Current Students

Jonathan Chang

Hometown: Andover, MA, USA
Age: 25
Blog Link: A Rabbit And A Dog

I have been practicing martial arts at YMAA since I was 5 years old. I started learning at YMAA's Andover Branch under Mr. Christopher Fazzio and have since continued to study there until my recent move to the Retreat Center. I studied and taught Long Fist and White Crane Kung Fu for 15 years before joining the YMAA Retreat Center. In 2007 I began training in internal martial arts, Yang-Style Taijiquan, under Andover's Mr. Paul Blake, and now I learn directly from Dr. Yang.

I hope to greatly expand my knowledge of Chinese martial arts and to become proficient in what I learn. By doing this, I hope to effectively teach the future generations of martial artists by sharing my knowledge and positively influencing their training habits. I enjoy practicing and teaching martial arts very much and wish to pursue these passions throughout my lifetime.

Javier Rodriguez

Hometown: San Antonio, TX, USA
Age: 31
Blog Link: Kung Fu Diary

I started studying martial arts around the age of 10. Over the course of about 7 years I studied Tang Soo Do and Shuri Ryu. I also earned a black belt in Shito Ryu.

For 7 years, I lived in Florida and studied various forms of martial arts while there, including some Filipino Arts. I am also certified to teach Yoga and have also practiced Taijiquan. Before arriving at the Retreat Center, I had started to learn Qigong and meditation for about 4 years under the YMAA system. I have never been as passionate as I am now about traditional Chinese arts.

Frank Verhülsdonk

Hometown: Scharans, Switzerland
Age: 37

I had been practicing Yang-Style Taijiquan and Qigong for about 3 months before arriving at the Retreat Center. I am here to gain a deeper insight of the ancient ways of training. Having the right attitude, I hope to achieve a good foundation to expand my knowledge of traditional Chinese martial arts. I really appreciate having the opportunity to learn in this singular environment.