Southern tiger boxing

Our classes are designed with special attention to form training, with in-depth self-defense strategy and application.  Southern tiger is physically challenging and may take several months to years of continuous training to achieve a solid foundation of understanding.

Sifu Brian Brinkman is the head teacher and founder of the House of Kung Fu, Asian arts center of Olympia. Sifu Brinkman began training in a form of Tiger style kung fu, involving a combination of Southern and Northern technique. Sifu Brinkman became an instructor in January of 1999 and has been teaching as a full-time profession since that time. 

Brinkman left the school where he first became an instructor and decided for personal reasons not to teach from the curriculum he had learned.  Instead, Brinkman sought out other traditional Chinese Kung fu and Tai ji teachers over the last eight years in effort to improve his understanding of Chinese martial arts.  Sifu Brinkman's kung fu is presented in a particularly challenging and detailed curriculum involving solid defensive skills inspired by the movements of the tiger.  Brinkman calls this art Southern Tiger fist. 

Brinkman was featured for the first time in Inside Kung Fu Magazine in June of 2001, shortly after founding the House of Kung Fu in May of that year.  Since then Sifu has appeared in Inside Kung Fu magazine several times.  Sifu Brinkman's mission is to provide an informative and challenging curriculum that inspires solid skills for all who endeavor to achieve great skill with time and patience -kung fu.

Classes are taught by Sihing (Instructor) John Zapf, he began studying at the House of Kung Fu in July of 2001. John's dedication was unparalleled at the time. Traveling an hour and a half each way to take private lessons with Sifu Brinkman. John eventually moved to Olympia and began training full-time.

Mr. Zapf accepted an apprenticeship position at the request of Sifu, an especially challenging program that ended up lasting nearly two years. During which time, John lived at the H.O.K.F, as a full-time student -eating, breathing and sleeping kung fu. John's training, much like bootcamp, was intense, detailed and transforming.

Sihing Zapf has been teaching for Sifu Brinkman at the House of Kung Fu for the length of his apprenticeship, and has the distinction of being the only student from the H.O.K.F to have successfully completed the apprenticeship program.

*Sifu Brinkman continues to oversee the operation of the H.O.K.F and offers regular seminars and private lessons when available. However, all questions and concerns may be directed to Sihing Zapf.

Private lessons are available anytime during the week!  Please call for more details. 360-705-0242