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29864 Northwestern Hwy.
Southfield, MI 48034

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All posts by Brett Duncan

Sifu Fong Wing Chun in Southfield, MI

Sifu Fong: Wing Chun from the Hands of a Master

Wing Chun in Southfield to be Enriched by a Master of the Art

Sifu J Dallo | Founder of Dallo Martial Arts Southfield, MI

Sifu J Dallo | Founder

When Guro Dan Inosanto - who has had multiple Wing Chun Gung Fu instructors throughout his vast and renowned career - states several times at several different locations around the world that Sifu Francis Fong has the best Wing Chun he has seen and is the fastest he has seen, one's curiosity is immediately piqued, at the least. Once you spend a few minutes with Sifu Fong, you are instantly captured by his energy and intensity. Yet, when you actually work Wing Chun with him, you can feel his calmness and control.

His positive energy and warm smile, along with his impressive abilities, has made training in Wing Chun fun and exciting. He addresses the practicality of it along with the traditional movements and philosophies of this ancient art..

Attending one seminar, one weekend, with Sifu Fong will instill within you a deeper impression of the art and make it a part of who you are. Don't be concerned with its challenges! Sifu Fong will instruct on very fundamental movement that we all must work on.

-Sifu J Dallo | Dallo Martial Arts


Sifu Fong Wing Chun Southfield, MI Seminar Registration

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Kids Martial Arts in Southfield Michigan Back to School Special

5 Ways Kids Martial Arts Can Help Your Child

Kids martial arts training helps kids overcome today's challenges.

The generation of young go-getters is dying slowly in the face of our tech-obsessed society. Kids no longer play outside or socialize through kick-the-can. Instead, they are constantly engaged and distracted by their gadgets, which can cause children to adopt antisocial tendencies, become disrespectful, gain weight and leave them unable to focus.

Kids Martial Arts in Southfield Michigan teaches kids respect and how to achieve goals.

Kids Martial Arts teaches kids to respect themselves and others, while giving them the self-discipline they need to set and achieve goals.

Martial arts for kids provides a new kind of stimulation that grabs their attention and pulls them away from other things they may be over-indulging on, such as video games or social media. Learning self-defense is a great way to keep kids engaged with something positive that they will love, and the skills and tools they pick up help them conquer hurdles in other areas of their life. Whereas technology can be a great thing, too much often leads to problems later on.

An Antidote to Tech-Obsession

Technology is a constant distraction. When was the last time your child played a video game, watched TV, or played on their smartphone or tablet rather than engage in conversation or accomplishing tasks like homework or chores? Martial arts training for kids provides a way to help kids satisfy their need for stimulation while teaching them how to set goals and achieve them instead of getting constant meaningless stimulation.

Your child will no longer be instantly gratified by technology's easy accessibility- they will learn from their own mistakes, gain confidence with their instructor's guidance and support, but especially from their own achievements. Kids martial arts teaches them to set goals while giving them the tools and motivation to see them through. Self-discipline, goal-setting, and patience are among some of the most prominent keys to success. Martial arts training goes beyond physical strength- it trains your state of mind to accomplish and overcome.

Overcome the Obesity Epidemic

Physical activity can be difficult to achieve in the traditional school environment. Many programs are cut from schools that require kids to get the necessary physical activity they need to stay healthy, and many kids don't participate in school sports. Martial arts for kids provides an alternative that is and engaging and fun way to be active and burn off restless energy.

Let Them Adjust Their Own Attitude

Is your child ever disobedient, rude, or unfocused? If you are frustrated with your child's lack of respect towards other people, kid's martial arts classes are a great way for them to learn respect for other and themselves. Martial arts training for kids teaches a sense of total respect between students and instructors. If your child is easily distracted or has problems respecting others or following directions, martial arts will provide them with an environment that shows them through example how to act and interact with people of all ages. Giving them respect for themselves and those surrounding them is the first step to helping your child achieve success in life.

Kids Martial Arts gives kids the critical thinking skills to deescalate situations while giving them the self-defense skills to protect themselves if something happens.

Kids Martial Arts gives kids the critical thinking skills to deescalate situations while giving them the self-defense skills to protect themselves if something happens.

Help Your Child Build Their Social Skills and Confidence

Shy children often have a hard time making and keeping solid friendships in the traditional environments that they are forced upon, such as in the classroom. Training in martial arts offers kids a chance to build lifelong relationships, whether it be with instructors or other children in their classes. Working with a partner is a common practice that helps build self-esteem and social skills, and all students understand the expectations and practice the same principles as the adults, teaching them a sense of responsibility. Confidence is derived from achievement and martial arts for kids provides kids a step by step process to achieve goals and rewards them for doing so, whether it be learning new moves or attaining a new belt.

