Shifu Yan Ming is a wonderful man, genuinely interested in the people he interacts with and is as down to earth as a human can be. I had an incredible night hanging out with him last night and SHARING wisdom back and forth. He is not stuck up at all or full of himself at all. He is open, jolly and quite approachable. There's a reason stars like RZA and Jackie Chan are enamored by him too. He is incredibly skilled and full of ancient wisdom, yet he knows how to laugh and enjoy life. This, I would say is what BALANCE is all about! If you want a stoic, lifeless monk, go up to the mountains of Dengfeng County and sit in a cave for 8 years. If you want the real deal mixed with NYC spirit and swagger, this is what New York is all about. I love it. Train harder yall ~ read more

Pros: 1) very nice teacher; 2) beautiful decoration; 3) have a trial classes; Cons: 1) smelly room; 2) to hard understand the teacher he speaks very low, can't even hear him; read more

Amazing people and system to work with. Everybody on the staff was super friendly and helpful, the temple was taken care of properly and the training was spectacular. I haven't had much martial arts experience but I was able to grasp the concepts easily, get help from other individuals, and be corrected quickly. Sifu Shi Yan Ming was a very positive, friendly and admirable man, and believed in all his students there. My weekend at the temple has helped me learn a lot about myself and it's because he is the real deal when it comes to a leading by example. Amituofo! read more

USA Shaolin is a special place where Sifu Shi Yan Ming leads group classes yet guides each of us at our individual level. The Shaolin community supports everyone's training efforts with shouts of More Chi! What you get is what you bring, and the more you bring the more you will get. It's a commitment that strengthens and shines our light and life. read more

I have been a long time disciple of Shifu Yan Ming. When I met Master Shifu I was immediately moved to learn everything possible from this man. Over the 15years of training at the temple I have seen the most impressive feats of physical abilities from Shifu. I must say at times I felt like I was only eating, sleeping and training every day just trying to keep up..... that's when I began to realize how much I had grown in my own physical abilities as well. Amituofo. Yes, Shifu does drink beer and eat meat and has a girlfriend. He is not the Dalai Lama! Shifu Yan Ming is a Shaolin fighting monk. I only say this because people have their own ideas of what a Monk is and Shifu doesn't necessarily fit that mold. His Kung Fu teaching is of the highest caliber. I've seen complete transformations in many of his disciples. If your interested in transforming your body into a precise physical instrument I highly recommend USA Shaolin Temple! The Temple is welcoming of all ages man or woman in any physical condition. read more

If all you're looking for is a great workout, then I agree with the other reviewers: the training is intense, and you will feel like a superhero. However, I'd like to touch on something I feel is more important and has been left out of the previous reviews. I trained at the USA Shaolin Temple for three years. During that time, my love of training and being part of a tightly knit community of students led me to justify behavior I never thought I would accept. I was initially excited by the opportunity to learn authentic Kung Fu from a Shaolin Monk, but I quickly learned that Shifu Shi Yan Ming's behavior did not reflect the adages of self-respect and balance he preached to his students. His relationship with alcohol and women are harmful and predatory. He consistently pressures his students to drink, including students who are driving home or are in recovery from addiction. Many students, including myself at one point, rationalize this as either being a test from Shifu or believing one should be able to "know oneself" enough to say no firmly enough to get him to stop. In reality, most students end up drinking to the point of becoming sick. His behavior with women is even more dangerous, and a large part of why I finally decided to leave. I'd go so far as calling him "creepy," speaking candidly to his students about his sexual prowess and paying extra attention to new and attractive female students. He has also touched some of his female students inappropriately during his drunken revelry, myself included. I confronted him about it, receiving a perfunctory apology, yet still came back to train. I finally ended up leaving after he became obsessed for a full week with a video of Sharon Stone crossing and uncrossing her legs. I used to believe that it was a lesson in Ch'an philosophy to accept that your teachers are still human. After finally leaving that Dionysian tornado, I realize that a teacher, particularly one calling himself a monk, must, at the end of the day, be able to justify himself to his students. Shi Yan Ming's behavior is not that of anyone I would accept into my life again, particularly one that I would call my Shifu. read more

