Sifu Robert Daniels

Redmond Kung Fu is operated by Sifu Robert Daniels. It opened on April 13, 1999, in Renton, WA; moving to Redmond, WA in October 1999. It is an authorized satellite school of the Wing Lam Kung Fu / Enterprises, Inc., headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA.

Sifu Robert Daniels is personally trained and certified under Grandmaster Kwong Wing Lam. He has been practicing for 30 years, and has instructed for 27 years. Sifu Daniels specializes in three traditional Chinese martial arts: Northern Shaolin, Southern Hung Gar Kung Fu, & Sun Style Tai Chi. He also specializes in Defensive Tactics - Law Enforcement curriculum which was created solely for law enforcement personnel.

Biography

Mr. Robert Daniels was born in Mt. View, California, in 1962. He had a yearning to learn the martial arts. At an early age, he would emulate Bruce Lee as "Kato", from the "Green Hornet" TV show. At the age of 13 in 1975, he had the honor of beginning training in the Northern Shaolin Kung Fu system under Grandmaster Wing Lam, at the original Sunnyvale, California kwoon (school). By 1979, Mr. Daniels had included Southern Hung Gar & Wing Chun Kung Fu into his training, and Grandmaster Lam authorized him to teach Shaolin. During his full time training under Grandmaster Lam (1975 - 1987), Mr. Daniels performed - with other classmates - over 20 Kung Fu demonstrations & several Lion Dance demonstrations to help promote the Lam Kwoon. Mr. Daniels entered college with a Criminal Justice major, but through unforeseen circumstances and his work experience he found another career - film & video production. During the period after graduating high school (1980 - '87), Mr. Daniels learned defensive tactics basics, through teaching law enforcement officers and participating in ride alongs. He found a rich source for the curriculum in Shaolin & Hung Gar tactics, since both are extensive in grappling.

Mr. Daniels moved to Los Angeles in May of 1987, where he worked full time in film and television as an actor/stuntman/fight choreographer through 1990. He worked on such projects as "Star Trek: The Next Generation", "Alien Nation", "Scrooged", and "They Live". Mr. Daniels was fortunate to work with some of the finest actors, producers, and directors in the business, such as Richard Donner, Clint Eastwood, Robert DeNiro, Mel Gibson, Richard Gere, John Carpenter, and Joel Shumaker. Meanwhile, Mr. Daniels visited the Lam Kwoon often to keep his Kung Fu training polished. During a nine-month period, Mr. Daniels shared a house with a student of Dan Inosanto's. He exchanged Kung Fu lessons for Jeet Kune Do and Filipino Kali concepts.

In December of 1990, Mr. Daniels relocated to Memphis, Tennessee to develop a new business, Black River Productions. Black River Productions specialized in special interest videos (including helping Grandmaster Lam to start production on his current videos), and feature film screenplay writing and development. Although he had no intention of teaching Kung Fu at the time, Mr. Daniels was asked to conduct classes. In January of 1991, Mr. Daniels (now with the title of Sifu) established the Northern Sil Lum Kung Fu Academy, then later (November, 1992) began a partnership with Sifu Steve Fristoe, who was another student of Dan Inosanto's, to establish the Academy of Traditional Martial Arts. Sifu Daniels would again exchange Kung Fu Lessons for Jeet Kune Do and Filipino Kali concepts. Sifu Daniels would also attend Sifu Francis Fong seminars (another Jeet Kune Do & Kali student of Dan Inosanto's) on Wing Chun and Filipino Kali. The next year was right for Sifu Daniels to expand, so on November of 1993, he opened up the first official satellite school of the Wing Lam Kung Fu School/Federation*, in Memphis. He also began a close relationship with Memphis Law Enforcement, participating again in ride-alongs, and training officers. Traditionally in Kung Fu you go to the next level when you have mastered what you have learned. Grandmaster Lam kept to the old rule and officially tested and certified Sifu Daniels for the opening of the new kwoon. Testing and reviewing is an never ending process, to keep the information pure and intact.

Sifu Daniels established Progressive Tactics of Memphis in March of 1994, and began teaching a Defensive Tactics class solely for law enforcement officers as a way to give back to the community. Its coursework is comprised of the best and most concise information from the vast knowledge and background in the martial arts, along with collaboration from many law enforcement personnel. Participants in the course included; Memphis and surrounding city Police Officers, two Defensive Tactics Instructors from the Memphis Police Academy, Police Academy Cadets, Drug Agents for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and Shelby County Police Officers. Free seminars were also conducted to the aforementioned, as well as at the Federal Correctional Institute in Memphis. Sifu Daniels has received letters of thanks for supporting the law enforcement cause and implementing innovative ideas for defensive tactics training, from President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, and TN Senator Fred Thompson. In October 1995, Sifu Daniels graduated from the Memphis Citizen's Police Academy. Then in January of 1996, he finished qualifications (which includes firing range - Shelby County Sheriff's range - qualifying at 92.6% from ranges 5, 7, 15, & 25 yards, with 50 bullets; 2 firearm safety classes at the University of Memphis State & Shelby County Sheriff's), to receive his Tennessee concealed gun permit. In the summer of '96, Sifu Daniels would continue his training with Grandmaster Lam in Sun Style Tai Chi. Again, Sifu Daniels would perform, now with his students, over 10 Kung Fu demonstrations, which included 2 interviews on public access TV, to help promote the Memphis Lam Kwoon. Grandmaster Lam also helped in promotions as he conducted three seminars ('95, '96, & '97) at the Memphis Lam Kwoon, as well as conducting official certifications for the students.

Leaving the Memphis kwoon to his senior students, Sifu Daniels and family relocated to the Seattle area, in June of 1997. The move was to further his career as a teacher, to again promote his film projects - with the new Black River Films - and to be closer to family who lived on the west coast. Through Progressive Tactics, Seattle, Sifu Daniels has conducted three seminars for Bounty Hunters, as well as Bounty Hunting for a three-month period, in the fall/winter of 1997. Meanwhile, Sifu Daniels has volunteered 100 hours to the Washington State Criminal Justice Academy, where he participates as a mock scene actor for the cadets training. Even though Sifu Daniels had considered becoming an officer, (tested and passed - Seattle PD and local town reserves), he knew it would be a waste of his knowledge not to teach what he knew. Washington State Policy dictates that an officer has to be on the streets for at least two years before one can transfer to the Academy as a teacher. So in the summer of 1998, Mr. Daniels began looking for a new location for a new school. On April 10th, 1999, Sifu Daniels would demonstrate (for 2 hours) to a small crowd to promote the opening of the new Wing Lam Kung Fu School, Seattle branch, which opened on April 13th, 1999. The temporary location at Gold's Gym in Renton, Washington had given Sifu Daniels the opportunity to continue promoting Kung Fu (which he has done most of his life), and find the perfect location for the permanent Lam Kwoon-Seattle. Sifu Daniels has recently completed his search, obtaining a business license and opening the new school for business. Students from as far as the Tacoma area have enjoyed Sifu Daniels' hands-on instruction.

Sifu Daniels currently resides and teaches in the Redmond, WA area.