The Mountain Institute for Kung Fu and Tai Chi
Sifu Ryan Steel's martial arts background began in 1990 with TKD, as is the case with most children. He was lucky enough to find a school that trained for self-defense rather than for competition, and learned related concepts from similar Korean arts such as Tang Soo Do and Hap Ki Do. He took over the school after his instructor retired approximately seven years later. After two years of running the school, Sifu Ryan subsequently sold it to relocate, and to continue development in martial arts.
While living in San Diego, Sifu Ryan continued training in a method called "American Christian Karate", an American system based heavily on Kei Chu Do (American Cajun Karate) and Hap Ki Do. It was while training in this form that he met Sigung Tom Farrar for the first time and had his first experience with genuine Chinese martial arts. This inspired him to explore the martial arts of China (something for which he always had an interest) and to train with Sigung Tom whenever the chance arose - no small feat considering the 150 mile distance between the two!
Sifu Ryan moved back to his home town of Temecula in late 1999 while continuing to train with Sigung Tom on a consistent basis. He was concurrently enrolled in a school that taught Choi Lai Fut (a traditional Chinese martial art slightly different from what is taught at the Mountain Institute for Kung Fu and Tai Chi) for structured training on a regular basis. Sifu Ryan thoroughly enjoyed training this school and it wasn't long before he was recruited to help instruct beginner students. Heading into 2005, Sifu Ryan continued to train with this school, teach at this school, and also train with Sigung Tom regularly.
Since 2005, Sifu Ryan has lived in northwestern Riverside County; a move that rendered teaching and training at the Temecula Choi Lai Fut school unmanagable due to the distance and tight schedule maintained. Ever since, however, Sifu Ryan has stepped up his training with Sigung Tom as well as with Sigung Darrell and continues his training to the present. Along with this, Sifu Ryan teaches external martial arts privately as well as Tai Chi Chuan. His ambition is to open a Riverside County branch of the Mountain Institute for Kung Fu and Tai Chi for group classes in the near future.
Sifu Ryan can be contacted at sifu_ryan@mountainkungfu.com.
The Mountain Institute for Kung Fu and Tai Chi is a non-profit organization with locations in Ojai, CA and Riverside County, CA that has been teaching students from all walks of life, from at-risk youths to seniors in rehabilitation centers, and everybody in between, for over ten years. Beginning in 1999 and gaining our non-profit status in 2002, we have sponsored trips to China several times in which our students have won medals exceeding 500 in total while competing against over 50 different countries. In addition, our students have competed and won in dozens of national and other international competitions. More than 99% of our students who train with our program for 2 or more years graduate high school and go on to college, the military, or other means of higher learning.
We are innovators in teaching Chinese martial arts who consistently strive to develop and embrace new mediums for teaching anybody who holds the desire, drive, and ambition to learn. We teach traditional methods for real-world application in modern times as well as train to promote better health.
The Mountain Institute for Kung Fu and Tai Chi admits students of any race, color, national and/or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender and/or gender identity, religion, age, health, or disability to all rights, privilages, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students available at the school; nor does the school discriminate in the administration of school policies in the following training, admissions, scholarship, and/or loan programs, or any other school-administrated programs.
As a non-profit organization, we always welcome donations.
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