Help Your Child Take a Stand against Violence

Many psychologists argue that video games have led to an increasingly violent society. Martial arts training encourages your child to escape the virtual world. This helps them avoid learning unrealistic reactions to problems and teaches real coping skills to help them identify and avoid potentially risky situation. When confrontation becomes unavoidable, kid's martial arts teaches children to seek peaceful resolutions to conflict. Critical thinking skills are needed to react under stress in a calm manner to deescalate potential situations with the confidence that they will be able to defend themselves if needed. Martial arts can keep your child on track, avoiding trouble or reacting appropriately when confronted with it.

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5 Reasons Real Kickboxing Floors the Cardio Gym-itation

5 Reasons Real Kickboxing Floors the Cardio Gym-itation

If you're looking for real fitness, why waste time with cardio kickboxing when the real deal works better?

If you want to start getting real results from your cardio workouts, put down the hand weights, step out of the mirrored "fitness room" and sign up for a kickboxing class. And we're not talking about the after-work singles club at LA Planet Lifetime where you kick and punch with the resident "guru" to the rhythms of Tiesto stuck on repeat. Leave those classes for the minivan & divorcee crowds and take an approach that will not only get you the buff body you want, but will train your mind as well. We're talking about studying authentic kickboxing, where you will learn to kick a little while you're shaping yours.

Let's face facts; if you're looking for something more rewarding than just being seen at the new fitness hot spot while you're breaking a sweat, cardio kickboxing classes at the Mc Mega-Gyms are wasting your time. The slick sales pitches can't change the fact that gyms exist to make money, not to make sure you're getting all of the tools - mentally as well as physically - that you really need for self improvement. Other than burning some calories and killing some time, what are you really taking with you when you walk out the door besides your sweaty gym clothes? Here are some of the greatest benefits you'll take away from studying real kickboxing instead of getting duped by the fitness room impostor.

You'll Burn More Fat

Sure, every cardio kickboxing class promises that if you stick with it, you'll burn calories and lose fat in no-time, and you will to a degree. How effective is the workout, though? Most high impact aerobics or cardio kickboxing classes will burn off a little over 400 calories during an hour workout for a 155 lb. individual. Real kickboxing is a perfect example of High Impact Interval Training (HIIT), the kind of training that will let the same person burn around 700 calories and upwards in the same amount of time. The added benefit? The impact that comes from hitting reactive targets will help you build more lean muscle. Not in the bulky-broski kind of way, but in the "looking good in clothes you forgot you had" kind of way, and you'll be doing it all faster.

You'll Get More Stimulation

Even though regular cardio kickboxing can help you tone and condition your body, it's probably not what you'd call an enjoyable time unless you like doing the same things over and over again while getting creep-stared through the fitness room mirrors. Real kickboxing combines a high-intensity workout that utilizes every muscle group while also engaging your brain to master fine motor skills, make split second decisions and remain focused under pressure. All of this occurs in an environment designed to get results (no gawkers allowed) with people who will become like family. Flexibility, muscle tone, stamina, balance and strength will all develop significantly while you gain real skills. If you're the type of person who enjoys variety and intensity with challenging workouts that let you train closely with other people instead of just staring at the backside of the person in front of you, ditch the gym and join the dojo.

You'll Learn Real Self Defense Skills

A lot of those soccer mom cardio kickboxing classes claim they are based on real martial arts systems with actual self-defense techniques, but most are just a sales pitch. Just kicking aimlessly without the benefit of proper instruction in body mechanics, timing and form does not construe effective "technique" in martial arts. Real kickboxing skills are learned with instructors who have spent years to decades perfecting their craft, not from someone who's only certified to lead the pre-made corporate kickboxing workout. Learning to defend yourself while getting a great workout offers a huge advantage over simple fitness classes. Not only will you achieve your physical fitness goals more efficiently, you'll also gain effective self-defense techniques you'll absolutely want to have in your arsenal should you ever need them.

You'll Deal Better with Stress

Relieving stress is something we should all do more often. Whereas all exercise helps to some degree, training in a martial arts studio is a whole different game. You're learning combat skills, not home workout skills, and training in intense scenarios will give you the ability to control your fight-or-flight instinct, helping to reduce stress triggers from just about everything you encounter. Let's be real, though. Kickboxing helps demolish tension and stress by letting you kick and punch things while teaching you how to face challenges with confidence and calm. Whether you're doing drills with a partner, smacking around defenseless training dummies, testing with a padded-up instructor, or sparring in the ring, every class will challenge you to master your emotions as you master your body. You will literally punch and kick stress right out - benefiting from all of those stress-annihilating hormones you've just released - in a neutral and safe environment.

You'll Gain Confidence

We all want to be young again, filled to the brim with confidence and equipped with a body that doesn't require counting calories. If you've discovered that you're simply not tackling life like you used to, or if it bothers you that last years' jeans are in a bag on the closet floor, training in kickboxing can bring you back from the precipice of low self-esteem. Learning skills that can prevent you from getting hurt or even save your life lead to a better sense of security in yourself, and the intense training will lead to the body you want (as long as you're not hitting the dollar menu on the way home). Confidence is a key to leading a fulfilling and successful life, and martial arts instills that feeling in everyone who trains hard to be better.

