FAQ
What Style of Martial Art Do You Teach?
The official name of our Martial Arts system is Wu Ji Quan Fa (五極拳法 “5 Foundations Martial Method”). It is a unique and rare Chinese Martial Art. It should be classified as a Gong Fu system in so much that it uses combative training as a vehicle to achieving the broader and more valuable personal mastery. With short names of 5 Foundations System or “the Family System” in reference to the original family that developed it or simply “the System”. 5 Foundations refers to the 5 critical foundations of a true martial artist.
The 5 Foundations are best understood as:
1-Power (referring to Power and Motion Principles)
2-Mindset (referring to Combat Perspective and Mindset)
3-Strategy (referring to Situational Awareness and Advantage Creation)
4- Tactics (Referring to Empty Handed and Armed Fighting Tactics and Techniques)
5-Mastery (referring to external mastery of achieving maximum longevity of health and fitness as well as internal mastery of achieving a profound state of awareness and self discipline that allows balanced happiness throughout one’s life)
The 5 Foundations System follows what we call the “All Origin” tradition. This tradition is to define the critical skills that are important to you as a martial artist (the 5 Foundations) then to always use the best methods available and to always be looking. “All Origin” is our expression of a way of thinking that no one fully owns and which springs up across various people and cultures anytime their priority is upon “what works” and “what is right” rather than lower territorial concerns of “who made it?” and “who is right?”. It is a bit abstract and really is a way of thinking about both martial arts and life. It is about being open to All Origins to draw what is uniquely effective from any viable source that helps to make our practitioners more complete martial artists. All Origin is the guiding philosophy.
The All Origin philosophy can be further explained by the following traditions we adhere to:
1- Draw from All Origins– seeking the best knowledge and skills from all origins. Truth is where you find it mentality. It is about pure meritocracy.
2-Bridged Learning– where you focus on the core information and skills that yield effective and decisive results while being willing to scrap the rest. Focus on teaching methodology that gets students the fastest results.
3-Integrated Approach– Utilize and integrate what is uniquely effective from all origins into a cohesive and enhanced whole.
4-Prize Decisiveness and Reliability– put the largest effort into methods that are reliable and decisive, which work the first time, every time.
5-Universality– grade and evaluate methods from a “generic/universal” standards of results. You have to actively guard against “in group”/”group think” biases. You want what you train to work universally in as many settings and situations as possible. It is about true meritocracy. It doesn’t matter “Who is Right” but rather What is right.
For the full story of how Wu Ji Quan Fa came to be and how it came to be available here, subscribe to our Gong Fu Insights Blog for only $5 per month and view a more detailed article here.
What is Unique About Your Martial Arts Training?
Our training system is one of the few effectively modernized old world Chinese Martial Arts available. With that said, what you learn here is not going to be like the Kung Fu you will find nowadays in any random strip mall. Let me explain a bit.
Gong Fu (westerners often pronounce Kung Fu) is the mandarin Chinese pronunciation of the characters of 功夫. Gong Fu referred in ancient times to any avenue of practice and study designed to be used as a vehicle to achieve a broader and higher master of oneself and one’s life. Martial Arts (wu shu 武術) in ancient China were almost always used as a vehicle for achieving gong fu mastery through the study of warfare and thus Gong Fu became and remains synonymous with Chinese Martial Arts.
True martial arts represent a way of life. That way of life is built from combative and personal disciplines. Gong Fu is literally translated as the power of consistent work in a person. None of us escape this principle, we either make it work for us or against us, everyday is either a net withdrawal from our growth or a net deposit. Gong Fu with martial arts is best understood as a martial arts entrance into the Way (wu jin dao 武進道). It is when we use the practice of martial arts as a vehicle for self mastery, through which we can better understand The Way itself and achieve a fulfilling life in harmony with the world around us.
Our unique style of Gong Fu gives you the opportunity to glean the refinement of centuries of work and to catapult forward in your development as a martial artist. If you don’t like detail, we are not for you, but if you realize that everything is in the details and that very few have the details needed, you will be happy you work with us. The benefits of old world Gong Fu training are to develop effective self protection as well as longevity of health and fitness along with profound personal mastery. As you learn and implement these practices, they create a tremendous increase in your quality of life. In the modern world, while technology has vastly increased, the knowledge of the self and how to develop oneself has greatly diminished leaving people with far more external conveniences to experience personal dysfunction within.
Practical Gong Fu training is one of the best kept secrets for developing the self discipline and confidence that are essential to the deeper personal happiness and fulfillment that people seek in modern times yet so often fail to find. As a bonus in this system you will have a lot of fun and learn some extremely practical self defense geared for real world criminal assaults. You will learn to build a personal life worth defending and you will get very good at protecting the life you build.
