It is a Chinese martial art that is based upon the fighting motions of seven different animals. Al Moore Sr. was the founder of the art and developed the system to utilize the fighting skills of the seven animals: bear, tiger, mongoose, mantis, crane, cobra, and dragon. Al Moore passed away in 2002 and the art is being carried on by Da Shifu James Clark.

Each animal fights differently. Some are very powerful and fight using their size and strength while others are small and must rely on evasion or the weaknesses of their opponents. One never knows what kind of opponent they’ll face but by studying the various animals, you will have a wide breadth of techniques and weapons to draw upon when the situation calls for.

The belts are a way of letting teachers and fellow students know what level their working on. The belts in Shou Shu have specific meaning:
White — Beginning student
Orange — Learning the fundamentals
Purple — Fundamentals + Power
Blue — Fundamentals + Power + Speed
Green – Fundamentals + Power + Speed + Flow
Brown — First level of mastery
Black — Teacher to Master

Unlike most systems, there is no set testing schedule in Shou Shu. When the teacher feels the student is ready to test for their next belt, they test. How quickly a student progresses depends on how often they attend class and practice at home.

Most other striking martial arts such as Taekwondo, Karate, Muay Thai, Wing Chun and many others are external hard styles. Shou Shu on the other hand is an internal soft style. An internal style generates power with the entire body while external styles generate power with the limbs using staged activation of muscles. In a soft style the body remains relaxed while a hard stylist will tense up when striking. There are many advantages to practicing an internal soft style, just ask any of the teachers for a more detailed description.

In short, no. Unlike tournament or sport arts, Shou Shu is a practical martial art that solely concentrates on self-defense. Trying to win a tournament or competing in the ring is very different from self-defense on the street. Shou Shu prepares the student for real-world multiple attacker situations.

Yes. Kids will learn, discipline, cooperation, respect, all while learning practical self-defense techniques. The skills they learn at Red Dragon Martial Arts will help them now and a long time into their futures. For adults the classes are equally beneficial with improvements in endurance, flexibility, balance, coordination, and strength. Adults will also gain self-confidence knowing that they will learn the skills to defend themselves and their families much more effectively should the need ever arise.

Mon – Fri from 4:00pm to 9:00pm
Kids group on Mon Wed Fri from 5:00pm to 5:45pm
Adult group Mon through Fri from 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Sat open mat from 10:00am to 12:00pm and when groups not in session

You’ll find that this is the best deal in town for learning martial arts. The monthly costs are affordable and there are no hidden fees. Many other schools have club programs, expensive uniforms, and on and on. The monthly fees at Red Dragon Martial Arts is reasonable and there are no surprises. Adult classes also include a weekly 30 minute private lesson.