I've trained in different styles of martial Arts since I was a kid. Started in an eclectic, pretty hardcore Japanese dojo and then went on to sample training from lots of others, from some Korean styles to Thai. My dad and brother and I used to watch the David Carradine shows and we were always looking for a good Chinese style, one that fused the physical and the mental and the "spiritual". Fast forward a few years and we catch a documentary called Secrets of the Warriors Power, and right there on the tv was a realer than real Shaolin Monk, Shi Yanming. No pretenses, no pseudospiritualism, just a very real individual striving to represent himself and his history and traditions honestly in this crazy ass modern world. We joined. As it was put to me by another disciple, basically if you were into singing opera or anything to do with opera and you had a chance to spend time with someone like Pavarotti learning from them, eating with them, having them cook you meals and living in front of you a direct transmission from not just them but all their masters going way back hundreds of years...you would jump at the chance! And this is such an opportunity right here, right now. This is as authentic as authentic can get, 1500 years of Shaolin warrior monk and Ch'an Buddhist traditions. When I was young I read everything I could about Zen Buddhism, but here in front of me was it's actual representation and it was amazing to suddenly understand a lot of the stuff I had read in a totally new way just by trying to get a five minute horse stance. A door opens before you, it's time to walk through. It's not always going to be sweet times, as Shifu teaches there are going to be bitter times, sour times, spicy times, life has all of these things and understanding yourself makes it sweet. When you learn what he went through not just in China, watching some family members starve, and the Temple in constant danger, but here in the USA too when he first got here, sitting alone at night with socks on his hands and flashlights duct taped to the walls because he had no money, it forces you to gain a perspective of reality from which many of us are shielded. At the end of the day the Temple is a mirror, and you need the courage to see yourself. If you don't like what you see Shaolin can teach you to change. You might see parts of yourself you didn't know you had. I love seeing everyone come and train, it's a tough regimen, one of the toughest there is, Shaolin was CrossFit 1500 years ago. You can come to train multiple times a week, there's a kids class, there are annual retreats at a gorgeous Temple in the Catskills, and a summer camp there too. It's awesome to see the kids train their hardest for two weeks and dramatically change their lives as they unplug and tap into what Shaolin is all about. Lots of eclectic individuals come through the door of the Manhattan Temple, it's always a great mix of people, any given class you will see educators, business professionals, dancers, artists, programmers, police officers, MMA fighters, art directors, musicians, photographers, DJs, actors, writers, yoga instructors, chefs- basically the whole panoply one might expect to see at a kungfu temple in NYC and everyone there to push each other and themselves to represent this precious life we have the greatest fortune to be living to the utmost. The training is that intense, and suddenly before you know it you'll be in the best shape of your life, when my brother was in a car accident it was Shifu's training that saved his life, his surgeon kept asking us, after taking out his spleen and pushing his ribs back into place, what it was he did, he never operated on anyone like my brother before, football players to swimmers he had seen it all but he just couldn't figure out what my brother did. It was like a movie when my mom told him, "He trains Shaolin gongfu." read more