Do You Have Rankings and How Quickly Can I Progress in Your System?
In the 5 Foundations System, we are rather modest and informal about our rankings. In the old world tradition of Chinese Gong Fu, rankings are not like a scouting program where one checks off a check list and gets a merit badge and then earns a ranking. Rankings are earned through apprenticeships with a qualified instructor (教練 Jiao Lian pronounced Gee-ow Leean for instructors and 師傅 Shi Fu pronounced “sure fu” for senior instructors). Ultimately rankings are to give credit for time spent in effective training. Rankings do not always connote the most talented individuals but rather a capacity to understand and teach the system. Testing is often included simply in the process of training and then there are formal combat application, technical skill and knowledge based tests at certain points in order to promote to a higher ranking. Rankings are expressed as “Steps” (段 Duan).
Fundamentals Student
Basics Student
Intermediate Student
Advanced Student
1st Step Instructor (一段 Yi Duan, 1st Duan Jiao Lian) Practitioner= True Beginner
2nd Step Instructor (二段 Er Duan, 2nd Duan Jiao Lian) Practitioner =Master Fighter
3rd Step Senior Instructor (三段 San Duan, 3rd Duan Shi Fu) Practitioner = Master Tactician
4th Step Senior Instructor (四段 Si Duan, 4th Duan Shi Fu) Practitioner = Master Strategist
5th Step Senior Instructor (五段 Wu Duan, 5th Duan Shi Fu) Practitioner = Master Healer
We are often asked how long does it take to get 1st Step etc. It is a challenging question to answer as a certain amount of time is necessary for knowledge to sink in, become automatic and habitual and then to integrate into you as a practitioner. It is more about effective training hours put in rather than an accumulation of months and years since you enroll. Ultimately growth has its own timetable for each practitioner and fixation on rank is more of a distraction than an asset.
Achieving 1st Step: generally with consistent training of 2 hours of class per week on average and 3 hours per week or more practicing what is learned in class one will make it to 1st Step in 2-3 years depending on the student. The Fundamentals, Basics, Intermediate and Advanced Student courses often are blended together but when students are ready they are invited to Basics testing and are promoted to Intermediate student then later are invited to 1st Step Testing to earn their 1st Step Ranking. 1st Step Practitioners are considered Instructors (教練 Jiao Lian pronounced Gee-ow Leean) and are given the permission to teach but under the auspices of a 3rd Step Senior Instructor (師傅 Shi Fu) keeping in correspondence with them and overseeing the Instructor as an advisor. 3rd Step Practitioners and above should be the sponsoring authority for promotions to 1st Step or above.
Achieving 2nd Step: is an honorary ranking awarded to distinguish practitioners that have gone well beyond the 1st Step level in their application skill but still have not completed all the requirements of technical and teaching information needed to become a 3rd Step Senior Instructor. 2nd Step Practitioners are considered Instructors (教練 Jiao Lian pronounced Gee-ow Leean) and are given the permission to teach but under the auspices of a 3rd Step Senior Instructor (師傅 Shi Fu) keeping in correspondence with them and overseeing the Instructor as an advisor. 3rd Step Practitioners and above should be the sponsoring authority for promotions to 1st Step or above.
Achieving 3rd Step: this is the rank where a practitioner has been introduced to all the categories of curriculum in the system and has become proficient in teaching it to others. They are authorized to operate independently as a Senior Instructor (師傅 Shi Fu). This usually takes 5 to 10 years to achieve. The 2nd Step and 3rd Step courses are one compound course that blends together. Reaching 3rd Step is intensive in the knowledge requirement as well as skill proficiency. 2nd Step is sometimes awarded to those that have greatly surpassed 1st Step in skill level and mindset but who have yet to complete all the knowledge and teaching requirements for 3rd Step.
