FAQ

Water Mountain has a wide repertoire of martial arts that it could offer in Flagstaff, in person.  Of those potential offerings, however, we currently have 7 programs available:
+Kung Fu known as Heaven Fist 10,000.
+Pro Arnis.
+Natural Form and Essence Qi Gong.
+Heavenly Tablets Healing Way Qi Gong.
+Rapid Joint Locking known as Penetrating Vine Changing Method Chin Na.
+Long Staff known as Dragon Staff.
+Asian Broadsword known as Dragon Sword.

We have a growing, high end collection of virtual training programs.  Currently, we have great courses in Qi Gong and Pro Arnis.  Other courses are in pre-production or production.  Please visit our virtual site for more info: watermountainvirtual.com .

Kung Fu is a catch all term for the martial arts of China.  Heaven Fist 10,000 is the name of the martial arts of an ethnically Korean clan known as the Soon.  The art is 1,500 years old, and has undergone continuous development across that time.
Heaven Fist shares many of the qualities of other kung fu arts, and is the product of interacting with Chinese, Korean, and Mongolian cultures throughout the clan’s history.  Calling Heaven Fist a kung fu is accurate, as a result, and is easier for people to understand even though its origin is not ethnically Chinese.

Heaven Fist 10,000 has the following major martial attributes:
+60% Hands, 30% Leg, 10% grapple.
+Training is dependent on developing the kung fu body: a body that is fast, fit, flexible, and strong.  This also happens to be a healthy body that many find physically appealing.
+The art is a striking specialist art that focuses on opponent controlling, high defense levels (not allowing hits or grapple entries), and hit power.
+The tactical focus of the art is multiple opponent combat.
+The training progression involves developing first a strong technical base, then focuses on combat, and then focuses on anti-weapons.
+The physical objective of the art is to maintain a body that is healthy and fully functional throughout one’s life.

It’s perfectly understandable that a person might want to get a feel for a school’s culture before attempting classes.  Let’s look at some issues with the process of observation.

+We have 2 main walls that are made of glass panels, so some observation of group class is possible simply by stopping by the studio and looking through the windows.

+We have extensive video clips on Facebook, Instagram, and on this website that demonstrate the capability of students and staff.  You are welcome to view those.

+Our lessons are rendered via private lessons or small group.  Private lessons are customized for the needs of the client in moving towards mutually agreed upon goals.  The process for one private client can be dramatically different than the process for another private client, and so could have no similarity to the experience you would have.  Next, while small group is not private instruction, even small group has some customization–so same your process could be very different than the process you see.  Lastly, our members can view being watched as creepy.  It’s best to look at our many photos and videos to get a feel for what we do.

+The lesson being worked on on one day can be very different than on another.  Let’s say in kung fu, we are working healing and support on one class.  An observer could look at that class and say, “The classes are very slow, and involved tapping, massage, and stretching.”  In the next class, we have advanced students working on aggressive combatives.  An observer on that day could say, “All they do is fight.  They don’t care about health at all.”  It is much better to simply take a 2 private intro lesson pack, so you can experience what lessons can do when customized to you.  Purchase can be made on this site or at our store site: watermountainstore.com .

+We have online, virtual classes that can be taken very cheaply.  If you are hesitant about in person training, you can work those lessons in the privacy of your own home: watermountainvirtual.com .

So…you want an experience customized to your preferences?  Just sayin’.

Our virtual courses can be taken by you in your own home, at your own leisure.  Please try them out.

Water Mountain is built specifically to deliver in-person classes through private lessons and small group.  If you are looking for a different service than what we offer, we recommend you seek it elsewhere and sincerely wish you the best of luck in finding it.

Short answer is yes. Longer answer is that depends on the qi gong system, how well it is taught, and the environment that it is taught in. There thousands of systems of qi gong, so you need to carefully select something to aid you.

We have two systems of qi gong that are public group offerings. The first is NFE Qi Gong (Natural Form and Essence). This system is about 1,500 years old and is designed to correct energy imbalances in the body. By doing so, the body heals, recovers, and becomes happier. The second is Heavenly Tablets Healing Way (HTHW). This system is the same age and is a system for the healing of others, not the self.

In NFE, a regular practitioner will feel improvements in the first month of training. In HTHW, the learning curve ranges between 4-10 years until expertise. Skill is typically useful within the first 2 years of HTHW practice.

While we understand the desire to try something out, our group programs are reliant on dedicated student teams that need a high minimum of trust. Visitors bring a lot of baggage and disrupt the trust building process. Please note, to aid you with trying a thing out, there is a free email course in qi gong you can sign up for here: Energy and Health . There is a highly recommended virtual course in qi gong here: 6 Easy Steps to a Life With Qi .