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Sifu Erik Brechun 2nd Dan Black Sash
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Born and raised in Littleton, Colorado, Erik Brechun began his martial arts studies with Aikido and Kickboxing in junior high school, at age 13. From there he moved to a combined system of Korean Praying Mantis Kung Fu and Hapkido (So Rim Dang Rang Kwan) under grandmaster Chul Woo Jung earning a 2nd degree black belt in the art.
While attending college at the University of Colorado in Boulder he cross trained in sifu Seng Au's school of Hung Gar and Choy Lee Fut under Michael Levin and began teaching the art of mantis Kung Fu. After earning Bachelor of Science degrees in Engineering Physics and Applied Mathematics in 2006, he moved to Newport, Rhode Island and began working as a signal processing engineer supporting the Navy. |
Later that same year, he was welcomed into a local American Kenpo school and began training in the art, judging and competing in tournaments as well as continuing to teach the art of mantis Kung Fu. A friend and fellow black belt in Kung Fu from Colorado, Marek Chromik, spent a month at the Wu Dang temple in China and learned their arts directly from the source. Under Marek's instruction, Brechun has been training in the art of Wu Dang Taiji Quan to balance the hard styles he trained in over the years with a softer, more meditative style.
After completing academic work for a Master of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Brechun has been focusing his attention on the art of teaching Kung Fu, Taiji, and Hapkido in conjunction with physical fitness and researching other disciplines such as jiu-jitsu and muay thai. Over the last several years Brechun has been working closely with sifu Mike Shaw to establish an international organization to develop and spread the unique art of Korean Praying Mantis Kung Fu and thus preserve it for generations to come. Considering himself a martial artist first and engineer second, Brechun strives to maintain a realistic approach and open mind to the martial arts while at the same time preserving the rich tradition, history and philosophy of the masters before him.
Sijo Mike Shaw 7th Dan Black Sash
Sijo Mike along with Sifu Erik Brechun are the co-founders of the Korean Mantis Fist Kung Fu International Association. Sijo is the term for founder of a Kung Fu system called Sha Mu Kwan Mantis Fist Kung Fu. Master Mike is also a co-founder, along with his brother, Master Terry of Sha Mu Kwan and Sha Do Kwan martial arts schools where they teach various Korean styles of martial arts.
Master Mike began studying the martial arts in 1968/69 beginning with Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. By the early 1970 he began Tang Soo Do and then briefly switched over to Shorin Ryu Karate and Goju Ryu. He later returned to Tang Soo Do and Jiu-Jitsu and later Hapkido. Beginning in the late mid 70s, Mike started travelling to Toronto 3 times a week from London, Ontario to study Mantis Kung Fu. Due to travelling costs, he moved to Toronto and studied both Chinese Seven Star Mantis and Tai Chi Mantis along with some Korean Mantis and Hapkido. |
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At the founding of Sha Mu Kwan with his brother Terry and Sha Mu Kwan Korean Mantis Kung Fu, Mike was a holder of a 6th dan black belt in Tang Soo Do, a 6th degree black belt in Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, a 6th degree black belt in Hap Ki Do and long time teacher of Chinese and Korean Mantis Kung Fu and Chen and Yang Tai Chi.
Master Mike combined Korean Mantis, Chinese Mantis, both Seven Star and Tai Chi along with some Southern Mantis, with Korean Hapkido and blended in some of the dynamic power of Korean Tang Soo Do, to form his new style; Sha Mu Kwan Korean Mantis Fist Kung Fu.
Today Master Mike teaches Korean Tang Soo Do, Korean Hapkiido and his own style of Korean Mantis Kung Fu and is the former Ontario Rep for the World IL-DO Kwan Federation, the former co-Canadian Rep for the Tang Soo Do Martial Arts Society headed by Grand Master David Zacker. As mentioned above, Master Mike is the co-Founder with Sifu Erik Brechun of the Korean Mantis Fist Kung Fu International Association.
Master Mike is an ordained Minister, holding a dual ordination being both a Christian minister and a Buddhist priest and is also a certified teacher of Daoism. Michael teaches Buddhist Mindfulness Meditation and both Buddhist and Daoist Qigong. Michael and his wife, Jeannette Shaw, have a thriving Christian ministry to the poor and homeless as well as shut-ins. Mike is a long time vegetarian of over 25 years. He is a dog lover and also loves wolves and birds of prey such as Owls and Eagles.
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