Sifu Cardona teaches Wan Yi Chuan kung fu at his school Renaissance Martial Arts in Rochester New York. Growing up in Rochester he started his official training in Northern Shaolin and then found Sifu Milton Newsome who started training him in Tai Kou Kung fu. The system is based on several of the classical animal styles including Monkey and Drunken Monkey. The use of the animals applies to the ranges and types of energies as they change in combat. The key elements to Wan Yi Chuan are adaptation and flow in all situations.
Sifu Cardona has been training for approximately 20 years in a variety of Chinese based martial arts. He also has experience in Aiki Jujitsu and Kali. When not teaching at RMA you will most often find him training with other local instructors or traveling to attend several seminars such as the Saratoga Martial Arts Festival, where he attends to both further his knowledge and share his experiences with the martial arts community.
Sifu Mark Cardona
Wan Yi Chuan
This style fuses classical and modern Chinese martial arts, emphasizing adaptation and flow in any situation. This complete system teaches seamless transitions between kicking, punching, trapping, grappling, ground fighting, joint manipulation, throws, and the use of weapons (at the upper levels). Focusing on the structure, position, timing, and technique rather than strength and speed, Wan Yi Chuan works well for all sizes and body types.
When Animals Attack: Snake
Snake style emphasis es side to side movement and expansion contraction energy. Blocking is accomplished with blending/deflecting/clinging motions. Striking is usually to pressure points and soft tissue and typically with the finger tips and the inside or outside of the hand . During the seminar we will work with 2 or 3 combinations that will highlight some of these basic concepts and their applications from the traditional Snake style.
Single Hand Trapping Progression (1 Hour):
Sifu Cardona will explore a progression of blocking, striking and trapping that evolve from two hand answers to one hand solutions. While not necessarily simultaneous block and strike there are certain aspects that lend themselves well to one hand continual involvement. Combining single hand and two hand methods can increase both speed and power as well as multiple striking opportunities. The primary Kung Fu sources we will draw from are Crane, Snake,Wing Chun and Hsing I.