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I'm going to start with the good, then the bad: The Good: 1) The instructor is the real deal shaolin monk. No question about that. 2) Everyone is super friendly and non-judgemental. 3) The place is very clean. 4) Extremely intense workout. It is NOT easy. They start you off with 45 minutes of non-stop stretch kicks, jumping, squats, postures, and cartwheels. If you're not in shape, then you're going to absolutely hate your first class (or yourself) and you may feel like quitting. But don't quit, because your body will adjust after a week or two. My strong recommendation is that you do a month of jogging and cardio exercises BEFORE you join to get yourself prepared. Don't just walk in there and jump right in if you haven't done a single exercise in years, because you're going to regret it. I can guarantee you that. 5) A decent amount of senior citizens who look to be in their 60s and 70s. To witness senior citizens running around jumping and kicking and doing cartwheels like a 20-year older is insanely motivating, because as a younger individual, you're confronted with the reality that if they can do it, then you can do it too. 6) You get a free uniform, sash, and sneakers with your membership. 7) Located a block off of the Canal st subway exit, so it's very convenient to get to. Now before I get into the bad, let me explain to you how the school works. You have to learn a series of basics before you progress to the forms. And you have to learn each basic before you're taught the next one. The Bad: 1) The teacher doesn't teach you jack. You would think that paying $150 a month you would get some instruction from the actual teacher of the studio, the shaolin monk. Not so. At this place, you learn from the STUDENTS. Now I'm not putting the students down, because they're very friendly. But there is a difference between being friendly and being a MONK, let alone being a TEACHER who actually knows HOW to teach. The students do NOT know how to teach effectively. They show you 1 thing, and then literally seconds later, they correct you on something totally unrelated, but you still haven't even processed what they showed you 10 seconds ago: "put your foot here" (5 seconds later) "no no no put your thumb here" (4 seconds later) "no no no put your torsoe here". 2) Each class has the SAME exact format in the SAME exact order each and every single solitary class with absolutely NO deviation or variation whatsoever. I mean really? Even the exercises are the exact same exercises every class and in the same exact order. If you're expecting a variety of lessons and different challenges to the lessons, you'll be sadly disappointed. 3) No introductory lesson for new students. New students are expected to jump right into a full-blown hardcore beginner class without even knowing what they're doing. They tell you to copy the person in front of you, but that means you go weeks (if not months) doing moves the WRONG way and developing bad muscle memory which becomes difficult to correct by the time you do eventually receive instruction on the move. 4) No video instructional material to help you learn, and video recording is not allowed. So you have absolutely no reference material whatsoever. Every studio should have instructional videos, and if not, they should allow their students to take video, because it will help them to study. And some students will post their videos online which will help create awareness and free advertising for the studio, but obviously this guy doesn't appreciate technology because he didn't learn with it. 5) The instructor just stands there every class and bark. He never ever participates, and never ever does a form. If you're expecting an instructor who will be out in front of the class DOING what's he's teaching, then you'll be sadly disappointed. He'll do the stretching though. He LOVES to stretch. But you won't catch him doing a form, ever. I get the impression he's LAZY. I guess after 30 years of practicing, followed by 20 years of teaching, that he's just burned out. Like his heart isn't into it anymore. I could be wrong, but that's the distinct impression I get, and it's not very motivating. 6) The advanced students are good, but not impressive. None of them have sharp forms. They have good stamina, but they wobble on parts of their form. These are students who've been there for 5 and 6 years, but still don't look very sharp. They just look OK. And they don't have that fluid shaolin-look in their forms. They make the forms look stiff like karate. And when they do the forms as a group, they're all out of sync with each other. So guess what that means for those who stay and also pay for 6 years worth of lessons? They're going to be just as sloppy. Obviously because the teacher is too lazy to teach. Overall I give it 3 stars. It's good, but it could use a whole lot of improvement. read more

I went there back in April and was very impressed by the energy of the students and the connection they have with Shifu. He's very enthusiastic and watches each student closely. The first hour or so of the class I visited consisted of a pretty intense and continuous series of techniques that WILL challenge your cardiovascular endurance. While the students practice their techniques and Shifu looks on, he occasionally will perform the technique while the students train to give examples of how it is done. I would say he is about as flexible as a real life contortionist! Seriously, I watched him shoot his legs straight up in the air to over and BEHIND his head!! By the way, he did that with the speed of a professional boxer's jab! Scary! By the way, he greets EVERY visitor and if you're not looking at him, he will wait until you notice him to make sure he greets you! A true Buddhist! Membership aka Tuition fees run roughly $150/mo. adult, $105/mo. child but if you choose Credit Card Auto-Pay, it's only $130/mo. adult, $100/mo. child! Folks, if you know ANYTHING about NYC, especially, MANHATTAN martial arts school rates, this is dirt CHEAP! I know of at least a few schools (Hapkido, Taekwondo, Gracie Jiujitsu) that were $250/mo. and that was more than 5 years ago. Even better, if you choose the 3 month option, it's only $405 regular or $345 Credit Card Auto Pay for adults!! That's crazy! For what you are getting, $250 would be appropriate. If you're overweight, you'll lose weight just looking at the workout. If you're in shape, you'll become a Marine in 3 months! lol Check it out, you can watch a class for free or take a trial class for $40 (child $20). I'll be honest, I went out of curiousity as I'm currently a Jiujitsu student, however, if I was truly dedicated to getting in the best physical shape of my life and could commute to the school more easily, I would be there at least 3 times a week. BTW, for the Gongfu (Shaolin Kung Fu), there are classes 7 days per week. Night classes are: Mon - Fri 7pm -9pm. Day classes are Sat/Sun 11a-1p and Mon/Wed/Fri from 12p-1:30pm I can't find the above membership fees, price, rates or tuition costs on their webpage so since I'm writing this so long after my visit, I don't know if the brochure is still correct. You can call for a free brochure to be mailed to your house for the most up to date costs. 212-358-7876 read more

