Shifu Thomas began his martial arts training at the
age of 13 in Kenpo Karate. From then on, he continued his quest in nearly
every Martial Art he could find, including: Quan-Fa (Chinese Boxing), Jeet
Kune Do, Philippine and Indonesian Stick & Knife Fighting, Chinese & Tibetan
Qi-Gong, Muy Thai Kickboxing, Yang Style Tai-Ji-Quan, Tui-Shou (Pushing Hands),
Chin-Na (Grappling Hands), Wu-Gong (Combative Kung-fu), Jun-Fan Kung-Fu,
Shaolin Boxing, Apache Knife Fighting and Five Family Shaolin Fist. He has
trained under such talented and illustrious instructors as Sensei Dave Stewart,
Shifu-Guru Leonard Trigg, Shifu Ron Lew, Pendakar Paul de Thouars, Sifu-Guru
Dan Inosanto, Sifu-Guru Burt Richardson, Master Chai Sirusuite, Sifu-Guru
Richard Bustillo, Shifu Long Wong, Sifu Greg Beecrat, Shifu Yi-Fei Li, Sensei
Bob Leonard, and currently Sigong Antwione Alferos. To accomplish this training,
he has traveled to and lived all over the West Coast (from Tacoma, Washington
to Portland, Oregon and ultimately to Southern California) and the Far East
(Shanghai, Songshan & Beijing, China; Hong Kong; and Taipei, Taiwan).
Shifu has been conferred a number of ranks, honors merits and degrees. He is an instructor of Southern Shaolin Ground Dragon Boxing (Di-Long Quan). He has earned a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Shaolin/Chinese Boxing (2003), a 1st Degree Black Belt in Tracy Kenpo (2000), and a 1st Degree Brown Belt in Parker Kenpo (2000). He retired from the competitive stick fighting circuit (1992) with only one loss to his record, and as of late, took First Place in the First Annual Apache Knife Fighting Competition (2004). He has been inducted into the Martial Arts’ Hall of Fame as Black Belt of the Year (2002), Male Fighter of the Year (2002) and Outstanding Contributor to the Martial Arts (2003). Shifu also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, a Master’s Degree in Education and a Master’s Degree in English Literature & Rhetoric. Although he teaches Martial Arts, Shifu Thomas still holds his day job as an Adjunct College English and ESL Instructor at several local community colleges. Likewise, he has served the Chinese and Korean communities of LA and Orange Counties for the past fifteen years as a business English language enhancement specialist, academic tutor, and college application advisor/preparer.
He now brings this eclectic lineage of various Martial Arts and learning to you here at The Buena Park Martial Arts Academy.
Shifu has been conferred a number of ranks, honors merits and degrees. He is an instructor of Southern Shaolin Ground Dragon Boxing (Di-Long Quan). He has earned a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Shaolin/Chinese Boxing (2003), a 1st Degree Black Belt in Tracy Kenpo (2000), and a 1st Degree Brown Belt in Parker Kenpo (2000). He retired from the competitive stick fighting circuit (1992) with only one loss to his record, and as of late, took First Place in the First Annual Apache Knife Fighting Competition (2004). He has been inducted into the Martial Arts’ Hall of Fame as Black Belt of the Year (2002), Male Fighter of the Year (2002) and Outstanding Contributor to the Martial Arts (2003). Shifu also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, a Master’s Degree in Education and a Master’s Degree in English Literature & Rhetoric. Although he teaches Martial Arts, Shifu Thomas still holds his day job as an Adjunct College English and ESL Instructor at several local community colleges. Likewise, he has served the Chinese and Korean communities of LA and Orange Counties for the past fifteen years as a business English language enhancement specialist, academic tutor, and college application advisor/preparer.
He now brings this eclectic lineage of various Martial Arts and learning to you here at The Buena Park Martial Arts Academy.