FAQ

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Frequently asked questions

How long has Silent Tiger Martial Arts been around?

First established in 1994 and has been in Kelowna for nearly 16 years. The name Silent Tiger is actually the fighting nickname of Master Instructor Chad Genereux who was known to start out slow and become a fierce competitor as the match progressed. He used this name for his school because the most valuable lesson he learned from his martial arts training was to be able to overcome the many obstacles that life put in his path. The "Silent" is the inner strength to persevere when life got tough and the "Tiger" representing the actions you perform to make it through the tough times.



What style of martial arts do you teach?

We teach Shaolin Chuan Fa Kung Fu, Kickboxing, MMA, Military Hand to Hand Combat and Hyper Pro Xtreme.

Our martial arts include all ranges of self defense and combat. We have strikes, trapping, clinches, throws, grappling and weapons.



How old is your martial arts style?

Our Kung Fu System can be traced back to the Shaolin Temple and includes two martial arts legends umong it's disciples!

• Lam Sai Wing (1860-1943)

One of the best fighters of his time, an outstanding master of Southern Shaolin Kung Fu and a disciple of the legendary Wong Fei Hung.

In 1917-1923, Lam Sai Wing was appointed the Chief Instructor in hand-to-hand fight in the National Revolutionary Army of Fujian province.

Lam won first place at a large martial arts competition that took place at the Dongjiao ground, receiving a medal from the Provisional President of the Republic of China, as a token of recognition for his service and success.

Many stories are documented of his skills in combat both in challenge matches and self defense.

• Wong Fei Hung (1847 – 1924)

Wong was a master of Hung Ga. He systemized the predominant style of Hung Ga and choreographed its version of the Tiger Crane Paired Form Fist, which incorporates his Ten Special Fist techniques.

Wong was adept at using weapons, such as the staff, and one tale recounts how Wong defeated a group of 30 gangsters on the docks of Guangzhou with a staff.

So famous are his fighting accounts that over 100 films and television series featuring Wong have been produced. Actors who portrayed Wong on screen include Jet Li in the Once Upon a Time in China film series!

One of the most famous fighters and healers in China and known for his infamous Shadowless Kick.

Today we believe in a modern approach to the traditional concepts. We don't train in a way that no longer has benefit in the modern world.



Where is Silent Tiger Martial Arts located?

390 Husch Rd in Rutland

Our school is open to 7 members per class

Please contact for an appointment as we do not do drop ins



Do I need to purchase a Uniform?

You do not need to purchase a Uniform, however a T-shirt with rank indication is available for $35. A full uniform may be required later on in your training to assist in learning. We train in t-shirts and shorts/leggings/pants in our classes. All tops must have sleeves.



What are your testing/grading fees?

We include all belt/sash testing fees in the monthly payment. Belts and Sashes themsleves may be purchased seperatly and are only mandatory for tournament and comeptition. We display your rank on our T-shirts. We only charge for Black Belt testing which will be conducted on a seperate day.



Do you offer Family or multi-member discounts?

Yes we do have family and multi-member rates at a discount, please contact us for full information.



What do I need to do to register?

Be prepared to fill out a waiver and a brief information form and have a willingness to learn. We offer 2 classes for free and then memberships are done monthly with payment due on the 1st of the month. Cost is dependant on the amount of classes you can attend. We accept e-transfers and cash



I have never trained before and not in shape, will I fit in?

It doesn't matter if you trained 20 yrs ago or are brand new to this type of training. We pride ourselves in our students "not just fitting in but standing out". This means you are encouraged to be yourself and not just taking a robot approach to training by doing what everyone else is doing. Everyone is different physically so we believe you need to tailor the style to you and not the other way around. We teach with a sense of humour and a relaxed atmoshpere so you can feel comfortable at all times. If you are really concerned that you won't be able to keep up with the Adult program right away, you can do private lessons via online or in person to get an evaluation.



Why train in martial arts?

Everyone who studies the martial arts is different. Most people believe that it's all punching and kicking people. There is so much more to real martial arts training! Through your studies you will learn not only self-defense skills that will make you more confident but equally important skills like respect, dedication, goal setting, patience, perseverance and an iron will that will help you succeed at school, your carreer and your life in general! We guarantee it because we live it! Real life doesn't always reward you with a participation medal so we teach you the skills to get the gold.



What makes STMA different from what I have done before?

- Unlike 95% of all martial arts schools we don't teach in a way that is outdated and dangerous to our students for real self defense abilities. Just because your style was created thousands of years ago and was the gold standard then, doesn't mean it is effective now. - We don't cater to kids and the money making martial arts business tactics like after school care, birthday parties, registration fees, testing fees or other gimmicks. We teach authentic martial arts and don't give out belts every 3 months based on attendance. If someone gives a child a Black Belt and tells them that they can effectively defend themselves from an older, stronger attacker then this is dangerous. We use a "junior grade" Black Belt that needs to be re-evaluated at 16 yrs old. - We have a relaxed atmosphere while we teach, our students are encouraged to ask questions and find what works for them and not just connect the dots. - We don't wear belts and uniforms in most of our programs, we don't yell when we strike and we don't structure our classes the same each time. Life is about variety and your body responds to that as well. - Most importantly we train in all areas of combat and not just kicking and punching!