I hated my first class here. All the chanting and the rules were getting to me. I also thought the people were unnaturally friendly and weird. But I kept going back. It has been 6 years now that I study kungfu here. Six years ago, I was falling apart. Trying to decide if I should give up trying to live in NYC and move back home, I came to the first class from a coworker's suggestion. The intensity of the workout was unlike anything I had ever done. Besides being sore like never before for 2 weeks, I remember feeling peaceful and euphoric during the 2-hour class and right after. That was what I came back for - being present and focus - free of any other troubles in my head during those two hours. Slowly, without very many words, I started to appreciate what's being taught here - not just martial arts but the philosophy that came with it. I stopped treating it like a gym. Then I turned to be one of those unnaturally friendly and weird people. I'm flexible. I can kick, jump, flip and do a lot of cool things. But best of all, I'm content with who I am. read more

Yes, it's an incredible workout that will make you feel like a superhero; but, like what's been said in other reviews, it is not a safe space for women. I trained at the USA Shaolin Temple for almost five years, and I trained frequently, spending many hours per week training, and several more hanging out with the other students and our "shifu" Shi Yan Ming. I will agree that there is a beautiful bond between students working to push themselves beyond their perceived limits. This part was great and empowering and to a point, healthy. However there is also a culty aspect to it all, an unhealthy level of hero worship that Yan Ming and his followers have cultivated around him - he especially loved to manipulate social interactions and preyed easily upon students seeking acceptance, praise and attention- which results in many good people letting very bad behavior become normalized. Over the years, things either evolved, or I simply grew more aware of them, and temple began to feel increasingly like something in between a cult and a frat house. I began to see things - things that were likely always there - that I didn't feel right about. This including Yan Ming's pushiness with alcohol, his avid pursuit of young women and his habit of offering alcohol to students in recovery for addiction even after they say "no" or share their status. I started paying more attention to the misogynistic comments and jokes he would make, and things he would say to or about female students. One evening I got yelled at for disobeying Yan Ming's orders to drink - I had already drank a beer and taken 2 shots with him, but I was expected to continue until he said enough. (I didn't, and later that evening was the only one sober enough to help a young woman home). Another night almost ended with me falling down a flight of stairs while fighting off two drunk male students who were groping me and arguing about who was going to "take me home to train" me (Yan Ming referred to sex as "training" or "special training.") Those two nights, not far apart from one another, were the beginning of the end for me. At first I thought I could reconcile staying by stepping back from the social part and just going for the workout. Then a couple of women shared with me, their experiences of Shi Yan Ming's unwelcome sexual advances, nonconsensual sexual contact, repeated phone calls etc. I realized that I had been tolerating incredibly misogynistic behavior and comments for a very long time, and I could not continue. I trained my last class a little over a year ago. It broke my heart, but at least I can sleep with a clear conscience. I recently began training somewhere else. After my first class a woman asked me where I had previously trained. I told her, and she asked me why I had left. I only needed to say a few words before she nodded and shared her own very similar reasons for leaving the USA Shaolin Temple, years earlier. The USA Shaolin Temple is not the safe haven it claims to be. I would not send my daughter, sister, or female friends. Nor would I send my son, brothers, etc, as it is also a dangerous place for men, especially those looking for a role model. Amituofo. read more

