SHAKU
Family Martial Arts Langford school owner, Sifu Bob
Holland, is an 8th Degree, White-Sash, Master of Shaolin
Kempo Kung-Fu.
Sifu Bob
Holland has over 25 years of serious training, teaching,
exploration, and leadership in the martial arts that has
culminated in his status as a substantial figure in the
martial arts community on Vancouver Island . From his
beginnings in western boxing at age 12, Sifu Bob was
attracted to the discipline and perseverance required by
the martial arts to achieve personal excellence. Much of
his time in the arts has been dedicated to the study of
Shaolin Kempo Kung-Fu. This form of Kung-fu combines
traditional Kung-Fu with the Kempo techniques introduced
to North America from Okinawa via Hawaii by Ed Parker; a
martial arts pioneer in the United States and a legend in
Kempo Karate. In recent years Sifu Bob Holland, and his
teaching methods became a featured portion of the book Me,
Chi & Bruce Lee.
Following a
four-year career as an amateur boxer, and annual
invitations to CFL training camps beginning at age 17,
subsequently culminating in competing for a position with
an NFL team, Sifu Bob’s sole focus became training in
Shaolin Kung-Fu. Studying under Master Ed O’Brien,
founder of Kung-Fu Canada , combining his dedication,
self-discipline, and superb athleticism, Sifu Bob achieved
senior Black Belt status and became the leading figure at
Kung-Fu Canada in Victoria overseeing curriculum
development and instruction. After a decade with the
organization, Sifu Bob left in 1996 to open his own
schools in Victoria and the Westshore. Many students
followed him to where they successfully achieved the rank
of Black Belt. Several of these students remain in his
school today, having trained with Sifu Bob for as long as
16 years.
While
continuing to expand his mastery in Shaolin Kung-Fu, Sifu
Bob acquired Shaolin Wu-Kung expertise following ten years
of training under Grand Master Shi Yo Hai. At the same
time, Sifu Bob has also become an accomplished teacher of
escrima (short sticks) after 12 years of training under
Balintawak escrima Grandmaster Dr. Dom Lopez. Sifu Bob
continues to train with these Grand Masters to this day.
In addition to his comprehensive knowledge of
body-mechanics, strength and flexibility training for the
martial arts, Sifu Bob is also well versed the arts of in
Chi-na, jiu-jitsu, and various traditional Shaolin
weapons-based systems. He also has training in the related
healing arts of Shiatsu and Moxibustion, and Chi-kung
medical massage.
Sifu Bob’s
passion for teaching and martial arts excellence is rooted
in his commitment to the true philosophy of the martial
arts - respect for oneself and others. This attitude is
shared by his wife Tammy and sons Brock and Brandon.
Indeed, the Holland family are role models for the SHAKU
Family Martial Arts mission, having each trained
diligently as a family on their path to Black
Belt. Though humble about his achievements in the
arts, Sifu Bob holds an impressive record as a martial
arts competitor, including tournament-winning performances
that have placed him among the top-three, Kung-Fu martial
artists in Western Canada. More importantly, it is
his personal, sincere and good-natured dedication to
teaching and learning coupled with genuine care and regard
for the well-being of each individual student that has
resulted in Sifu Bob being an inspiration to children and
families seeking a top quality martial arts education in
the Victoria area.
