Tag: Shoreline

Forge Ahead — No Going Back! We’re Moving 🐉

Forge Ahead — No Going Back! 🐉 

While going over martial applications practice earlier this year, one of my students asked a good question: do we step backwards in Bagua Zhang?

Technically and strategically, the answer is no — in Bagua Zhang, we learn how to pivot around oncoming attacks, turn aside or around to flank and generate turning force, then continue flowing and moving forward.

Circular Stepping in Bagua Zhang solo forms practice starts counter-clockwise, then changes to clockwise, changing back and forth, mirroring cycles of transformation in nature.

But Bagua doesn’t go backwards. Why?

Several martial arts systems incorporate backwards stepping and movements to draw an opponent off balance. While this tactic can be effective, it is always risky to give an opponent your ground. In combat, when one of the combatants is stepping backwards, it’s often because they’re injured, reeling and trying to disengage — this is usually the beginning of the end of the fight.

But in Bagua Zhang training, the concept is to adapt to situations and challenges and keep moving on, going with the flow, taking ground without hesitation or breaking momentum or strength.

Whirling Step 

In our branch of Bagua Zhang, we practice a rare stepping method called Whirling Step, which utilizes wrapping and sweeping techniques when turning and changing directions — then continuing to forge ahead to take ground and new opportunities.

 

This applies to more than just self-defense and combat strategy.

 

Like cycles of seasons, patterns repeat, but time keeps moving forward, as our planet Earth keeps spinning forward, around the Sun, as our solar system spins along the outer rim of the Milky Way Galaxy…
🌎💫🌌

 

The past is a memory, the future is a dream, but the present is a gift. 🎁

 

If we think about the past too much, be it from grief, trauma, or longing for glory days, we stay stuck in the past, and stagnate. Reflecting on our experiences is necessary to learn from them, especially with our traumas and losses — yet to heal and grow, we must stay present to face our challenges, embrace opportunities and forge ahead. 🐉

We’re Moving! 🐉 

Speaking of forging ahead, we are moving!

After 3 years in Shoreline, our family has sought opportunities further North, and we are in the process of moving into our new home in Everett, WA.

I will be taking time off from teaching over the next month to rebuild our WuGuan at our new home.  There’s a lot to do!

Starting in January 2022, Bagua Zhang classes will be resume at

Towns at Riverfront
(Please register for classes for address)
Everett, WA
United States

Stay tuned for updates and class start dates!

 

At Mace Martial Arts, we value the sanctity of all life, celebrate diversity, cultivate peace and justice, and accept students who are interested in learning how to improve and protect themselves. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bigotry and will reject any potential or current student who bullies or discriminates against others based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender/orientation. 

Summer Returns – Massage, Workshops & In-Person Classes! 👐🏼🐉

Summer Returns — Massage Therapy, Workshops & In-Person Martial Arts Classes! 👐🏼🐉

Request Dennis Mace
Request Dennis Mace
I am excited to announce that after a 6 year hiatus, I am returning to make a fresh start with my bodywork and massage therapy health care practice!

 

I completed the process of getting my CEU’s updated in June to renew my massage therapy license, and (after waiting over 2 months for the Department of Health to process my renewal) will be returning to my massage therapy practice at the Massage Envy in Shoreline this month!

 

If you are one of my previous massage clients, or if you need to relax and ease some pain, request Dennis Mace when you schedule your appointment with me by contacting the
20124 Ballinger Way NE
Unit A-02
Shoreline, WA 98155
United States
Tel 206-366-1111

 

My Bodywork Style: my goal is to connect with each client’s particular needs to help support your process of healing and relaxation.
My approach and modalities of practice integrates a seamless flow of Myofascial Release, Swedish Massage, Lomi-Lomi, Tui-Na, Deep-Tissue, Thai and Sports Massage, so that I can help release deeper tension and pain in a way that feels both soothing and rejuvenating.

 

I have been fully vaccinated for the health and safety of my family, students, clients and community.

