Boone, NC

International Headquarters

Tel. 828 504 0057

We are the pilot school of the Blue Ridge Kung Fu chain of schools. The school is located in the western mountains of North Carolina in a college town called Boone. This is a well organized school that has been around for over 20 years and has dedicated itself to teaching quality martial arts with quality instructors that produce quality students. Tuhon Rick Ward and his instructors welcomes anyone to visit and check out the studio.

Our beginning Kung-Fu students learn basic stances, kicks, blocks, punches, chin-na, and basic animal and weapon forms. These provide the student with a proper foundation for effective combat skills. Intermediate students learn knife attack defenses, more weapons training, sweeps, takedowns, animal forms, and light sparring. Advanced students learn advanced applications of many animal and weapon forms, pressure point fighting, advanced chi kung, multiple opponent strategy, etc. Long-term learning possibilities are endless. The dedicated student will learn confidence, self-discipline, and build strength of body and character.

Grandmaster Rick Ward

Grandmaster Rick Ward began martial arts training in 1979 at the age of 19 to rehabilitate his health after a long illness. When his health began to improve, his dedication and love for martial arts grew. He knew at this time he wanted to be a teacher and help other people build self-confidence, learn respect for themselves and others, and become better individuals in their own way. This has made him a highly devoted and respected martial artist, and motivated him to continue teaching the martial arts as a way of life.

Ward currently holds the rank of 10th Degree Grandmaster, and is the founder of Sunburst Natural Fist System (Tai Yang Tzu Jan Men), Sasamba, founder and president of the International Kung-Fu Arnis Association, the International Kung fu Arnis Weapons Association, and the White Cloud Society. In 2000, he was appointed 36th patriarch of the Emperor’s Long Fist System by, now retired, international Grandmaster David E. Kash. Having promoted over 100 black belts, Ward is master instructor of several schools in North Carolina as well as Tennessee, Kansas, and Virginia.

Ward is a Police Officer in Banner Elk, NC and has taught seminars to law enforcement officers. He has conducted many seminars and demonstrations in Modern Arnis, Kung-Fu, Tai Chi Chuan, Chin-na, and Outdoor Survival in the U.S.

Grandmaster Ward is ranked in various styles of martial arts under the following masters:

Master Allan Woods – Sil-Lum Kung-Fu and Tai Chi Chuan
Dr. David E. Kash (Wei Jung Dao) – Emperor’s Long Fist (Tai Tzu Chang Chuan), Natural Style Boxing (Tzu Jan Men), Tai Chi Chuan, Ba Gua, Hsing-I, Mongolian and Tibetan Lama, Penjak Silat, Serak Kuntao, Sil-lum Kung-Fu, and Iron Palm
Grandmaster Norman Pedlahore – Sil-Lum Kung-Fu and Lung Shou Pai
Grandmaster Derman Hodge – Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, Kubudo weapons, Akijujitsu, Tae Kyon, Tae Phung Kwan, Hosin Do
Grandmaster Eugene Humesky – Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido
Grandmaster Remy Presas – Modern Arnis
Grandmaster Gaudiosa Ruby - Comjuka-Kali
Master Brian Moran - Chuan Fa, Tai Chi Chuan, Tae Kwon Do

Chronological selection of career highlights:

Began studying Judo and Jujistsu with Jim Nicely (U.S. Army Special Forces).
Introduced by Nicely to Master Allan Woods who became Ward’s first Kung-Fu instructor.

Promoted to Black Belt (sash) in Sil-Lum by Master Woods.

Ward opens his own school.
Promoted to Red Sash (Sifu) in Sil-Lum.

Presented with the outstanding student award from the Thai Boxing Association of the United States by Master Chai Sirisute.
Began studying Modern Arnis from Grandmaster Remy Presas.

Began studying Tae Kwon Do, HapKido, Kubudo Weapons, Tae Kyon, Tae Phung Kwan, Hosin-Do, Akijujitsu, from Grandmaster Derman Hodge.
Promoted to Basic Instructor in Modern Arnis by Grandmaster Remy Presas.
Introduced to Grandmaster Norman Pedlahore, founder of Lung Shou Pai (Dragon Claw Style) Assoc., and the Amercan Martial Arts Alliance.

Selected for the Board of Directors of the International Modern Arnis Federation of N.C.

Selected to be Assistant Vice-Present of the International Modern Arnis Federation of the Southeast.
Promoted to 1st Degree Black Belt in Chang Hun Tae Kwon Do by Brian Morain.
Ranked to 5th Degree Black Belt by the American Martial Arts Association from Professor Wally Jay, Rick Clark, and Grandmaster Remy Presas.