Achieving 4th and 5th Step: There is some additional curriculum reserved for these highest rankings but primarily these rankings connote having gone through the curriculum earned prior to refine and improve one’s skill and knowledge to higher levels. They are somewhat abstract and it is hard to predict time. Somewhere between 12 to 20 years can be a rough estimate. Sometimes following the 80-20 rule, 80% of the material and skill development is done by 3rd Step or sooner, but the other 20% is the hardest 20% that takes the most time, is the hardest to define and ultimately will often make 80% of the difference. 4th and 5th Step Rankings are honorary rankings awarded when all the Senior Instructors at the recommendation of the Senior 5th Step Instructor agree that a Practitioner’s skill and knowledge level has reached a point where a distinction must be made because that Practitioner has greatly surpassed 3rd Step. 5th Step does not imply the end of training, but rather the point where instruction from an official teacher becomes entirely optional. One has been so immersed for so long in the Martial Arts that they can effectively continue progressing on their own throughout their life. It is considered another beginning rather than an end. There is a responsibility to carry on the system and continue to improve and adapt it for future generations. Reaching a Step also does not mean that a practitioner will always be at a certain level. Some practitioners decline and improve over time, this is why the term “Practitioner” rather than “Master” is used. In the end, each practitioner must maintain the lifestyle and practices of mastery and find the courage to perpetuate that courage each day for the rest of their lives. When one ceases to practice, they may cease to be a practitioner and have the attributes of being an advanced practitioner. If one “keeps their practice steady, morning and night, through summer and winter” they can grow steadily throughout their lives to greatly be of service to others while benefiting themselves in the process. This is the ideal all Practitioners strive for. There are many ways to continue to practice effectively, formally and informally at mastery rankings, ultimately it is about what you can and can’t do.
Who runs this business?
Hello! My name is Kyle Whiteley, I will be primarily responsible for the content of this website. I am a dedicated martial artist who has been training seriously since 1998. I have had the extraordinary opportunity to train martial arts since 1998 directly under Master Tom Garriga who is one of the best kept secrets in the martial arts world. Master Garriga has world class knowledge and talent with rarely matched experience who has quietly been training and mentoring thousands of students for decades. Master Garriga holds a 5th Step (5th Duan) ranking in Wu Ji Quan Fa (5 Foundations System) which is the highest rank in that system along with black belts in multiple other martial arts disciplines. I earned the right to teach as a Senior Instructor (3rd Duan; Shi Fu) under Master Garriga in 2004. I reached 5th Duan under Master Garriga in 2012 after 15 years of intensive training. In total of my teaching experience I have been teaching since 2001. I taught as an 1st Step Instructor (1st Duan; Jiao Lian) from 2001 to 2004 when I earned my 3rd Duan ranking of Senior Instructor.
I am the owner of All Origin Training LLC since 2007 where I have drawn great fulfillment in providing training to improve the lives of hundreds of clients from all walks of life. The 5 Foundations System is a true old world Gong Fu system. What we teach is about more than punching and kicking, it becomes a way of life. Master Garriga is often quoted as saying “Martial Arts are internal, they are a way of life and living, of thinking and behaving.” This is a philosophy we have taken to heart with All Origin Training. I have been studying martial arts, self-defense, eastern health, philosophy and meditation for over 20 years from multiple teachers in various disciplines but with the 5 Foundations System as my core. I plan to both practice and share these incredible arts throughout my life and look forward to being able to share this incredible system to impact and benefit a broader audience through this website.
Formal Bio
Kyle Whiteley
Kyle began training in Wu Ji Quan Fa (5 Foundations System) under Grand Master Tom Garriga at the age of 15 and has been continuously dedicated to training and teaching since that time. Kyle earned his 1st Step Certification in 2000 and taught as an assistant instructor until 2002 when he earned his 3rd Step Certification and started teaching as the owner and head instructor of All Origin Training LLC and joined with Tang Wei Martial Arts LLC in 2018 as a Manager/Owner and Senior Instructor. Considered one of Master Garriga’s most dedicated and top tier students, Kyle achieved his 5th Step Certification in 2012. Kyle is currently one of the members of the Tang Wei Martial Arts Association (TWMAA) Senior Instructor council serving to oversee the further development of curriculum and training methods in the 5 Foundations System.
Outside of training in 5 Foundations, Kyle has over 10 years of Armed Security and Military experience and has participated extensively in Military, Security and Law Enforcement Training programs. Kyle has served in the US Army, and is familiar with several modern military weapons and tactics. Kyle outside of training in the WJQF has received training in (but holds no formal ranking in) Modern Army Combatives Program (MACP), Positive Control Systems (PCS), Japanese and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Karate, Wrestling and Boxing.
Kyle is happily married and has 3 children which proves that least a few people can get along with him. Kyle has a passion for growth and learning, thus far having earned a Bachelor’s of Arts in Business Administration as well as two associates degrees in Mandarin Chinese and Intelligence Operations Studies. Kyle is devoted to training and teaching the 5 Foundations System because it has tremendously enhanced his life and without fail has tremendously improved the lives of all the students he has had the privilege to share it with.
What is the Tang Wei Martial Arts Association and How Does It Relate to Wu Ji Quan Fa?
5th Step Master Tom Garriga owned the Tang Wei Martial Arts Academy for many years teaching Wu Ji Quan Fa (WJQF) full time from the early 1990s until about 2010. When Master Garriga partially retired and moved, those of us that had trained with him at his academy formed the Tang Wei Martial Arts Association (TWMAA) to continue teaching in the Salt Lake Area of Utah. We also continuing to train with Master Garriga several times each year to continue our progress in the system.