 

 

I’m excited to get back to massage therapy and healthcare, as this professional shift is more in alignment with my path in martial arts, and will allow more flexibility for time to spend with family and teaching group classes, workshops and private lessons.

 

My introduction to massage therapy comes from my martial arts instructors, who integrated healing modalities and bodywork methods within their curriculum, especially for addressing training injuries and for teaching anatomy and physiology is it pertained to health and fitness training, as well as self defense.

 

Foundations of Bagua Zhang –  Workshop & Pizza!  🐉🍕

In this workshop you will discover the 4 Main Principles that distinguish Bagua Zhang from other martial arts systems, in theory and hands-on practice!

 

Training Methods/exercises for the workshop will include the hands-on ‘how and why’ Bagua Zhang works, including both real-world self-defense and health benefits.

Practitioners of all experience levels and other styles of martial arts are welcome!
If you have previously studied Bagua Zhang before, this workshop will help you understand the system on a foundational level and breathe life into your practice!

 

Saturday, August 28th 
6:30pm doors open
Class 7pm-9pm
Pizza Social & Discussion afterwards! 🍕😋

 

held at
3517 Stone Way N
Seattle WA 98103
United States

 

 

Instructor: Shifu Dennis Mace, LMT  has been training and teaching holistic Martial Arts and Qi-Gong since 1982. His thorough, hands on approach, emphasizing courtesy and ethics, and his commitment to cultivating each student’s authentic skills and improving their overall health and empowerment has contributed to his widespread popularity in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

 

Special thank you to Shifu Derryl Willis   of the Seattle School of Chen TaiJiQuan  for his gracious hospitality in inviting us to host this workshop at his beautiful school!

 

Regular In-Person Martial Arts Classes: We returned to our regular in-person Bagua Zhang training in April, for all students who have completed their COVID vaccinations! More info here! 

 

Starting this month, August 2021, we are changing the start time for Saturday group classes from 11:30am to 11am, for consistency (same start time as Sunday group classes). To clarify, here are the updated class times:

Bagua Zhang Classes

  • Saturdays 11am – 12:30pm PST
  • Sundays 11am -12:30pm PST
  • Thursday evenings 7pm – 8pm PST
at: 

1108 NW 200th St,
Shoreline, WA 98177

 

 

Sifu Kisu’s Northern Shaolin Workshop

Last month, on July 11th, we had the rare opportunity to attend an authentic Shaolin martial arts workshop taught bySifu Kisu of the Harmonious Fist Chinese Athletic Association for his first workshop in Seattle!

Thank you Sifu Kisu,
for your inspirational, revealing and intense workshop, we have enjoyed getting to know you and look forward to further visits!

Thank you Guro/Sifu Azeem McDaniel at Puget Sound Eskrima Combatives for being the invaluable behind the scenes coordinator and advisor!

Thank you to Sifu Lu, Mei-hui and Sifu Chang WuNa for their generosity and hospitality in welcoming us to hold this event at their beautiful school, the International Wudang Internal Martial Arts Academy!

 

At Mace Martial Arts, we value the sanctity of all life, celebrate diversity, cultivate peace and justice, and accept students who are interested in learning how to improve and protect themselves. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bigotry and will reject any potential or current student who bullies or discriminates against others based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender/orientation. 

Re-Opening Classes for In-Person BaguaZhang Kung-Fu Training! 🐉

Re-Opening Classes for In-Person Bagua Zhang Kung-Fu Training! 🐉

(Updated on September 8, 2021)
Starting this month, since Governor Inslee has reopened Washington State, going forward, you’re welcome to attend Bagua Zhang class in person, if you have been fully vaccinated.  

Unvaccinated students are welcome to attend classes remotely via Zoom. 
 
 
Students that have received their completed COVID vaccinations are welcome to attend classes in-person with masks and no social distancing restrictions. 
 
