Master Jeff Chow has been a student of Grand Master Tat-Mau Wong for more than twenty-six years, and has been a chief instructor at the Tat Wong Academy since 1998. He was awarded the title of Master in 2013 and is currently ranked internationally by The World Organization of Wushu Kung Fu Masters at 8th degree Black Belt.

Master Chow has been fighting Sanshou for the past 15 years and is a competition champion.  He was the Silver Medallist for the 2006 Pan American Games in the Sanshou 65-kilo weight category, and proudly represented the USA in 2007 as a USA World Team member. In 2009 and 2011 he served as the official USA Sanshou team coach.

He is also a Gold Medallist from many International traditional form and lion dance competitions.

Every day Master Chow passes on his skills and passion for Kung Fu to our students, our Sanshou fighters and our Lion Dance performers. Master Chow says, as both a teacher and a martial artist: “I will never stop my kung fu and sanshou training, because they continue to teach me about myself. I hope to inspire my students to feel the same.” He also adds: “Nothing is worth doing unless done well. So stay focused and dedicated and the results are always worth it.”

Master Barbosa has been practicing Martial Arts for over 33 years.  In his home country of Brazil, Master Barbosa trained in both Praying Mantis and Eagle Claw Kung Fu. In 1994 he traveled to San Francisco to study under Grand Master Tat-Mau Wong at the academy’s headquarters and discovered his passion for Choy Lay Fut Kung Fu.  Through his many years with Grand Master Wong, Master Barbosa has also learned Tai Chi, Sanshou—Chinese Full Contact Fighting, and the art of Shuai Chiao—Chinese Wrestling.

In February 2012, the World Organization of Wushu Kung Fu Masters ranked Sifu Barbosa internationally at 8th Degree of Black Belt and in 2013 Grand Master Wong honored Peter Barbosa with the title of Master.

Master Barbosa believes that Kung Fu has positive effects and benefits on all areas of our lives: “Life is tough, but we need to make ourselves tougher.  Martial Arts is a great tool to improve human strength in our physical, mental and spiritual aspects.”

Master Barbosa sees Chinese Martial Arts as “a never-ending story: with new skills and knowledge that keep growing. I hope that the students I teach will also feel the joy and excitement of this life-long journey.”

In his native country of Brazil, Sifu Felipe Godoy began his Martial Arts training with judo when he was only 6 years old.  He expanded into the styles of Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Praying Mantis Kung Fu, and Fencing. In 1995 he discovered his true passion, Choy Lay Fut Kung Fu.  He started teaching soon after that and has never stopped.

 After graduating from the University of Campinas, Brazil in 1997 with a degree in Physical Education and sports coaching, Sifu Godoy decided to join us at the Tat Wong Kung Fu Academy headquarters in the United States as a valuable part of our instructor team. And after many years of dedication to teaching and to advancing his own training, he was awarded the title of SIFU in December of 2006.

“One of my greatest rewards as an instructor is when I start to see a transformation in my students,” Sifu Godoy says. “I see them overcoming their fears and insecurities through the power of their Kung Fu training.”

Sifu Godoy has competed in tournaments throughout the USA, as well as in Brazil, Venezuela and China. Among his many top honors are Gold Medals from the World Traditional Wushu Festival in Zhengzhou, China and a Gold Medal in Sanshou sparring from the Pan American Wushu Championships.

Sifu Lee joined the Tat Wong Kung Fu Academy as a teenager over 17 years ago. While continuing to train and teach, he studied Social Welfare & Education at UC Berkeley. After graduation, ‘Teach For America’, the prestigious organization which provides excellent education to kids growing up in poverty, recruited Sifu Lee for his strong leadership skills and he briefly left TWKFA to teach 5th grade math in New Jersey.

“Because of the Tat Wong Academy and its community, I have discovered more about my abilities and potential, not just as a martial artist, but as a person. My training helped me graduate from UC Berkeley and gave me skills as an academics teacher. When I reflect upon my Martial Arts training, I’m surprised where it has taken me… and even more excited about where it WILL take me.”

Sifu Lee received his title of ‘Sifu’ in 2013 and is internationally ranked at 6th degree of black belt. He has proudly represented the USA and Tat Wong Kung Fu as a member of the official USA National Sanshou Team and fought at the Pan American Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina as well as at the World Championships in Toronto, Canada. 

Whether in his own personal training or for teaching students, Sihing Lee believes “What doesn’t kill you can only make you stronger, so don’t be afraid to set your ultimate goal.  Then work hard and push yourself to be the best you can be.”  As Harvey MacKay so aptly put it: “Find something you love to do, and you'll never work a day in your life.”

Sifu Neher began his Martial Arts journey at age five, with judo.  Later he tried Tae Kwan Do, Karate and Hapkido.  At Tat Wong he discovered that Choy Lay Fut contains all of the above arts, and has been training for the last 16 years.  The World Organization of Wushu Kung Fu Masters internationally ranks him at 5th degree of black belt.

Sifu Neher won gold medals for hand and weapon forms at 2012 international tournaments in San Francisco and Brazil.  He has performed at the 155th Anniversary of the Hung Sing Academy in Fushan, China, as well as various tournaments and events.

Sifu Neher says “Students need to learn the intent behind the techniques, or they will just be moves.  Intent also increases the focus and discipline to be truly good.”

With fifteen years of training under Grandmaster Tat-Mau Wong, Sihing Brandon Chew has practically grown up at our academies.  His belief in “Do what you love and you’ll love what you do,” explains his long-time commitment as both a student and teacher at Tat Wong Kung Fu Academy. 

Sihing Chew trains in Sanshou (competing in Fresno for the Pak 4 “Stand Up & Fight”, as well as bouts in Florida, Texas, San Diego, Maryland, and Sao Paulo, Brazil), and in traditional forms (winning 1st place in the 3-Star event at the International Chinese Martial Arts Championship in San Francisco).  He is ranked internationally at 5th degree of Black Belt.

Although he loves to push his students to their limits, he advises: “Try your best and just have fun. When people have fun learning kung fu everything becomes easier and enjoyable.”