We consider our in-house tournament an important part of our curriculum.

Regardless of belt level, we steadfastly train our Kung-Fu so that we can be our personal best. The tournament allows us as a Kung-Fu family to celebrate the effort we put in together by individually presenting our forms to the school and to the family and friends who join us.

While we do mark each student and award medals accordingly for those that place the highest, the real reward is knowing that you can perform your Kung-Fu individually and be recognized for the hard work you have put in.

Our sparring, horse and crane stance, and agile staff competitions offer another way that we can encourage each other to do well under pressure—a valuable lesson at any age!

We look forward to sharing this experience with you!

The post 27th WKFA Spring Invitational Tournament – Sun. Apr 26, 2026 appeared first on Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy.

Kripalu Yoga

Kripalu Yoga is a gentle, compassionate, accessible form of Hatha Yoga that emphasizes self-acceptance over physical perfection and nurtures the mind-body-spirit connection through breathwork (pranayama), postures (asanas), and relaxation (savasana).

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Special Introductory Class!

We hope you enjoyed joining us for the special free class on Saturday, February 28, 2026.

To join us for yoga, please complete the Yoga Registration Form below >

Who May Attend

• Ages 15 and Up
• Adult WKFA members
• Non-members welcome!

More Info About our Yoga Classes

What to Bring

• Yoga mat
• Water
• Comfortable clothing
• (Please remove your footwear before entering the yoga studio.)

Yoga Class Schedule

Tuesdays: 10:00am–11:00am

Wednesdays: 6:30am–7:30am

Thursdays: 12:00pm–1:00pm

Calendar Note: No yoga classes Tuesday March 17 or Thursday March 19 due to March Break Camp.

Yoga Benefits

• Mobility, strength, fluidity.
• Compassionate self-acceptance.
• Balance and coordination.
• Breath and body awareness.
• Reduced tension and increased vitality.

Yoga & Kung-Fu

• Better stance depth and stability.
• Cleaner kicks and improved hip control.
• Reduced tightness from repetitive training.
• Faster recovery between sessions.
• More efficient breathing under pressure.

Maureen Silveira

Certified Kripalu Yoga Teacher, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Stockbridge Massachusetts

Yoga has played an integral part of my life, guiding me on and off the mat. I am very grateful to be able to share my over 20-year love of yoga by creating a fun, non-judgmental, non-competitive, peaceful space in which to practice—a space where you feel at ease and the focus is on creating harmony in your body through self care, body acceptance, and self contentment.

The post Introducing Extracurricular Yoga Classes – Join us! appeared first on Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy.

*2025*
107,241 Push-Ups in 28 Days



Daily Warriors

Alex W

Dave W

Dawn

Lawrentina

Lily W

Zia

Sifu Cory

Sifu D'Arcy

Sifu Greg

Sifu Erich

Sije Sarah



Sifu Erich

10,065



Alex W

6,600



Lily W

5,739



Record Holders

Record Days - # Push-Ups

Sifu Erich - 11 - 506

Sifu Neel - 4 - 300

Sihing Shoja - 3 - 640

Alex W - 3 - 550

Lily W - 2 - 250

Owen - 2 - 1,000

Sifu D’Arcy 550

Shaan 330

Zia 300

Kyle F 256

The post WKFA Pushes the 2026 Push-Up Challenge! appeared first on Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy.

The post <em>Grading Time!</em> YOUTH Red Belt, Yellow Stripe, Yellow Belt & JUNIOR Red Sash – Sat. Apr 11, 2026, 2:00pm appeared first on Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy.

The post <em>Grading Time!</em> YOUTH Orange Stripe and Up & JUNIOR Yellow Sash and Up – Sun. Apr 12, 2026, 12:00pm appeared first on Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy.

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The post Is Sparring Really Necessary? appeared first on Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy.

by Chantal Moylan
Fu For You Spring 2026

Did you know that to become better at Kung Fu, you don’t actually need an hour of training every day?

What if it only took you five minutes each day? A lot of students might think they can only improve during classes. And yes, classes are important for getting corrections and learning new things. But the students who improve the fastest usually do something else: they practice at home, even if it’s just for just a little bit. And it doesn’t have to be for an hour, not even for 30 minutes – five minutes is all it takes!

Five minutes might not sound like a lot but think about it like this: if you practice for 5 minutes a day, even just 5 days a week, that’s 25 extra minutes of training. You can even have a parent set a timer for you.

If you aren’t sure what you could practice for those 5 minutes, here are some ideas to help get you started:

Minute 1: Stance Sequence. Try and make sure all of your stances are nice and low! Remember: you won’t be holding them for very long.

Minute 2: Forms. In just 1 minute, you could probably practice your form 2-3 times! Pick either your current form or an old one.

Minute 3: A Section of your Form. After practicing your whole form, pick a section you think needs some work and drill it a few times.

Minute 4: Kicking Sequence. Pick either an old or a current kicking sequence and try it out to both sides.

Minute 5: Blocking Sequence. Make sure you’re in a low horse stance and run through your blocking sequence a few times on both sides.

And that’s it! It’s not a lot of time but you can accomplish lots of things in that time. Some days, you might not feel like practicing. Maybe you’re tired from school or sports or maybe you’d rather play a game or watch TV. But remember: It’s only five minutes and it will help you to become a strong and disciplined martial artist!

