Frequently Asked Questions
general
I’M INTERESTED IN DOING A CERTAIN COMBINATION OF THE PROGRAMS OFFERED AT Breaking Wave. DOES THIS COST EXTRA?
Tuition rates are determined by a number of factors: the type of program, frequency of attendance, duration of membership agreement, combination of programs, and other applicable discounts (family, senior, etc.). You are welcome and encouraged to cross train among any of the programs offered at Breaking Wave. Once you’ve tried our programs, and know how you’d like to combine them, we can put together some different options to see which fits your interest, schedule and budget the best.
How much does it cost?
Breaking Wave offers several pricing options to best suit your needs. The cost for differs based on how long you sign up for (monthly/annually) and how frequently you attend class (1x per week and unlimited).
Can I try a class out before I join?
Absolutely! Please visit our "‘Get Started’ Page for trial membership options (beginning at just $9.99/wk).
What should I wear to class?
For your first class, please wear loose, comfortable clothing, including clean indoor shoes or socks for Taichi, Kungfu Forms, and Kids Kungfu. For Karate we prefer to train barefoot.
kids kungfu
I Am interested in martial arts for my son or daughter, but I don’t want them fighting. Will they be taught to fight and made to spar in class?
No. Breaking Wave teaches martial arts, not ‘fighting’. Depending on their program of choice they can explore the more combative/self-defense oriented side of martial arts through Karate or join our Kungfu program which focuses solely on personal development. In Kungfu children are taught basic martial arts techniques for solo routines practice. They will exercise, stretch and train in techniques designed to develop all the basic physical and mental attributes of a martial artist without engaging in any fighting or sparring practice.
However, if your child is interested in learning more application based techniques and sparring our Karate program will be most suitable. The techniques developed during their Kids Kungfu program will give them a great foundation in what we call “martial mechanics” and a superior ability to learn sparring techniques correctly.
kungfu forms
What’s the difference between “Kungfu” and “Wushu”?
Essentially there is not a difference between "Kungfu" and "Washu"; they are both used to describe Chinese Martal Arts. Technically Kungfu (Gongfu) means “a skill developed over time through hard work”, while Wushu means Martial Art (Martial=Wu, Art=Shu). Some people have started to use the word Kungfu to mean traditional Chinese martial arts and Wushu to mean modern Chinese martial arts for competition.
At Breaking Wave we practice both Kungfu and Wushu. We train traditional Longfist Kungfu, Chang Quan, as the basis for our advanced competition wushu routines. Long Fist style is renowned for its impressive acrobatic kicks. Wushu trains martial art patterns and maneuvers comprised of basic movements inherent to traditional Kungfu routines (stances, kicks, punches, balances, jumps, sweeps and throws). However, in advanced demonstration events, contemporary Changquan includes movements that are difficult to perform, requiring great flexibility and athleticism comparable to that of gymnastics.
KYOKUSHIN KARATE
What is Kyokushin Karate?
Kyokushin Karate is a martial art that allows for both traditional self-defense and combat sport. While Combat sport is full contact students are welcome to explore contact at any level they are comfortable with, to begin sparring exercises can be done with minimal/light contact, and build up progressively over time as the practitioner becomes more comfortable. The intensity can be scaled for individuals of all skills and abilities.
I’ve never done martial arts before and I’m not interested in fighting/sparring the first day, is that OK?
Absolutely! You will not have to fight/spar on the first day. At Breaking Wave we will use the class time to do our Karate technique training. Practices will include a wide variety of traditional technical development. We will also do pad drills, and partner drills to allow all practitioners to develop the techniques required for sparring or a real life altercation. Please speak with an instructor if you are interested in participating in sparring/fight training.
Tai Chi
I’m a bit older and I’ve never practiced Tai chi before. Is Taichi difficult to learn?
Taichi is a great art to begin practicing as you get older. The beginner class focuses on the development of good Taichi basics and beginner routines. The slow motion movements offer a form of non-impact exercise and are simple to learn.
I’VE TRIED TAI CHI BEFORE AND FOUND THE MOVEMENTS CONFUSING TO REMEMBER. HOW IS THE TAICHI AT CMAA EASIER TO LEARN?
If you’ve ever tried Tai Chi before and found the movements confusing or difficult to remember, don’t worry our approach will make things easier. First, we focus on the development of good Tai Chi basics. Becoming familiar with basic exercises will help us move into the routines more seamlessly. Once we progress to traditional Tai Chi routines, we break up the routines in to sections. We will focus on learning each section one at a time through a systematic progression. Since you will have developed a good foundation in Tai Chi basics and learned the sequences piece by piece, it will seem like a natural process and not overwhelming.