I was a student at the Temple but had to drop out because my schedule got the better of me. I joined right after quitting smoking and wanted to do something to relieve the weight gain and anxiety. Learning kung fu is something I have always wanted to do but have put off for one reason or another. It took me some time to adjust to the culture and the rules (which I probably should have read before joining) but after I did it was amazing. I felt better mentally and physically. I am looking to rejoin the Temple someday. read more

All I have to say is that I live in Seattle and one of my driving inspirations to keep coming back to NYC are for these classes. Amitoufo/Namasté Shifo and teachers! read more

A colleague introduced me to USA Shoalin Temple several years ago and I have been training there ever since. Not only will you get an incredible workout but you will find an incredible community of students ready and eager to embrace new students into the family. The Shaolin experience is so much more than just a workout program or your typical martial arts training. At temple you work out your mind as much as your body in what Sifu calls action meditation which you can apply to all areas of your life. In fact I have found that the key to how quickly or slowly you progress has a much greater correlation to your focus on mediation than your physical ability, which becomes even more clear when you consider that their are students of all ages, backgrounds, body types and physical abilities who excel in class. The people you will meet in class come from all walks of life and there is very much a family feel which is another reason why you will find multiple students in nearly every class that have trained under Sifu for years. read more

A friend of mine invited me to try a class and I loved it, I've been going for a year and so far it's been a life changing experience. I'm 37 and I feel like I'm in the best shape I've ever been and the experience gave me a new outlook in life. Sifu Shi Yan Ming and the senior students are welcoming, knowledgeable and encouraging. I read some of the other reviews saying how classes are always the same, but it's really up to you to challenge yourself and get the best out of every class, you can make it as easy or as hard on yourself as you want. Level 1 for me is really about getting the basics and preparing your body so you can learn more. I just started going to level 2 classes and I learn something new every day. read more

I have been training at the USA Shaolin Temple for more than 10 years. There are many reasons why I have remained at the Temple: * There is a focus on martial arts as mediation, not as fighting or self-defense. * This is a traditional, authentic practice that builds on 2000 years of Shaolin history. * Sifu Shi Yan Ming is the real thing - a wonderful teacher who grew up as a Shaolin monk. * The classes are absolutely incredible workouts and train strength, flexibility, and cardio. * Shaolin KungFu is a uniquely beautiful, dance-like acrobatic martial art form. * The Temple community is full of kind, interesting people from all ages and walks of life. * Classes are electric and everyone supports each other regardless of your level of experience. But don't take my word for it - come and see for yourself! We would love to have you visit us. Amituofo! read more

Such a wonderful accepting and non-competitive environment-my son has blossomed because of this school.

I have more than ten years of history with Shaolin Temple. Here is what I think. The training -- Intense but rewarding. I confess that I was initially intimidated by the energy in the temple. But my fears were baseless. I quickly learned that no one was judging. Everyone just does their best and strives to do better. That's the greatest thing about the Temple. There isn't one benchmark that everyone must live up to. Everyone lives up to their individual potential. Classes are long enough for you to warm up, do basic stances, learn more complex forms, practice, and cool down. The people -- A place is made up of its people. Sifu and the students are an incredible group. Everyone is very welcoming and supportive. They will encourage you, applaud you, and help you achieve whatever it is that you are striving for. Sifu selects students to teach newer people and in their own way, everyone is training. And Sifu is always watching the training. He has an uncanny ability to know just what someone needs and will guide them in the right direction without that person even knowing. Everyone watches out for each other and will go out of their way to help one another. The Temple is more like a home and the members are family. After training some people choose to eat, talk and relax together. The Temple doors aren't ever shut. If you have a good reason to be there, you are always welcome. The Temple -- You are hit by this strong sense of energy and togetherness as soon as you enter. The Temple has been painted by some of the students, we clean up after class, and treat it the way we would our home. There are two changing rooms, one each for men and women. They are large enough and kept clean by the students. Go in without having expectations written down and you'll emerge knowing more about your body and mind than you thought possible. Amitofu! read more