Introduced to Dr. David E. Kash ( Wei Jung Dao) , 9th Degree Grandmaster, Chief Advisor of the World Cloud Forest Martial Arts Association.
Began training in Emperor’s Long Fist (Tai Tzu Chang Chuan), Natural Style Boxing (Tze Jan Men) ,Tai Chi Chuan, Paqua, Hsing-I, Mongolian and Tibetan Lama, Penjak Silat, and Iron Palm.
Ranked to 5th Degree Black Belt in Moosul Kwan Hapkido by Derman Hodge W.M.K.F. and Prof. Eugene Humesky U.T.B.
Ranked Honorary 5th Degree from the U.T.B. by Prof. Eugene Humesky.
Ranked Honorary 5th Degree Masters Certificate from the Universal Martial Arts Brotherhood in the Chinese Martial Arts and Modern Arnis by Prof. Eugene Humesky.
Appointed Excutive Committee member of the Society of the Natural Fist National Association. Appointed Assistant Branch Director of the N.C. branch of the United Kung-fu Federation of North America.
Appointed Assistant Branch Director of the N.C. branch of the United States Chinese Kuo Su Federation.
Ranked to 2nd Degree Black Belt in Chuan-Fa by Brian Moran, Lung Fu Jin Shin Kung-Fu Assoc.
Ranked to Honorary 10th Degree Emperor’s Belt C.F.A., the Associations highest award.
Promoted to 1st Deng in Shaolin Temple Iron Palm, 5 element fist style, C.F.A.
Appointed State Representative of the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
Changed name of Tai Yang Ng Shi Tong (Sunburst System) to Tai Yang Tzu Jan Men (Sunburst Natural Fist System).
Promoted to 4th Degree Black Belt in Modern Arnis by Grand Master Remy Presas.

Awarded the Title of Martial Arts Professor by the C.F.A.
Appointed Vice President of the American Chinese Chi Kung Acupressure Association

Inducted into the Filipino Martial Arts Hall of Fame as Grandmaster of the Year.
Appointed membership to the Board of Directors for the Filipino Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
Ranked 7th Duan Black Belt in the American Martial Arts Alliance headed by Grandmaster Norman Pedlahore.
Appointed Chairman for the Cloud Forest Chin Woo Association (founded in 1909 Shanghai, China).
Appointed as a Licensed Police Self Defense Instructor by the United States Kali Association Incorporated, Law Enforcement Self Defense Tactics Division.
Registered as a Police Tactics Instructor by the Police Tactics Insructors of America.
Ranked 3rd Degree Black Belt in Pentjak Silat, Poekalan Tjmande style.
Ranked 8th Degree Black Belt in Sunburst System by Cloud Forest Association.
Awarded a Certificate and Medal for the Worlds Top One Hundred Exceptional Martial Artist Gold Medal Award, from the International Martial Arts Federation, signed by President Bill Clinton, Former President George Bush, Governor of California Pete Wilson, Mayor of Los Angeles Richard Riordan.

Became a member of the International Martial Arts Federation, Eastern USA Branch.
Appointed Committee Chief for the Cloud Forest International Han Shi Committee.
Founded and appointed President of the International Kung-Fu Arnis Weapons Association.

Appointed 36th patriarch of the Emperor’s Long Fist System, 10th Duan active.
Founded the White Cloud Society.

Master Ward initiates Scott Stansberry, Dave Miller, Jason Albright, Josh Christian, Jason McGuire, and Jeremy Johnston as disciples.

Ranked to 7th degree Black Belt in Comjuka-Kali by Tuhon Gaudiosa Ruby.
Blue Ridge Kung-Fu Arnis Academy became an accredited Comjuka-Kali Martial Arts school.

Awarded title of the destruction of Sasamba Kali Arnis by the destruction Gaudiosa Ruby.
Voted to 9th Duan of Sunburst Natural Fist by disciples.
Initiates Eddie Haywood, Rick Wilcox, Eric Marks, Beau Coan, Vaugn Winecoff, and Jason Arney as disciples.

Martial Arts Organizational Affiliations:

American Martial Arts Alliance American Martial Arts Association International Modern Arnis Federation Universal Tae Kwon Do Brotherhood Cloud Forest World Chinese Martial Arts Association World Moosul Kwan Federation United States Chinese Kuo Su Federation United Kung- Fu Federation of North America Overseas Chinese National Martial Arts Athletic Association International Grandmaster Han Shi Committee Universal Martial Arts Brotherhood Lung Fu Jin Shin Kung-Fu Association World Martial Arts Hall Of Fame Natural Combat Systems American Chinese Chi Gung Acupressure Association Filipino Martial Arts Hall Of Fame United States Kali Association Incorporated Cloud Forest Chin Woo Association Police Tactics Instructors of America Ku Yu Cheong Iron Palm Memorial Society International Martial Arts Association Wong Ark Yuey Memorial Society Chian Chuan Tai Chi Chuan Association International Kung-Fu Arnis Association International Kung-Fu Arnis Weapons Association White Cloud Society

Tel.

Classes’ Schedule:

MONDAY

6:30 to 7:30 worship Kali Arnis CLASS

ADVANCED SIL LUM KUNG FU CLASS

TUESDAY

5:30 – 6:30 CHILDREN’S SIL LUM CLASS

6:30 – 7:30 ADULT SIL LUM CLASS

7:30 – 8:30 EMPEROR’S LONG FIST CLASS

WEDNESDAY