Shaolin Kung Fu Academy
and Traditional Chinese Weaponry
Mordialloc

Kung Fu Info Pages

Shaolin Academy Chief Instructor Master Robert Z

Curriculum Vitae

Synopsis

Sijo Sijo Z commenced martial art training in 1962 with Judo. In 1970, his parents migrated to Germany where he trained Karate, but was also drafted into the army and partook in officers training. 1976, he won the European Full contact championship and his Karate Sensei Arno died in a car accident in France later that year. Although one of the Sensei's 32 Black Belts took over the school, it was not the same. He an a fellow member, transferred to Aikido, where he successfully graded to Black Sash just before he migrated to Australia with his wife.

There, with aspirations of becoming the next Bruce Lee, he found a kung fu school and trained there for near ten years, intensively, continuing to partake in full contact tournaments, both official and other. In 1992 Sijo founded the Shaolin Kung Fu Academy. In the next ten years he vagabonded about both nationally and internationally seeking out interesting kung fu styles including visiting Shaolin, Beijing Kung Fu and Wushu School and various others in China and the Asia Pacific area also continuing to teach both private and kwoon kung fu sessions. In Australia he continued to train in odd and closed styles including Chin Wo, Northern Praying Mantis, Wing Chung, Choy Lee Fut and others. Since 2003, Sijo had retired from full contact events, due to an expanded aorta which, if he received further hard strikes to the body, his doctor and others suggested, it would burst.

Since then, Sijo has devoted his time to the Shaolin Academy almost exclusively. At the updating of this page (2024), the academy celebrated its 32nd Anniversary, always on the last Saturday in June."

The beginnings

Since the age of 9 in 1962, Sijo Z has been training martial arts regularly, with very few interruptions through his parents constant moving about, he now know why. Yet, as soon as they were settled, he sought out and found a Judo school. In the 60's Judo was very popular and most public schools had a Judo teaching program.

In 1970, aged 17, his family moved to Germany. e still lived with his parents and money was tight. He found a job relatively quickly, a block away from a large Karate School. In the evenings, two session ran concurrently each week day with three session in each. New to the country, that was little else to do but train, six days a week up to three sessions a day. Sundays were boring but after a while, he was invited to the Sunday's special training, a sort of Karate Fight Club. Just a year later, he was drafted into the German Army

Bundeswehr Pass,
German Army ID.

Bundeswehr

After the usual tests, fitness, sanity and IQ, Sijo was stationed to basic training, a long distance away from his training. After the three months, he was re-posted not too far away from where he lived, to a M48 Tank Division. He could resume his training, most days of the week and during many weekends. He was also taken into the officers training scheme. There he meet Lt. Hans Herman, a weapons and unarmed combat instructor. The officers training usually ran for a year, but he failed his language test, receiving another six moth extension. In this time, Lt Hans Herman and he 'trained' fighting and combat styles.

When not in officers training, he was assigned as the company Captains Driver. This gave him much time where he could spend some time training his Karate in the company hall when he could not make it to his Karate training. This was a good move in a way as there was little else to do in barracks, aside from gambling and drinking.

Lt Hans Herman was actually, Skull Lt. Hans Herman. He was a specialist of some sort that did not really know much about fighting. Having learned combat in the army, fighting is something soldiers could not do, they finished their opponent or died. His way of training was quite sudden and brutal and his way of moving was different, shorter, rounder, more economic. Both Sijo, 186 cm and very solid and the Lt. Hans, 156 cm and also solid but not bulky, had to adapt their fighting style to be able to have a longer workout. Sijo's first success, the first time he had Lt. Hans submit took some six moths. Neither of them ever had to visit the infirmary, but both always were very sore and bruised after their almost nightly sessions. Sijo neglected his Karate training in this time some. Sijo graduated as a provisional lieutenant ten days before he finished his army service. After the army, Sijo returned to his old job and to his karate training.