Here’s another thing: If you come across a move or part of your form you are unsure of, you can write it down and ask an instructor for help at your next class. This also helps you remember exactly what you need to work on when you have the extra time to practice in class.

So here’s a spring challenge for you: For the next few weeks, pick a time like after school, before dinner, or before bed and practice your kung fu for five minutes – without being reminded! After those few weeks, see if you notice any changes, whether it’s stronger stances, sharper techniques or more confidence in your Kung Fu. Having success in your training doesn’t come from one giant effort. It comes from lots of small efforts repeated over time. So take just five minutes each day this spring – that’s all it takes!

The post Improved Kung Fu in Just 5 Minutes appeared first on Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy.

by Sifu Charlie Romeo
Fu For You Spring 2026

As you advance in your Kung Fu journey, the time will come to adopt a leadership role within the academy. A great way to do this is through our decades-long tradition of students helping students, called the Leadership Team (LT). This team is composed of knowledgeable, motivated students who commit their personal time to assist with weekly classes. Becoming an LT member is a crucial step towards earning your Black Sash. It’s a requirement for our Adult Brown Sashes, but is open to students starting at Junior Blue Sash. Joining the team comes with great benefits as well as responsibilities.

The Leadership Team provides a great opportunity to gain teaching experience through regularly assisting with classes. This role involves quietly correcting or assisting students individually, leading small groups through specific activities, and eventually, leading a full class through a well-planned warm-up. We don’t expect anyone to lead a full warm-up right off the bat; remember: gaining experience is a process, not an ON / OFF switch, and the skill of teaching must be learned over time. By regularly helping with classes, receiving feedback from Black Sashes, and attending the monthly Leadership Team meeting, you’ll gradually build the confidence and skills needed for Black Sash.

As an LT member, it’s important to know your roles and responsibilities when assisting with a class:

• Follow the instructions of the Black Sash teaching the class. They may give you direct instructions, or you might need to stay alert and watch for details while the instructor is teaching.
• Show up every week, 15 minutes early. If you know you’ll be absent, find coverage immediately. Treat this commitment like a job.
• Be helpful and non-interruptive. Don’t draw the entire class’s attention to you when assisting an individual student.
• Show your experience. Use your knowledge to best help the students. If you’re asked a question and you don’t know the answer, find out and get back to them.

You also have responsibilities beyond your designated class:

• Manage the weight room. Keep volume levels low before class, and ensure nobody is using equipment who is not supposed to.
• Make sure belts and sashes are tied correctly. You should know how to teach sash tying and know how to tie a belt on somebody else.
• Keep the foyer clear. Remind students to neatly put their shoes and coats where they belong (never on the floor!)
• In the winter, shovel the entryway. The walkway in front of our main entrance must be clear, and if it needs to be shoveled, use the shovel in the foyer to clear it.

Black Sashes and Leadership Team members each have designated responsibilities. It’s important that we all do our part to keep the Academy in good and safe order for students and families. Most importantly, we must lead by example. Always be attentive and never be careless. Younger students look up to LT members, so be the role model that they need to succeed.

The post Leadership and Taking Initiative appeared first on Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy.

by Sifu D’Arcy
Fu For You Spring 2026

I first heard this quote in an iconic scene in an incredible TV show, and it’s one that has stuck with me since I watched that scene. On the surface, it is a call to not assume anything about someone without having all of the facts. While there are certainly aspects within Kung Fu that this facet applies to (e.g. sparring), I am not going to touch on that part today, maybe save it for a rainy day once spring finally arrives. No, I believe this quote can also be applied to oneself: don’t assume your abilities without first getting all of the facts – Be Curious, not self-Judgemental.

Physically, this is a pretty obvious one. How many of you have heard a technique called and immediately thought to yourself “No way!”? From the first call of a Turning Double Side Kick, or a Jump Spin Outside Crescent Kick, or my personal example, the Jump Turn 270 Degree Side Kick. Many students, myself included, fall into the habit of assuming that they can’t do something long before they even try; before they have all of the facts. Before uttering one of those dreaded words, take a minute and be curious – absorb the lesson that is surely to come. The Instructors at the Academy will have ways to help teach the various techniques we do, often in a variety of ways to support different learning styles. Be curious and absorb the information, ask the questions, listen to the answers, and most importantly TRY.

Being curious in your training is a great way to keep yourself engaged, and interested in the pursuit of the Art. The greatest students (in life, and not just in the Academy by the way) are not those who believe they have all of the answers. Those students who have the answers tend to get stuck in ruts, or cages of their own making, with progress being a long and drawn out process. The best students are those who have figured out how to ask the right questions and are not afraid to ask those questions. They seek out the answers and listen to those answers – never assuming they already know what they are going to hear. Keeping curious in your journey is a great way to stay engaged, even in those times where you feel like you are slogging along through the curriculum.

At the end of the day, this is just another piece of mental training to employ along your Kung Fu journey. It is not something that Instructors can teach, and truly not something we can even enforce – but it is important. Just remember, before you catch yourself saying that you “can’t do something”, or “you know all about something”, try to be curious instead. Learn how to find the questions you need to ask, and more importantly learn how to listen to the answers. Be curious, not judgmental.

The post “Be Curious, Not Judgemental” ~ Walt Whitman appeared first on Waterloo Kung-Fu Academy.