Great place to work out and meet new friends. This is the hardest workout I've ever experienced. The Shaolin Monk, Shi Yan Ming is super warm and friendly and definitely knows a thing or two about kung fu. At first I was intimidated, but soon you realize everyone is cheering you on (even if you fall) and you can take it at your own pace. It improved my body on so many levels, better posture, more flexible, etc. There are 2 levels of training, as well as kids classes, and private lessons. Free uniform when you sign up Challenging: yes Changing room: yes Shower: yes Hours: everyday Location: super convenient Broadway/ nr. Canal St. Cleaning occurs everyday after every class read more

I've been training at the USA Shaolin Temple for more than a decade, The Usa Shaolin Temple is not the only place I train, I have train in other school and styles, including Japanese sword, Escrima, Chi Na, etc. I have also trained in China, Boston and Mexico city among other places. My experience not only at training but in life has been that what ever you bring, thats what you will harvest, the USA Shaolin Temple is a great place to developed skills that will help you in every aspect of your life, we have the privilege to be trained by one of the top martial artist in the world. to have been training here for more that a decade is been beautiful and deeply rewarding, I go to train harder and and then go on to my busy life. You can come and watch a class or participate in one for free, so you can see for yourself, Amituofo. read more

I joined the Temple in 2003 while a sophomore in high school with low confidence and self esteem. That couldn't be further than who I am now. Being at the Temple has given me the opportunity to rediscover who I am and learn to express that fully in every moment of every day. Shifu Shi Yan Mings's tremendous positivity and confidence has shown me the same in myself, and has allowed me to grow further than I'd ever imagined. As far as the training itself, a single two hour class at the Temple will probably be the most intense cardio workout you've ever had. Stretching and extension are emphasized greatly - I had no flexibility when I started training and now can do a full middle split (still working on those hamstrings - can't kiss my toes like Shifu yet!). Students come from all backgrounds, ages, and experiences, and the community is tremendously welcoming, positive, and supportive to all. To me, this is one of the main draws of the Temple as well. The philosophy demonstrated by the Temple and its community is truly universal, and I recommend anyone looking for a spiritual experience combined with physical practice check it out. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! read more

Great place to learn Shaolin martial arts! Students are friendly. I tried the school for 1 month. I enjoyed the intense workout, but couldn't continue due to the location, price and time. The school is located in Chinatown. It's a little expensive, over $1300 for 1 year membership, but it's the Real Deal - minus the hardcore training in China. You won't be breaking breaks with your head any time soon, but it's a beautiful martial art to learn. I don't think Shaolin is a very practical martial art in real life situations, but it is a good starting martial art to learn. The instructor will make you learn one form until you master it and then you can proceed. Beginner classes are generally at night around 7 pm. I would go back if I had more time and it was closer. read more

