Jay's Letter to Tampa Kung Fu

A Personal Testimony from J.
The purpose of this reflection is to provide a personal account of my experience at Tampa Kung Fu. As well, I’d like to express my profound gratitude to Shifu Kevin Brazier (and all the current students) for making a great impact on my life during the last year. My hope is also that this testimony (and I attest that it is entirely unsolicited) will encourage prospective students to try Kung Fu under the guidance of Shifu Kevin.

I came to Tampa Kung Fu in August 2009. At that time, I had no idea about I was really looking for—I just wanted to enroll in some form of physical exercise and I wanted it to be Kung Fu. Why Kung Fu? Perhaps it was the idea that all schools of martial arts derive from Chinese boxing. I wanted something authentic and something that would also entail elements of spirituality. I found both—great school of traditional Kung Fu and a deeply spiritual approach to life. I was deeply saddened when I had to leave the school in July for personal reasons (I had to relocate to Salt Lake City to complete my post-doc).

Shifu Kevin is not only an exquisite martial artist, but also a tremendously talented teacher. As a martial artist, he is familiar with countless forms, and has an expert knowledge of the history of Kung Fu, Tai Chi, and Chinese culture. During my time at Tampa Kung Fu, he led all training classes, and offered individual guidance to all students. He is also fluent in Chinese, and offers great tips on the impact of diet and lifestyle on functioning. I learned more in one year of training than I ever imagined I would (or that I thought I was capable of learning). When I attended a Kung Fu class in Salt Lake City, Master Lu (who leads instructions here) thought I studied Kung Fu for at least 5 years!

As a teacher, Shifu Kevin is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had. He offers individual attention to all students, is patient, kind, and inspirational. He teaches by example, and not just by instruction. From him, I learned that daily practice and hard work can make a profound difference in my own life. Not only did I learn some Praying Mantis, but I began to feel less stressed, improved my physical condition, and learned to relax, breathe properly, and literally “close my mouth” (I was truly unaware of how I used to keep my mouth open when tired). I also lost 35 pounds, stopped snoring, and began feeling generally more positive about myself.

Did I mention that studying Kung Fu with Shifu Kevin is a lot of fun? I was never bored, and I should say that I attended training almost every day! There is also plenty of humor, and many opportunities to interact with either Shifu, his wonderful family (April, Pierre, and Yvonne), or other Kung Fu and Tai Chi students. These interactions make Tampa Kung Fu a very unique place.

There are a number of students at Tampa Kung Fu that make training there very enjoyable. Jeff and Phil (two of the older students) are both very skilled in Praying Mentis, terrific sparring partners, and are always helpful to others. Shimu April never misses an opportunity to ask about your well-being. If you are lucky (as I was), Rachel will make sure you’ve had your intake of vegetable juice for the day. In fact, many students of Tampa Kung Fu that are just terrific people (do take time to get to know them on a personal level, which will not be difficult if you decide to come).

In closing, I would like to encourage all those that think of trying martial arts to consider Tampa Kung Fu. When I was looking for a school, I came to Tampa Kung Fu for a one-time free trial session. After meeting Shifu Kevin for just a few minutes, I never looked for a different school. I never regretted the decision to stay.
Jacek Brewczynski, Ph.D.
Psychology Fellow at SLC VA