shaolin news & inspiration

Happy Holidays! However you celebrate, we wish you good health and wonderful time spent with family, friends, and those you love. We close this year with gratitude in our hearts for our extended martial arts family.

Sensei Rosanna is a 3rd Degree (Sandan) Black Belt who began studying with SDSS in 2008. She’s had a love of the martial arts since she was a child, and she studied as a teenager before taking a break.

Sensei Jamie began his martial arts journey as a White Belt in 2008. He persevered in his training even through the pandemic, earning his 4th Degree Black Belt (Yondan) in the fall of 2020.

FALL FEST brought fun costumes, yummy treats, and an EPIC battle with the Shark Ninja!

HEART: that describes what all 11 students demonstrated in our Fall Black Belt Test on October 16, 2021.

The practice of cultivating a “beginner’s mind” has been foundational to my meditation practice, my professional creative work as a designer, and, as I’ve discovered, in my kung fu journey as well.

Tradition surrounds us when we practice the martial arts, from the symbols in our dojo space, to the uniforms we wear, to the techniques and forms we learn.

Sensei Nikhil began his martial arts journey as a White Belt in 2014. Just this year, we were proud to see him earn his 3rd Degree Black Belt (Sandan).

Friends and family members joined our students for a week of intense workouts and fun games.

Learning to tie our belts can be a little tricky, but with Shaolin patience, discipline, and a bit of practice, you can do it!

Sensei Amelia started her martial arts journey as a White Belt in 2013. She began teaching with SDSS in 2018.

There are those moments of pride for a martial arts instructor that can’t be equaled, and one of those is to watch students achieve their Black Belt ranks.

Forms (Katas and Pinans, as well as advanced Shaolin Chuan Fa forms) are a series of pre-arranged movements designed to simulate a fight against multiple attackers.

Sensei Dylan started his martial arts journey as a White Belt in 2004, the same year we established Shaolin Studios in Pittsburgh!

Sensei Guillermo started his martial arts journey as a White Belt in 2010 and has been teaching with SDSS since 2016. One of his favorite things about teaching is how much more in-depth he learns material as he teaches.

The focus of Summer Camp 2021 was learning a form using the katana, a single-edged sword of Japanese origin.

Sensei Natalie started her martial arts journey as a White Belt in 2007. She began teaching with SDSS in 2020, and she earned her 3rd Degree Black Belt (Sandan) in the fall of that same year.

Sensei Michele is a 4th Degree Black Belt (Yondan) who began studying with us in 2010. She’s been part of our instructor team since 2012, growing through the ranks as both a student and an instructor.