A great master is not always a great teacher. Shifu Shi Yan Ming is probably the most famous monk in the Western world. A number of celebrities are/were his students, and Shifu can perform incredible physical feats. He is powerful and flexible, and has had to work very hard to hone his skills at the Shaolin Temple, and to build up his school in New York to what it is today. I respect him tremendously for what he has been through -- for example, when he first started teaching in New York, his rented space did not have electricity or heating, and he only turned on the flashlights when he was teaching, to save money. He has an inspiring background. I bought a copy of Shifu's book and have read and watched much of the material online about him. Some of the Yelp reviews here gave me pause, but I decided to give Shifu the benefit of the doubt and take a trial class. 10 minutes into the class, I knew it was not for me. The beginner class is structured as follows: - 40 (?) minutes of non-stop intense cardio (kicks, cartwheels, spins, stances) back and forth in lines across the floor. Newcomers are instructed to get in the back of a line and do your best to copy the person in front of you. If you do not know the forms ahead of time, you can hurt yourself by doing it wrong, and Shifu may demonstrate a few times with you, but if you are not a fast learner, too bad. I landed pretty hard on my ankles when attempting to do the cartwheels and they felt sprained after. I also hurt my lower back doing something. - 10 (?) minute water break. - 20 (?) minutes stretching with Shifu. Shifu pushes you hard to do the splits, kiss your toes, and stick your head between your legs. It was pretty cool seeing the pictures from his book come to life, and it was a nice reprieve from all the cardio. The carpet has a lot of friction so it was difficult to go down into the splits. - 40 (?) minutes techniques. The student teacher taught the newcomers and beginners a form and we were left to practice the rest of the time. Other students practice other forms, depending on their level. - 10 (?) minutes push-ups and crunches, followed by saying Amituofo and chanting other things that I couldn't hear very clearly (Merry Christmas, Happy New Year was one of them), bowing to Shifu, and getting on your knees and bowing to Shifu. I did not like that we were thrown into the cardio without any preparation. It would be nice to have Shifu work with the new people separately to teach us a form and give us some background on the first class, while the student teacher leads the cardio, like I have experienced at another school. The students were not as friendly and welcoming as I have experienced at other schools. The student teacher was warm, but most of the other students did not even bother with us. One thing I really disliked was that while I was working on a form with two other students during the techniques session, going back and forth in a line at the edge of the carpet, an advanced student would do her form and cut straight in front of us. We would have to wait for her to go through with her form and move out of the way before we can continue. I get that there is not much space, but to just get in our way like that without so much as an "excuse me"? It was rude. The teacher sets the tone for the class, and I was disappointed by what I experienced. If you want to see for yourself, drop in for a $20 trial class or watch the beginners' class for free. If you want to do the trial, get a pair of feiyue shoes (~$20) and DO NOT wear them outside before bringing them here. You are only allowed to wear clean shoes when participating. You do not want to just wear socks or go barefoot because that carpet has so much friction it will likely give you blisters. Be prepared to get very tired and sweaty. Try not to hurt yourself. Another thing to note is that the space does not have air conditioning or fans. There are some open windows, but you are at the mercy of the weather outside. If it is a hot and humid day, it will make your experience that much worse. The space also smells rancid with sweat and wet carpet (probably from the sweat). Not pleasant. If you have the money, private lessons with Shifu or Shifu's student teachers may be a good fit, since you will get individualized attention and focus on getting your forms right, but I would not recommend the beginners' class for someone who is a true beginner. read more

I'll upgrade this review from 1 star to 2 stars because we were offered a 75% refund for what we were over charged (after 2 months of trying to get a response). The business manager acknowledged it was their mistake and while I am not sure why they couldn't give us a full refund, nor even offer a credit for the remaining 25%, at least some effort was made to make us whole. read more

Avoid this school at all costs!! Unless you want a depleted bank account and permanent nagging injuries. USA Shaolin Temple boasts a pretty exterior image built upon the notion of training with an authentic shaolin monk in a large, clean, nicely painted loft. Unfortunately, the real USA Shaolin Temple is less impressive. The classes are very poorly run. The master has some of his senior students do all the teaching. Normally this wouldn't be much of a problem. However, I've been shown how to do the same movement 3 or 4 different ways depending on who was teaching me that day. That only leads to confusion, injury and long arguments with people. What frustrated me most was the master would be watching us learning wrong, doing the movement wrong, talking about how to do it or seeing people teach it wrong and say nothing. He would just stand in the corner. When I say senior students do all the teaching don't assume these are people that have been training for years on end. I was shocked to find out some of the people teaching had been training there for less than a year. So, people who have been training in martial arts, period, for less than a year were being trusted to teach new students. What finally did me in was how crazy and bizarre some of the students act there. A good portion of the senior students completely worship Shi Yan Ming. This is not an exaggeration either. They literally think he can do no wrong and that no matter what he says or does there is a secret hidden meaning to it. If you ask a question about it you will most likely be given the response "You don't understand". I never did "understand" what they meant by this. Clearly I do not. If I understood the meaning would I ask a question about it in the first place? I also got bizarre answers when asking questions about movements. Usually I was told to "train harder you will understand". Translation being "I am not going to tell you". If thats the case what was I paying him for? After a few weeks of running these nonsensical terms through my head and the nature of the place I decided to leave. The cost was too high too. The tuition is high for a martial arts school in the city. But, it doesn't end there. There are numerous hidden fees that are also required. There are mandatory uniforms that cost around $100, mandatory school shoes with logo for $40, mandatory twice yearly testing fee of $50 and fees if you happen to come late or not sign in before class. Not to mention you are also required to do work for free at the school. After every class you have to spend time cleaning the place. If there are things that need to be moved or inventory to be re shelved this will be required also. In the end I didn't learn anything practical or interesting. I met a few interesting people but most were jerks in some way or another. I'm glad I left as I have discovered the plethora of martial arts school NYC has to offer. There are many hidden gems out there if you only spend a little time looking. Avoid this place or you will eventually end up regretting it. read more

