Austin Kids
Kung Fu
Our Kung Fu program helps your child grow emotionally and physically in a supportive, screen-free environment led by expert instructors.
Build Confidence, Focus, and Strength — Without Breaking the Bank
Programs for 4 to 6yrs and 7 to 12yrs
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Learn to focus and manage big emotions — even in tough moments
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Grow inner confidence in a space that feels safe and encouraging
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Experience guidance from instructors who nurture every child’s unique path
We Are In An Attention Crisis
In many ways the current generation of kids have lost the ability to have patience and persevere through difficult tasks. As their parent you try to influence them, but there is no way you can compete with their mobile phone, tablets, youtube and online games. You can see their attention getting shorter all the time, but you feel completely powerless to stop this downward slide. You are picturing an unsure future for them. But you definitely cannot solve this problem by ignoring it. You fear that you’re becoming one of THOSE parents.
Our Kids Want Something Real
Our children actually crave something more meaningful in their life than just games and entertainment. Kung Fu is system of personal development thousands of years old that can capture their imagination and teach them the lessons you hoped they would learn. You can sit back and watch them grow, meet challenges and rise to the occasion month and month. You can watch them build their inner strength and discipline. You can feel good knowing that they are heading in the right direction.
This Was The Only Thing My Child Ever Stuck With
So many parents tell us that our Kung Fu class is the only thing their child has ever stuck with. You see, most martial art schools these days have changed how they teach to make everything into a game that is fun. This makes it easier to teach a big group of kids. They play dodgeball and call it a focus drill. This is the LAST lesson your child needs to learn. They don’t need to learn that something has to be a fun game to hold their attention.
Being rewarded and cheered for just showing up does not build your self-esteem. It does the opposite. At Austin Kung Fu we teach them Kung Fu movements that are exciting and challenging to learn. We require them to practice and work hard on them. We can do this because we have a fleet of teachers so we can divide the kids into small groups, each learning something different. The curriculum is progressive and more challenging over time. When they meet and achieve these milestones, they build up their inner power. Our young students stay to reach black belt at many times the rate of other schools…and remember we don’t use contracts. We have the biggest Kung Fu school in Austin because we teach for the love of transforming lives. And we’ve been doing it for 38 years.
Martial Art Class Shouldn’t Break The Bank
In recent years Martial art school tuition rates have starting looking more like car payments. Most have very high prices, long contracts, special higher priced clubs and endless expensive belt test fees. My wife and I have been teaching Shaolin-Do Kung Fu since 1987 and never believed in running a school this way. We don’t have contracts! We don’t have higher priced clubs that we pressure you into. Our monthly rate is and stays one of the lowest in Austin. Our belt test fees are the lowest you will find in Austin as well. We feel that the lessons of Kung Fu are too important to make them financially out of reach for people. So you can get your child on the path to success without breaking the bank and with only one or two classes per week. It will require you to bring them to class, but then we will do all the rest.
A Different Way To Run A Kung Fu School
When two people run a school together for over 35 years, they develop a surefire method to transform young and old. Parents pick martial arts because they believe it will help give their child inner power. But in the process they often join a school where games and play are used to keep the kids engaged but the deeper lessons are missing.
Master Joe and Master Sheryl didn’t create teaching systems to make the most profit, they created systems to help people transform the most. They both have advanced science degrees from UT and taught university level physiology which means that they approach martial arts with intelligence and are masters at teaching. Master Joe has a Ph.D. in neurophysiology, so you can imagine that he takes a very educated approach to designing a curriculum.
People love their school so much, that many have told them that the school is the only thing keeping them from moving away from Austin to another job. Their students are devoted to the school, the art and each other. You will never find a more special community of young and old.
A recent student review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Anne
“My five-year-old is enrolled in Kung Fu, and she’s showered with love and encouragement. Anyone who can be patient with my energetic, curious child immediately earns my respect and trust, and the teachers here do that effortlessly. “
We typically have a ratio of one teacher per 3 to 4 children.
Confidence
Focus
Fun
Community
& Much More.
30 Years In Austin
After moving to Texas for grad school, Joe Schaefer and Sheryl Schaefer decided to switch gears and start teaching one of their favorite hobbies: Kung Fu. They wanted to build a community that was fun, friendly, and supportive, where people of all ages could learn traditional martial arts without any hidden prices or big egos. Now, 30 years later, Austin Kung Fu is a strong and supportive family that’s still growing every day. Thousands of students have passed through their school, and the martial arts community they helped build has expanded into several more cities.
Video
The Essence Of Austin Kung Fu & Tai Chi
This video, shot in 2017, showcases the positive community we strive to create in our school. After being at this location for 10 years, we went fully online for most of the pandemic. NOW, we’ve moved to a new, bigger studio space in North Austin and are excited for the future.
Read Some Inspiring Posts From Master Joe’s Blog
The Mindful Body
Ellen Langer, often called the "mother of mindfulness," is a renowned psychologist whose research has explored the profound connection between the mind and body. While her work does not directly address Kung Fu or Tai Chi Classes, her principles of mindfulness and...
Kung Fu For Kids in Austin
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The Benefits of Tai Chi For Seniors In Austin TX
The Benefits of Tai Chi For Seniors In Austin TX Exercising as a senior can feel difficult and daunting, and the idea of learning martial arts may sound especially intimidating. However, the ancient art of Tai Chi is actually perfect for seniors and comes with...