Shape Yours; Kick Theirs!

If you're willing to put in the hard work to lose weight in cardio kickboxing, why not get something more? Most martial arts studios are willing to let new students try a class or two to see if it's right for them, so you've got nothing to lose except a great opportunity to make your efforts (and yourself) more effective. The next time you're sweating to last year's dance hits while flailing around in the fitness room, look at everyone around you and think about what you could be doing instead. You could be learning to kick theirs while you're shaping yours.

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The King of Cool | Steve McQueen

The King of Cool - Steve McQueen

Steve McQueen. There are very few names in the history of American icons that are so firmly attached to adjectives such as rebellious, cavalier, daring... However, more than anything else, Steve McQueen embodies the one word reserved for men the likes of James Dean, Sean Connery and Clint Eastwood.

And he's the king of them all; Steve McQueen is The King of Cool.

A street-gang member by the age of nine due to leaving an abusive household, McQueen then joined the circus at age 14. After returning home, Steve was sent to reform school, which he left when he was just 16 to accompany a couple of Merchant Marines he'd recently met to serve on a ship bound for the Dominican Republic. From there he became a nomad in Texas, holding various jobs until he joined the Marine Corps, saving the lives of five other Marines in a training exercise and briefly guarded President Harry Truman before his honorable discharge.

This was all before becoming an Academy Award nominated actor, sometimes stuntman, accomplished off-road motorcycle racer, race car driver (finishing second overall in the 1970 12 Hours of Sebring behind Mario Andretti), pilot and personal friend of another American icon of cool, Bruce Lee.

From the moment he became a household name in 1958 for depicting bounty hunter Josh Randall on the TV series Wanted: Dead or Alive to co-starring in The Magnificent Seven - which catapulted his career into superstardom - to his arguably most famous role of all in Bullitt, those who knew him best had a hard time figuring out if Steve was depicting his characters, or if his characters where a depiction of him.

Throughout his years in Hollywood, Steve developed a relationship with Jeet Kune Do Master Bruce Lee that often appeared unconventional to those on the outside. From within the boundaries of the intimate conversations held on movie sets around the world where Steve would fly Bruce in to visit, the relationship was one of intimate trust, close friendship, and a shared love for philosophy, deep introspection and a view of the world for what it was.

The relationship between McQueen and Lee ran deeper than most of Master Lee's relationships with his students. Though he made upwards of $100 an hour and more for private lessons with many of the other well-known celebrities of the time who sought his tutelage - James Coburn, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and George Lazenby, to name a few - Bruce taught Steve martial arts, and in exchange, Steve gave Bruce insight into acting and how to be a success on the silver screen, meanwhile sharing their philosophies on life.

"He [Bruce Lee] and I used to have great, long discussions about that," said Steve, "because no matter how expensive a car your buy, how many expensive clothes, no matter what you do in life - if you don't know yourself, you're never going to appreciate anything in life. Bruce was very much into that. I think he was very much a part of today's psychotherapy. I imagine he used the martial arts as an extension of himself. But he also knew himself in every day life."

"I teach Steve Jeet Kune Do and he gives me advice on acting," Bruce said of their unique relationship. "No, he doesn't try to convert me to his style. He believes that each actor must create his own style. You can't learn that from anyone."

Lee also admired Steve's great work ethic and his inherent toughness which he applied to his training with Master Lee.

"Now as a fighter, Steve, Steve McQueen, now he is good in that department because that son of a gun got the toughness, I mean, he would say, 'alright baby, here I am,' and man, he would do it," Lee said in a rare interview.

The relationship ran so deep, Steve often attempted to extend the famous generosity he poured upon those he loved by once offering to buy Bruce a house and a new Porsche on a separate occasion, both of which were politely declined by Bruce, though he was greatly appreciative and humbly affected by the offers. Bruce returned the favor by often being the guiding voice for Steve when he most needed it, yet least expected it.

"Sometimes I'd feel rotten and the phone would ring," McQueen narrated, "and it would be Bruce Lee. I don't know why he'd call, but he'd say, 'I just thought I should call you.' Now this happened four or five times. How do you explain that?"

Their prolific and obscure relationship was so great, that upon the death of Master Lee, Steve McQueen sloughed his disdain for funerals to travel to Seattle to perform the duties as one of Master Lee's pallbearers.

"I care about Bruce and I think it's going to be a great loss," McQueen said. "I feel very bad about it. He was a wonderful guy."

"I felt like saying goodbye to a friend."

Though Steve McQueen was taken by illness due to exposure to Asbestos at age 50, still in his acting prime, his legacy lives on. Often remembered as the anti-hero on screen, those close remember his exceptional philanthropy. Donal Logue sums up best how most of America remembers Steve McQueen in The Tao of Steve:

"Steve is the prototypical cool American male. He's the guy on his horse, the guy alone. He has his own code of honor, his own code of ethics, his own rules of living. He never, ever tries to impress the women, but he always gets the girl."

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