About our Master Instructor
Sigung Earl Portnoy has been a martial arts instructor for over twenty years. He has attained a Master Status in the Soo Hwa Kung Fu system as well as other black belts in several styles. He has attended and taught various training seminars including weaponry, JuJitsu, Chin Na, Wing Chun and Kenpo. Training seminars are also taught in stress management through various controlled breathing and movement exercises. Sigung Portnoy has volunteered as a teacher of self defense programs for the Collin County Women's Shelter and various organizations' child safety and women's saftey programs. He is currently the chairman for the AAU Southwestern Association of Chinese Martial Arts. In addition, Sigung Portnoy is avallilable to teach child or adult safety programs for any of your group needs, such as PTA's, church groups, Scout groups, corporations, etc. All types of classes are instructional and include student participation
Benefits and Training
Physical training and benefits
Practitioners learn how to use the coordination of the entire body in order to develop power and timing in their techniques. The enhancement of balance, power and coordination will not only allow the student the maximum effectiveness of their self defense techniques but will also benefit general health as well as stamina, eye-hand and eye-foot coordination and conditioning for other sports.
Mental training and benefits
The Soo Hwa system trains students mentally as well as physically. They learn to mentally perceive, analyze, and react to many types of self defense situations. We help the students learn how to set and realize personal goals. One of the most benefical results of the training is a great increase in self confidence and self esteem.
Weapons
Over 20 Chinese, Okinawa, Korean and Japanese weapons will be learned about and utilized through the Soo Hwa system. Students are paired with pertinent weapons that will enhance training in areas in which they need practice. This includes fluidness, in which the broad sword is used; power, which utilizes the staff, and hand-eye coordination, in which the sai, or butterfly knife, is used. Weapon training is avaliable at the intermediate level, and parental approval is required for younger students.
Lessons - Private and Group
Students are taught on a private lesson/group class method, in which they receive one private lesson per week along with an unlimited number of group classes. The private lesson allows the student to receive direct instruction to ensure proper mastery of skills. It also eliminates the existence of peer pressure and developes a bong between instructor and student. The group classes reinforce the skills taught as well as provide physical conditioning. To enhance training and camaraderie, special events are held throughout the year, including lock-ins, trips to martial arts and sporting events and camping trips. We have found this method of incoporating friendships to be quite beneficial, and the students find a sense of belonging to the school and debelop long-lasting relationships with each other.
Our Facilities
The Martial Arts Center of Plano is a 3000 square-foot facility. Private lessons are taught in individual rooms. Group lessons are held in spacious rooms and a large supervised training room enables students to practice at all open hour times in addition to their training sessions.
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