Portland Shaolin Center

I took karate for ten years earlier in my life, and always wanted to return to some kind of martial art, but not until I was in a position to commit to an art, and not until I found a school I wanted to commit to. I’ve now been at Portland Shaolin for a year, and it’s the perfect commitment for me now and into the future.
It fits everything I was looking for in a school for martial arts, which was pretty hard to find. I wanted to:
–Find a school that’s designed for adult students, not kids and after school programs, and has a sense of humor, not a lot of posturing and formality.
–Be challenged, but not yelled at. No «Cobra Kai», Sweep-​the-​Leg-​Johnny-​vibes.
–Engage in the fun parts of sparring and combat in an educational, non-​aggressive atmosphere, not get beaten to a pulp in an MMA studio.
–Have a blend of practical instruction in self-​defense with some woo-​woo eastern philosophy thrown in for balance.
The atmosphere at Portland Shaolin is welcoming to new students, but is also increasingly friendly and communal as you get to know the various instructors and other students. There’s tons to learn, and you will not get bored. The material seems practically never-​ending (in a good way!) and different instructors all bring different perspectives to the table, so even the same piece of material can get more interesting over time.
It’s a very scholarly atmosphere, but at the same time, not just academic. On any given day I might get an impromptu lesson in anatomy, psychology, Chinese history, eastern philosophy, or how not to hit yourself with a chain whip. But these lessons occur in-​between sets of push-​ups and sparring practice. It’s an over-​all serious workout for your body and brain.
They’re currently expanding the school to twice it’s size, which should be great in all kinds of ways. Just watch the trailer for the school on the home page of their website, it sums up the school perfectly: They’re serious about the content and the work it requires, but they’re also having a great time all the while.

I had been wanting to get into some sort of martial arts since I was a teenager but never got around to it until about eight months ago, when I started talking to a friend about his kung fu practice. This is someone who has been training off and on since *he* was a teenager, now in his early 30’s. I asked him how he chose his school after moving to Portland a few years ago and he mentioned that he had tried a few of them before settling on Portland Shaolin. He also mentioned that I could try it free for a week, and that was good enough for me.
I’ve been hooked ever since. I’m about eight months in now and will test for my green belt in about a month. The instructors are all terrific, very skilled and very patient. Joe, the owner, is probably the nicest guy you ever met who is also a deadly weapon. I’ve really appreciated his demeanor and candor with the details of the practice, and I never dread going to class. Great exercise, mentally as well as physically, and it feels good to be increasingly prepared for unfortunate circumstances (knock on wood).

I hold a 2^nd Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate, a Green Belt in Judo, and have studied both Kendo and Aikido as well. So I figured right after moving to Portland, why not try a style I couldn’t really get on the East Coast (at least where I used to live), and in a place close to where I live. That’s really the only criteria I used to walk in the door for a Kung Fu class at Portland Shaolin.
The Sensei is one of the nicest and most relaxed martial artists I’ve ever met in my life. I would offer that if you find you like spirituality (not cultism) mixed in with your martial arts training, you would love it here. The breathing exercises and meditation before class was quite helpful in getting me ready for some of the most heavy physical exertion I’ve attempted in months (it’s been a while since that 2^nd stripe on my black belt folks… a LONG while).
However, if you’re looking for straight-​up self-​defense with no traditional backing, hardcore competition, or want to go join the UFC, there are probably better places (and styles) for you — I think there’s a perfectly good Krav Maga place downtown.
Classes are extremely well-​scheduled for most kids and adults to make it to at least 2 classes a week, and as the other reviewer here said, there are sometimes really neat «special» classes offered by visiting masters such as cane fighting… and I think that’s pretty damn cool. I want to be an old man who can still kick butt some day.
Doesn’t seem like there’s a ton of pressure to get your next belt or to pay for extra bells and whistles you don’t really need, and you can have a free week of classes if you want to just try it out. I’ve seen dojos that charge large fees for belt tests, and they push their students forward without them being ready — resulting in someone who can say they are a black belt because they paid enough for it, but not a real martial artist.
So far I’m very happy here. Having only taken two classes with Portland Shaolin thus far, I’ll be sure to update here if things change… I just don’t see that happening.

I’ve always wanted to be able to kick a little a**, but I was never interested in joining a martial arts studio because I felt there was too much ‘macho’ energy.
My family found PDX shaolin and started taking classes in kung fu and tai chi. They were so excited. They talked a lot about it and tried so hard to get me to go. I was really not interested.
But, my youngest daughter loved going, and I wanted to spend time with her; I felt it couldn’t be that bad a place if she liked it so much, so finally, I went.
I loved PDX Shaolin from the first day, then the first week, the first month, and still I love it just the same. The instructors are all superb. So informed, helpful, not at all ‘machoistic’ though clearly skilled in the art. It’s been one year now, I can’t believe I ever thought kung fu would be macho. It’s very physical and strengthening, but also I get so much more out of it, on a soul level. I feel like I am becoming more grounded, confident in myself, and also more relaxed. Another thing I love about the kung fu/​tai chi at PDX Shaolin, is the amount of support I receive. Instructors help me every at every lesson from where I am at. They give much encouragement to keep working on whatever I’m working on, but without pressure.
I think because the instructors are so golden that the students I work with are equally so. In fact, I remember after the first month of classes, I told my family there wasn’t a single person in that class, instructor or student, that I didn’t enjoy working with.
No Macho. Just Really Good People.

I used to be a figure skater, but I hadn’t done any sport-​type-​thing in, oh, 7 years. Pretty much since I moved here. Blame school, blame the lack of skating rinks, blame my complete lack of motivation. Recently, though, I decided that I needed to kick up my cardiovascular output… but I wanted to do something more exciting than join a gym.
It was after perhaps the third straight weekend of kung fu movies that I decided to see what Portland had to offer in terms of martial arts. Turned out there was a Shaolin Kung Fu place very nearby, and according to the website, my first class was free. Sold!
Portland Shaolin Center is tucked away in the strip mall on SE 39^th and Powell — perhaps not the most glamorous spot, but very convenient. It’s your typical studio — large, open room, carpet floor, wall of mirrors. Oh, and lots and lots of weapons.
Joe Wieland is the main instructor there. As in anything, being able to do the sport well doesn’t necessarily translate to teaching it well, but Joe is a great teacher. He works with students in small groups and individually, fleshing out details of the elements and techniques so that they make sense. For the larger classes, there are assistant instructors who help out, so no one gets lost or left out. Sometimes the assistant instructors teach the classes. They’re all rad.
There’s no class cycle or strict progression — you can jump in whenever and work at your own pace. Payment is $ 60 monthly (after initial registration and uniform fees), so within that time you can go to as many kung fu (and tai chi) classes as you want. Lower belt classes are offered 6 days a week, so you can definitely make it worth the price. Occasionally they offer special classes or seminars, many of which are open to all levels.
In sum: I’ve been taking classes for a bit over a month now, and I’m completely hooked. If you’re at all interested in martial arts, this place is definitely worth checking out.