 
I still simulcast our Bagua Zhang classes via Zoom for students that can’t attend in person if they live too far away, are unvaccinated, or are traveling. 
 
 
 
The Class times are 
Saturdays 11:00am-12:30pm, 
Sundays 11am-12:30pm, and 
Thursdays 7pm-8pm. 
 
Private lessons are available for students who are unable to attend during those class times. 
If you have any family members or friends  that want to train with us, you can split the cost for private lessons for up to 3 students, at the same price, so you can all practice together while I guide you. 
Please reply to this email to coordinate and schedule your private lessons. 
 
You can register for group classes via monthly memberships, and sign up for private lessons here: 
 
 
 
 
Vaccination Policy & Classes at Mace Martial Arts 
 
 
I have received a handful of inquiries regarding our masking and vaccination policies at Mace Martial Arts, and first of all, I’m glad to hear from all of you, and hope you all remain healthy and well through the challenges of the dangerous and tumultuous recent years! 
 
I respect your thoughtful questions and eagerness to return to training with us, I love sharing this art with good students with a passion for learning and self-development. 
 
I also love creating a safe environment for my students to enjoy learning and exploring together, as we polish our skills to become the best versions of ourselves we can be. 
 
This is why I follow the health and safety measures recommended by state and federal officials, as well as medical doctors at the CDC and World Health Organization, hospitals and healthcare clinics, because I also want to see this pandemic end as soon as we can all help to finish the threat to all of our health and livelihood. My family and I, as well as several of my students, also follow alternate and preventative healthcare methods to keep ourselves healthy. All the various allopathic and alternative methods work best when applied together, instead of separately or in spite of the other. 
 
The pandemic has affected me personally and financially. My family and I got COVID-19 early in 2020, my wife and step-daughter have suffered from long hauler symptoms since April last year. I also have several close friends and family members that have also gotten sick from COVID-19, and 2 have died from it. 
For over a year, I had to conduct classes remotely via Zoom, reduced tuition and still had a large drop in student enrollment. 
I know firsthand that this is not something to take lightly or dismiss the very real threat this virus poses to us, and this adds to my resolve to do all I can to prevent the spread of this disease, the sooner the better. My family and I, as well as several of my students have all been vaccinated, and none of us have had any side-effects (or super-powers) as result of taking the vaccine. 
 
A growing number of businesses and government agencies are requiring continued masking and vaccinations, notably for health care professionals. Especially as we have seen how well the vaccines have performed in prevention of symptoms over the last 5 months. 
 
 
My requirement of vaccinations for students  is a professional and business decision that demonstrates my dedication to the health and safety of my students, my family and my community. 
It is a standard that I share with a growing number of other businesses, schools, hospitals, clinics and government agencies. 
Vaccinations have been effective in the suppression of Polio, Smallpox, Measles and other diseases — it could be likewise as effective in eliminating the current pandemic, if there weren’t so much disinformation and dismissal of masking and vaccinations, especially in the United States, where we have the resources to effectively end the pandemic. 
 
With freedom comes obligations and responsibilities to ourselves and our community. This moment is a time for all of us to be considerate to the health and well being of all of us as a community, so that we can all survive and flourish. 

Unvaccinated students are welcome to attend classes remotely via Zoom. 
 
I hope you will join us in classes again soon, as well as our united efforts to end the pandemic. 
 
 
From the AMTA: 

On August 9, 2021, Governor Jay Inslee , which requires health care providers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 18, 2021. A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose in a two-dose series of a vaccine, or two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine. Because of the lead time needed for the two-dose vaccines, we encourage you to plan now for getting the vaccine. 

 

Massage therapy practices are listed in the Proclamation as a “Health Care Setting” which includes designated areas where massage is administered within non-health care settings like spas and wellness/fitness centers. And, proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 will be accepted in the following forms: 

  • CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or photo of the card 
  • Documentation of vaccination from a health care provider or electronic health record 
  • State immunization information system record 

Exemptions are allowed for disability-related accommodations that fall under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD), or any other reasonable accommodation. There is an additional exemption allowed for deeply-held religious beliefs.  with any questions.