Bundesverband fuer den Selbstschutz, Bescheinigung von der Bundeswher,
Self-protection Graduation Certificate 11/7/1971

Championships

A year after his release from the army, he was sponsored for the first European Karate Championships held in Berlin, only 400 km from Hamburg. The whole club went and 11 fighters were entered. A fellow Black Sash by the name of Franz won, Sijo was almost disqualified in his 3rd bout for 'grappling' and disqualified in the next round for using an elbow to knock out his opponent. This was still an honorable result. Either way, Sijo was now officially in the 32 person 'fighting squad!'

Change

Aikido Black Sash Certificate 1982

After the death of Sensei Arno in a car accident in a French province, the club was not what it was with Sensei Arno dissolved. He and Wolfgang, a fellow black, explored the then still unknown art of Aikido. They only trained three times a week but that was good. Sijo commenced full time Electronic Engineer training in 1977, the same year he married his wife, Dagmar.

In 1982 he graduated as a full Electronics Engineer, specializing in Transmission and Radio Technologies, and Binary Computing. That same year he also graded for his Black Sash, fist degree, together with his then teacher Christine, who graded for her third degree. The chief instructor of the style was visiting his Dojo' about Europe and presided over their grading's.

Australia

It took 6 months before Sijo & Dagmar were settled in after they migrated to Melbourne. Sijo always being on the heavy side (now 125kg) needed to get back into some type of physical training or martial arts. Going back to karate was not an option. and the falling and rolling of Aikido and Judo (not to mention the Army 'fun') had taken it's toll on Sijo's back! Something different was needed! He visited many different schools and styles over a very short period of time and meet many excellent instructors and masters. It was the Golden Lion Kung Fu, Tai Chi & Wu Shu Academy under Senior Master Dai Sifu Pi-er, Master Sifu Charles and Master Sifu Richard Tsui-Po that really was inspirational. For the next 9 years Sijo trained up to 7 days a week, up to 3 times a day.

It was a tough time coming to a new country. Although Sijo's brother lived here, Sijo & Dagmar were on their own. As money was tight they both were occupied in the art of survival. Dagmar studied English and worked, Sijo found a Job with Telstra, they both trained as often as they could (all else cost money); their only social life was their study, work and training.

1987 National Martial Art League

This was another of those intense years. Sijo started teaching Kung Fu for the Lion at Monash University; Sijo and Dagmar bought their 1st Home; Dagmar changed over to Tai Chi training, the Golden Lion Academy changed over to Wushu training and the NMAL (National Martial Art League) burst onto the Australian Martial Art scene. It was an Australia wide, all styles, full contact tournament. Martial Art schools of any type were asked to submit 5 person teams. These teams fought team against team every three weeks for 10 rounds, accumulating individual and team points. Sijo was the oldest competitor by almost 10 years and this was a challenge in itself; yet for two years he participated regularly making the selections for the State Representation in both years. He had 20 bouts in all, 19 won, one loss on points (after the first hit he just kept on running away).

The Third Black Sash

1989 was the year of Sijos Black Sash Assessment. Even though it was to be his 3rd Black Sash, it seemed as if it were to be his first. Now aged 36 he was a bit aware of his age compared to most others. His partner Craig with whom Sijo trained often in Weaponry and demonstration events was also to be graded. Fortunately Craig was also a 'Kung Fu Nut' who trained almost every day and then some. They often went to Murrumbeena Park after Saturday and Sunday Training in preparation for their Black Sash's.

There was a good interaction in Murrumbeena Park. Many people came to the park to walking and running the round, there was enough room for Cricket, Football and other sports. There were always many people around and some people would stop and watch us training. Some of these were martial artists and we asked them to joined in and train with us. Some did but many didn't and there was a sharing of training information. Some just sat on the bench and watched.

It was in such a time, whilst Sijo was training by himself in the Park, a small oriental gentleman stopped and watched (he may have been there before at previous training Saturdays or Sundays but unnoticed). This in itself was not unusual; what was unusual about this person was that he stayed the full 2 hours and watched. The next Sunday (which now were usually without Craig who had a new girl friend and could not train as often) the oriental gentleman was back, sitting on the same spot. Whilst Sijo was practicing the Iron Wire form (a hard isometric form), the gentleman started to chuckle. Sijo felt a bit annoyed at this but what to do. The quiet chuckling continued until the man shook his head, walked over and adjusted my Sijo's leg and foot positioning. This was very unusual!

