About the System

Lehigh Valley Martial Arts teaches a system of martial arts known as Chih chun Tao. Literally translated, this means “the way of the truthful falcon” or “the way of the wise falcon”.  The Chinese language has symbols that can be translated or interpreted in a number of ways, hence the two different meanings of our system.

Under Chih Chun Tao, a student may train in multiple disciplines including Tai Chi, Chinese Internal Kung Fu, and Kyokushin Karate.

As in all martial arts, or any serious art practice, the basics are the most important part of training. Although the basic techniques are similar across the arts/disciplines, the attitude, focus, and intent with which they are practiced makes the difference between styles or systems. At Lehigh Valley Martial Arts, the basics are taken very seriously and practiced rigorously. Students will learn the practical applications of each technique whether they appear in a form/kata or in their basic training.

The main difference between Chih Chun Tao and other systems is our method of self-defense. Whether a student chooses to train in Tai Chi, Kung Fu, or Karate they will learn to understand the concepts and theories of movement and motion; how the body works and doesn’t work. They will not learn a catalogued series of moves and be expected to memorize them.

We do not believe that the key to good, practical self-defense lies with speed, power, and endurance. While these things are beneficial, they are not the key. We believe that the key to real ability in self-defense lies in timing, distancing, posturing, and positioning. With these things in place, the student maintains the ability to stay safe in most any situation.