 

For additional information and updates, you can visit the . 

I have been fully vaccinated for the health and safety of my family, students, clients and community.
 
 
Bagua Zhang classes are postponed next weekend due to Sifu Kisu’s Shaolin Workshop on July 11th! 
We hope to see you there for good company and great Kung Fu! 
 
 
 
 
 
At Mace Martial Arts, we value the sanctity of all life, celebrate diversity, cultivate peace and justice, and accept students who are interested in learning how to improve and protect themselves. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bigotry and will reject any potential or current student who bullies or discriminates against others based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender/orientation. 
 

Return to In-Person Training

After over a year of social distancing to curtail the pandemic, we will finally resume in-person classes at Mace Martial Arts on April 24th, for students that have received their completed COVID-19 vaccinations! 
 
This will include private lessons as well as small group classes. 
 
I received the 2nd dose of the Pfizer vaccine  today — my Easter Sunday present! 

 
All students that plan to attend in-person training must confirm by showing a copy of your completed vaccine record card before you can attend class. Students must wait to attend in-person classes until 2 weeks after your COVID vaccinations are complete. 

 
We will finally be able to practice applications and partner drills for practical timing, sensitivity and skill development! 
 
I am very excited about training in-person again and looking forward to meet new students and finally see familiar faces in class! 
 

Remote Training Still Available: I will continue to broadcast the group classes live remotely on Zoom, so that students that are unable to come to class, whether they haven’t received the COVID-19 vaccination yet, or are too far away, or don’t feel comfortable yet to attend in person, can still follow along online. 


This Remote Membership will give you the ability to continue training by following along with our regular group classes, and see us go through exercises, forms, applications and partner drills live. Since I’ll be focused on teaching students that attend classes in person, instead of monitoring Zoom, I will be available to answer questions after class from both in-person and remote students via via the discussion board on our members-only Mace Martial Arts private chat group. 

The Remote Membership will continue to be half the price of the in-person monthly Membership, but will still give you the ability to keep training with us and access to student resources at Mace Martial Arts.    

At Mace Martial Arts, we value the sanctity of all life, celebrate diversity, cultivate peace and justice, and accept students who are interested in learning how to improve and protect themselves. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bigotry and will reject any potential or current student who bullies or discriminates against others based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender/orientation. 


Please share with anyone you know that might be interested in joining our classes! 

Weeknight classes starting December! 🐉

“The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to them their own.” – Benjamin Disraeli 


The martial art that we practice at Mace Martial Arts, Bagua Zhang, is fundamentally based upon transformation — not only in the dynamics of a chaotic situation to a harmonious resolution, but also in the evolution of the practitioner. 


At early stages, the Bagua Zhang student is taught basic structural principles and strategies, that through progressive training, evolves into a creative, raw and intuitive expression at advanced stages of practice. 


This is one of my favorite aspects of this art, tapping into that creative flow, feeling the state of grace, and helping students discover their hidden potential and creativity. 

Weeknight classes starting December! 🐉

Starting December 12th, we are adding Thursday evening classes, from 7-8pm! 


Please advise if you plan to attend Thursday 7-8pm, and/or Sunday 11am-12:30pm classes. 


Invite friends and family – receive  a $20 discount from your next month for the referral, and they get $20 off their first month as well! 


Reminder: no class held this coming Sunday, November 17th, so we’ll be making up for the time when we resume class on Sunday, November 24th. 

Update – Mace Martial Arts Dojo/Guan: 

We’ve been here in Shoreline for a year so far, and the training hall is coming together nicely. Come join us in class and check it out! We are holding Bagua Zhang classes on Sundays, 11am to 12:30pm, with a new weeknight class on Thursdays, 7pm-8pm, starting December 12th!

I’m teaching private lessons in the same space. It would be great to have you join in!