Instructors in the TWMAA are the only authorized instructors able to teach WJQF with the official approval of Master Garriga. Nearly all of the highest ranked senior instructors are in the TWMAA and they continue to correspond with Master Garriga in how they teach WJQF to this day.
Wu Ji Quan Fa is a long name so over the years we have used many shortened names in relating to outsiders asking about the system. Admittedly this creates some confusion about the system but in the end it has always been the same system. WJQF is an evolving and living system. It is a transplant from a Chinese based system to English so it has taken time to figure out how to properly communicate the meaning of our system to a primarily western base of clientele. Some of the names have included calling it “Tang Wei”, “Wu Ji”, or simply “Martial Arts” or “Gong Fu”, “5 Extremes Martial Method, “5 Foundations Martial Method”, “The System” or “Tom’s school of dirty street fighting” (haha), etc..
Why the name Tang Wei? Ge Tang Wei was the Chinese name given to Master Garriga from his late teacher, Master Dok Huang and thus Master Garriga named his academy the Tang Wei Martial Arts Academy. Tom Garriga is the founder of Tang Wei Martial Arts, he created his academy from his 60 years of training in martial arts, military science, health, meditation, philosophy and warrior psychology. Tom’s tradition with Tang Wei was the one he learned from Master Huang with WJQF, which was to incorporate the best methods available and to always be looking!
WJQF is a living and evolving system that incorporates approaches from numerous martial arts. Master Huang wanted Master Garriga to continue to improve and evolve what he had learned and to pass on that tradition. True to his teacher’s wishes, Master Garriga for over 40 years since becoming a 5th Step Master has modernized the application of his system and taught his instructors to carry on the tradition. In addition to what Master Garriga had learned when he became 5th Step he has incorporated decades of relevant martial arts, military and police experience from his Senior Instructor Group. Modern WJQF is the end product of integrating the experience of the entire TWMAA together with the incredible system we all inherited.
We continue the TWMAA tradition of constantly working to evolve the WJQF system. One lesson of martial arts history is that your system is either evolving and improving or it is digressing and declining, nothing stays relevant as it is. The TWMAA has been working on bridging the system for the past 20 years so that it can be learned in the most effective and efficient manner and so that the significance of our rankings improve with each generation of students. The effort to make the system more available through modern technology is part of that bridging effort.
For more information about the Tang Wei Martial Arts Association visit www.tangweimaa.com.
What Styles Are Incorporated into Wu Ji Quan Fa?
Wu Ji Quan Fa is an intentional distillation of the extraordinary martial arts principles and practices from numerous sources. Wu Ji Quan Fa is its own system with its own style and focus upon the 5 key foundations of a complete martial artist. It would be inaccurate to think that you will get formal training in each of the martial arts mentioned below here. Ge Jian Pai was the mother system that remains the core of Wu Ji Quan Fa. However, several aspects of the other styles listed had extraordinary influence on our system and so to honor that we mention them as major contributing influences. We don’t however claim to be able to offer formal rank or advancement in the styles listed below. We simply mention them to honor their contribution to the development of Wu Ji Quan Fa as its own unique whole.
Primary Influential Systems of Wu Ji Quan Fa
Ge Jian Pai
Trul Kor (Tibetan Ghost System)
Tai Ji Quan
Tui Na Qin Na
Bagua Zhang
Zi Ran Men
Xin Yi Liu He Ba Fa Quan
Pankration
Shao lin
Vajra/Verrani
Shimabaru Ninjitsu
Shui Pai Gong Fu
Splashing Hand
Kong Que Men
Wing Chun Gong Fu (AKA Yong Chun Gong Fu in Mandarin)
Tao Ai (Dao Li in Mandarin)
Dim Mak (Dian Mai in Mandarin)
Lin Gui
Supplemental Influential Systems:
(Acquired from modern practitioners of Wu Ji Quan Fa from their study prior to and supplemental to training in Wu Ji Quan Fa):
Kenpo Karate
Shotokan Karate
Aikido/Aikijitsu
Traditional and Bareknuckle Boxing
Wrestling
Jujitsu/Judo
MACP (Modern Army Combatives Program)
MCMAP (Marine Corp Martial Arts Program)
SOCP (Special Operations Combatives Program)
POST Defensive Tactics
Catch Wrestling
Jeet Kun Do/Jie Quan Dao
Aikijitsu
Kendo/Kenjitsu
Tae Kwon Do
Wado Ryu Karate
Hung Gar (Hong Jia)