, and is featured in DAWA (Diversity Awareness & Wellness in Action).
His vision was to create a safe space to learn the path of traditional Chinese martial arts (Kung-Fu) as a means for health, safety, self-defense, and a way of life.
He has a Black Belt in Choy Lay Fut Kung-Fu under Grandmaster Tat Mau Wong, a Gracie Combatives Blue Belt with the Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy, a Master’s Degree in Education, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
He prides himself on his ability to break down big and complex ideas into smaller, easy-to-digest bits.