All in the Kung Fu family - Dubois County Free Press, Inc.

Brad Freeman, daughter Kimberly, wife, Cindi, and son Benjamin opened Jasper Kung Fu last fall with the goal of providing great training and fun for area families. — Brad Freeman, daughter Kimberly, wife Cindi, and son Benjamin opened Jasper Kung Fu last fall with the goal of providing great training and fun for area families.

The family that Kung Fu’s together, stays together.

Cheesy intro aside, Jasper Kung Fu is a family operated business started by Brad and Cindi Freeman that began teaching Kung Fu to area residents last fall. Brad and Cindi and their two children, Kimberly, 17, and Benjamin, 11, all work together instructing classes at the academy at 504 Third Ave.

Brad stated advanced students use weapon like the — Brad stated advanced students use weapons like the butterfly swords he is holding here to improve techniques at the highest levels of Wing Chun Kung Fu.

Brad began learning Shotokan and Isshinryu Karate while at college. After college, Brad joined the Army and continued to work on different styles of martial arts. About ten years ago he began to study Kung Fu while he lived in Columbus, IN, where he learned the Gary Lam Wing Chun system through Sifu Todd Wright. Sifu means “master” or “teacher” in Chinese and Gary Lam was one of the first Chinese Kung Fu teachers to begin teaching in the United States.

Kung Fu is a secret Chinese martial art that was introduced in the United States by Bruce Lee. The form comes from Southern China and is based on combining defense and neutralization of an opponent using the least possible energy. According to Brad, legend has it that Kung Fu was actually originally developed by a woman. “That is legend but it may have some factual basis,” he explained. “I don’t think a woman developed it, but it is a style that doesn’t require strength or any natural athletic ability to practice. It is designed for protecting yourself without complicated movements to keep yourself safe against a larger attacker.”

Wing Chun Kung Fu does not require a lot of strength because students learn to use their minds in combination with their opponent’s strength, which results in an advantage of balance, power and speed.

Cindi, Benjamin and Kimberly help instruct and also focus on teaching the Basic Training Program for younger students. The basic program is designed to provide a fun martial arts curriculum for beginners while instilling the positive, life-changing benefits of the Chinese martial arts traditions. Those traditions include respect for others, self-confidence, courtesy, obedience, humility, perseverance, honesty, integrity, and self-control. “We have found this class naturally helps kids learn to focus,” Brad said. “It also helps develop confidence because once you can coordinate your hands and feet well, it helps you with sports and other physical activities.

The Advanced Training Program taught by Brad is specifically designed for those who have a long-term goal of earning a black belt. Advanced Program students learn all the required forms, self-defense, and free-sparring techniques to earn their first degree black belt certification.

Although Freeman’s family has a long history in the area, “My family, the Freeman name, goes all the way back to the settling of Orange County before Indiana was a state,” he explained.

Basic Classes for kids and adults are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. Advanced Classes for kids and adults are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.JasperKungFu.com or call 631-5858.

Currently Brad is offering a free two week classes for individuals that would like to check it out before signing up for lessons. He also has a family discount plan available if several members of the same family would like to learn together.