He introduced himself as Hushiu (phonetic spelling) who unfortunately spoke very, very little English. He was quite an animated, interesting gentleman of some 160cm, 60+ years and enormous strength. Sijo himself was around 125kg at the time, and this gentleman, half his size, seemed of equal strength. Over the coming few months Master Hushiu was a regular participant and teacher at these Sunday 'arvo' sessions. The communication was mainly Master Hushiu laughing and then adjusting some aspect of Sijo's techniques; at times very frustrating but there was a difference. It is in these sessions that Sijo Z learned to appreciate the detail that he did not learn to appreciate before.

This informal training continued for a period of 6 months with some exceptions until one Sunday. Master Hushiu came with a small boy who introduced himself as 'the nephew'. Steven was his English name. He explained that Master Hushiu was 87 years old, was Chinese and now lived in Taiwan where he was the founder and head of over a dozen different schools although he was no longer active. The schools were run by his sons and nephews. I was not able to find out what the style was that Master Hushiu taught except that it was a combination of "Shaolin Long Fist, Chi Kung and Tai Chi/Baqua". That day, Master Hushiu came to say goodbye as he was leaving to go back home the following Monday. They would not see each other again. As a result of this encounter, Sijo made it a habit to expand his knowledge and started training with other Kung Fu styles. With some he stayed only for a few months with others longer, with one for 4 years.

The time from 1987 to 1991 was also a time of many Demos and Shows. The Golden Lion Academy participated and a number of Moomba parades, in between play events at the MCG, Street and Council Festivals, Chinese New Year Lion Dancing and Shopping Center promotional's. 1991 was also the year Sijo was awarded the Student of the Year and the year of his second 'encounter'.

The Golden Lion Demo and Show team with which Sijo & Craig were members, were performing at a street demo at the Glenhuntly Road festival. It was really a street demo by Glenhuntly RS, dodging trams whilst demonstrating in the middle of the street. At the end of the day, when all was packed up and everyone was ready to go he was approached by an oriental gentleman. Sijo referred the gentleman to Master Richard, but the gentleman declined and wanted to speak to him. He identified himself in excellent English as Master Kin-nu the third son of Grand Master . . . . . of the Wind Element Tornado or Whirlwind Kung Fu style.

He said that he had observed Sijo carefully, when he performed a form of Sijo's own design (for the purpose of demos and competitions) based on the Northern Long Fist. Master Kin-nu observed that some of the form bore a striking resemblance to his family style. Sijo mentioned that he did not know of the style but that is was based on some of the random training he was doing with various Kung Fu Masters. Master Kin-nu suggested that he and Sijo might meet in a nearby park for a tea some time.

Two meetings and 3 pots of green tea later Master Kin-nu suggested to show Sijo Z some aspects of his style including whirling fists, the windmill, and a few other techniques, moves and stepping. Much of what Sijo saw he knew and had learned before but what Master Kin-nu showed and explained was slightly different in subtle ways. Master explained some essentials of his family style that Sijo had not ever seen or even considered before. This started a process that was to be the end of Sijo time with the Golden Lion.

It seems that Master Kun-nu's family left China around the 1920's taking their style, Whirling Fists of . . . ., Thunder Stepping and Undulating Palm with them. This style of Kung Fu had been in their family exclusively for many generations. Master taught his style now only to two of his family members; which was his way of continuing his training of the family style. As he was visiting Australia he basically needed a victim; and this was a good thing. We continued to meet in various parks for a further 3 months, once a week on Sunday mornings. They were tough session in which Sijo was also introduced to the principles of Tornado Hands, Thunder Stepping and of course Whirlwind Style/Fist Kung Fu, Heavy Foot, Water Palm, Tornado Kick, Whipping Branch hands, the Lightning Front Kick, Ape Hand & Feet Techniques and some others (Master enjoyed 'descriptive names' for techniques); although nothing was allowed to be noted down or recorded (Sijo was into Video'ing).