USA Shaolin Temple is probably one of the most publicized martial arts schools in NYC and it is of no surprised I took classes there. Coming from having no experience about Chinese Martial Arts I thought this was the best school to be. Hell, Sifu Yan Ming even had a picture of himself with Jet Li and Jackie Chan, my heroes. Unfortunately, I WAS COMPLETELY WRONG and I got suckered in because I didn't know better. I studied under Yan Ming for a couple of years. If you are looking for strictly cardio-vascular exercise than you found the right school. It operates more like bootcamp than a martial arts school. It might appear to you that this is the Shaolin way, i.e. bitter training. But hard training doesn't mean you are doing the right training. A lot of people think that Jet Li does Shaolin because he starred in so many Shaolin films. THIS IS WRONG. Jet Li does Wushu. If you come here to be Jet Li or do impressive flying kicks, you've gone to the wrong school. They will not teach techniques to achieve advance level kicks. Usually they will ask you to just try it with no real advice. This has led to countless knee and ankle injuries. Then there is the popularity of Hard Qi Gong (breaking sticks or bricks with your body). This school does NOT teach Hard Qi Gong. For all the students that have been there for more than 5 years none have learn anything about Hard Qi Gong. If you plan to learn how to fight, this is also the wrong school. There is no sparring in class. If you come here to find spirituality, well that is questionable. In my belief of Chan Buddhism, a monk is not allowed to marry, have children, drink alcohol or eat meat. Yan Ming breaks all of these rules. If you can figure a way to get over that. Great. But then there is the adultery, the excessive materialism and the candid arrogance. If you join, don't be afraid to let go of some money. You may be asked to pay fines if you come in late, forget to sign the sign up sheet before class, or refuse pay the mandatory bi-annual testing of $50. You will also be forced to wear color coordinated robes and branded uniforms with the USA Shaolin Logo. I didn't know Shaolin and Buddhism was so commercialized... Anyway, the reason why I'm writing this review is to SPARE you from this school. There are a lot of people who join thinking that this school brings them enlightenment because it forced them to push themselves physically and to adopt some Buddhist philosophy. It is those people who are going through hard times who seemed to get suckered in the most. Before you do that, please just start reading the Buddhist scriptures first! You do not need to go to this man to find the Buddhism.. it exists at your local Barnes and Nobles... If you are interested in Kung Fu, then please go look at MANY different schools in NYC. Now with Youtube, you can see the level of students out there. You can also find videos of the schools. LOOK AT THEM. They are your biggest aid in seeing if the martial arts is up to par.... ... and if it ends up USA Shaolin Temple is your first choice. Then great. I hope you enjoy your time there. read more

I have been a student here for 6 years and my training has changed the way I do EVERYTHING. It is a truly phenomenal example of positive and growth-driven philosophy that helps you connect with your body in ways that few non-competitive options offer. read more

I went here for 6 months and got in good shape. I've realized they don't teach kung fu but performance Wushu. Its mostly a cardio program and Shi Yan Ming never taught me anything, all the student teachers teaching everyone. Try it out to learn a good cardio routine but you might as well watch videos or just learn from a less expensive school with better instruction. I really disliked the lengthy bowing ceremony at the end where we have to worship the Sifu, it doesn't seem Buddhist to me, we should all bow to the statue of Buddha to respect the true teacher. read more