It was one Sunday after training Master Kin-nu invited Sijo to Yum-Cha at the Gold Leaf restaurant in Glenhuntly Road. There he told him that that was their last session. He was returning home. The announcement coming out of the blue, Sijo sought to thank Master Kin-nu for the training but Master Kin-nu replied that it was his honor and pleasure to do so; (which Sijo had not quite understood at the time). Then slightly grinning, suggested that otherwise he would have been very bored, when the rest of his family went to Sunday worship!

The Nineties

The start of the nineties many things happened but first of all Sijos Father died; Sijo graduated his 3rd Associate Diploma of Engineering; his wife Dagmar was changing from being a nurse to being a charge nurse and Sijo moved from a field engineering position to an office management position. This all does not adequately explain this period of three year but it will have to do. His new office was in a brand new city building, one with great Gym and Aerobic Facilities. Here Sijo started teaching a few private students as a way of having training himself. Late nights and a tough work schedule made regular training at the Lion difficult almost impossible.

What started with a few people one-on-one in the park at lunchtime slowly grew to a class of 6 in the evening. Using the buildings facilities, a group of executives and engineers came together on Mondays and Thursdays after 7pm to train. This was quite gratifying and gave Sijo the idea to formulize a club. He did not want to be another kick and punch, McDonald martial art club and sought a name that would send the right message to the people working in the city. It was whilst reading a Chinese book of poem's that Sijo and Dagmar came across the term Liang-I (Yi). It was explained as the proper name for what we now term Yin & Yang. "The two ancient, ever opposing, ever complimenting forces". The symbolism for this was the Dragon & Phoenix (sometimes depicted as a fancy rooster). Sijo & Dagmar were not yet quite ancient, but definitely ever opposing and ever complimenting; this was the inspiration for the founding of Liang-I Shaolin Kung Fu on 24 June 1992.

First Instructor

Both Dagmar & Sijo changed jobs in/around 1992. Sijo moved into an executive assistance role in the form of being a Training and Development manager in Telstra. This took him to all over Australia, managing his then over 100 staff in 37 Australian locations. Fortunately, more than half of his students from the time before the club stayed with him and he was able to find a replacement teacher for the times he was interstate. It is during this time though, in 1997 that Audrey K, who had been training with Sijo for 4 years attempted and passed her Black Sash level requirements and thus became the Academy's 1st Qualified Instructor. It was also 1997, the the Academy's 5th birthday marked two further landmarks.

100 Members

Sijo used to say that any club under 100 students is a hobby. It was on the 5th Anniversary that the 100 student joined. Although it was short lived, for a period of 2 months there were 100 students at the Liang-I Shaolin 5 Animal Kung Fu Academy. This was though in part due to the fact that there were now 4 locations where Sijo taught. Three times in the city (Monday, Wednesday and Friday), whereby the Monday class was taught by Audrey, Tuesdays and Thursdays in Highett, Saturdays in Frankston and Mondays in StKilda. This was a bit much and interfering with work.

Since this time, Shaolin Kung Fu or now Shaolin Academy has had many success including over 20 Australian Championships, over 50 State Titles, and many other awards and recognitions. Yet one of the greatest experiences came about when touring China!

China Training Pilgrimage

Beijing Shaolin Wushu School, a full time Secondary and Martial Art school put on a full show just for us. We were greatly honored by the Head Master, who organized his National Demonstration Team show; quite impressive; 30 kids in unison and then seniors demonstration and Weaponry. Then we were invited to demonstrate. We only wanted to train with them and did not expect this. It was nerve racking.

We had students from beginner level to Black Sash and included our 3 senior Blacks and one exceptional 'almost' black. There was quite a ripple through the crowd as we demonstrated. There was a great deal of applause and even exclamations. Especially when our 4 seniors demonstrated. It was atypical for the Chinese to show so much enthusiasm; we didn't know it at the time but this would have consequences for us.

Shaolin, Henan Province

It seems that a lot of these schools in China are connected. When we reached Henan-Shaolin Temple Training School, We were greatly honored. The Chief Shaolin Temple School Trainer Sher Se Gung himself trained the team exclusively. He even took time out to show Sijo some interesting Chin Na techniques, privately and just the two of them. It seems that the impression our demo had made with the Beijing school had somehow been conveyed to the Shaolin Temple Training School (and later even to Australia).

Xi-an Zhao Chang-Jum Wu Shu Institute China

When the team arrived in Xi'an, we were invited to the Xi'an Kung Fu and Wushu school. Much like the first school, this was a full time school with students at primary & secondary school levels that schooled 6 days a week in the morning in (for us) normal school and spend 2pm to 5pm in Wushu Training to achieve their High School Diploma. Here we were greeted by the Head of the school personally. He showed us around, introduced us to various seniors and teachers. There was also a demonstration organized, but this time a bit more ad hoc. It seems that they were more interested in our demonstration. So on we went.

There were a number of 'special guests' in attendance during our demo and a lot of the students gathered around. Again they started with polite applause when our beginner students demonstrated but became fairly excited when our 4 seniors demonstrated. After the demo there was a bit of interaction between the instructors and senior students after which we were invited for a tea.

There were now 14 person at the table; 8 SKA members including Sijo, 2 interpreters, School Principle, Deputy, Secretary and an older gentleman. We were introduced, for the first time, to China's National Deputy for Wushu. It seems that he was originally one of the key person in the organization of Wushu in China, but now being in his high 70's has passed the day-to-day management to a 'younger lot'. The schools interpreter explained that he came by Aeroplane from Beijing just to see us after the Beijing School head had informed him about us. They were in awe and humbled.

A New Millennia

There were also many other success along the way for the Shaolin Academy including referenced by the Encyclopedia Britannica for additional reading on Shaolin (1999-2002), over 1500 International Cyber Kung Fu students in 63 Countries and many more.

Through the club and other activities, Sijo and students have been exposed to many interesting personalities including Jacky Chan, Samo Hung & Richard Norton in 1997 on the set of Mr Nice Guy. Stan the Man and Super-foot Wallace, and many other of Australia's top Martial Artists have enriched the experience and wisdom of Sijo and the academy; some have even consented to take over a class and be guest instructors thus sharing their experience and skills with club members.

2013

That was the big celebration, 21 Years of the Shaolin Academy, 50+ years of Martial Arts training, Sijo 60th Birthday and celebrating 35 years of marriage. Many of the past Shaolin Academy seniors went out of their way to join us in this event and a special guest from Sydney, Kencho Peter Myloas from Kempo Ryu made it a very special celebration in deed.

2015

Currently we have the best possible instructor team we have ever had. Life is good!

What next? More of the same! The greatest joy for Sijo and Dagmar have been their students, who often are also friends. For as long as possible, but at least until 2025 even 2030, they want to continue teaching and training; possibly even longer. Sijo has sustained some damage from parts of his life both Professional and Martial Arts and this may slow him down, but we hope that it does not stop him. But sooner or later he will pass on the Shaolin Academy to a worthy senior student; possible one of the Shaolin Academy Arhat's!

More

If you are still reading this, come to try out three free sessions with us. There is a voucher to a link with details to the right of the text. Allow me to introduce you to the secret and wonderful style of Shaolin Kung Fu. Just do it! Print out the voucher or download it to your phone, send it to your email, Facebook or SMS's it! You will either like what we do, or not. You will be able to check it off your Bucket List; I tried Shaolin Kung Fu! No contracts, no tricks. We are a Professional not Commercial organization and will not tie you into anything. Just come down and try the three free sessions. I will be happy to welcome you.

Sijo Robert Z

We are happy to hear from you and answer you martial art, health and developmental questions. If you wish to train with us, the first 3 sessions are free. It is best to try these before making any commitment. If you have any other questions or would lust like to explore some possibilities, you can;

• Call us between 11am and 5pm, Tuesday to Friday & Sunday on 0458 742 654 that is 0458 SHAOLIn
• e-mail us at the Shaolin Academy
• Drop into any of our venues at least 30 minutes before class start.
• Or in a special case, you can also arrange a personal meeting with Master Robert Z. You can call him on 0458 742 654 (0458 SHAOLIn).