Press Kit

Rob LaPointe/Kungfufightingtips.com is committed to maintaining an on-going open and honest relationship with the media, existing and potential clients, and anyone wanting specific help applying the life enhancing lessons of Kung Fu & Tai Chi for greater health, confidence, and personal safety.

Here are 3 Services Rob LaPointe can provide you or your company:

1. Media guest for radio or TV

2. Public speaker for corporate/educational events

3. Seminar leader on Kung Fu & Tai Chi for health and personal safety

Should you need any information not available in this kit, please call Rob LaPointe directly at (703) 920-9746.

 


Bio:

Sparring and Pushing Hands Gold Medalist Rob LaPointe is a native of Austin, Texas, where he graduated from the University of Texas in 1982.

He began his martial arts training in 1973 as a "backyard" student of Tony Esqevido, a marine who had just returned from Viet Nam, where he learned Tae Kwon Do while assigned to a Republic of Korea commando unit. When Tony moved, Rob took up training at a formal martial arts school, studying Kenpo. He eventually earned his black belt from Brian Duffy, a student of the late Ed Parker.

After receiving his M.A. from the University of Essex, U.K., Rob settled in Washington, D.C. There he began studying Tien Shan Pai Kung Fu in Washington's Chinatown. He was fortunate enough to learn from Chao Chi Liu who is the Senior most Grandmaster of the Tien Shan Pai system, and a disciple of the late Chu Jen Wang.

Rob is currently a 4th degree Black Sash under Chao Chi Liu.

In 1989 he founded White Birch School of Kung Fu & Tai Chi. Though the martial arts School's he received his training in were traditional rather than "tournament" schools, Rob has judged and competed on the national and international levels. In 1994 attended the 1st World Tai Chi conference in Beijing, China, where he received a certificate in Taiji, Meditation Qi Gong, and Chinese Health Massage.

In the year 2000, to mark his 40th birthday, Rob competed at Wong's Traditional Kung Fu Tournament - the largest All Traditional Tournament on the East Coast - in Washington, D.C., where he won Gold Medals in both Pushing Hands, and Advanced Sparring.

In addition to Tien Shan Pai and Yang Style Tai Chi training with Chao Chi Liu, Rob has studied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (at camps and seminars featuring Helio, Rorion, Relson, and Royce Gracie), and the following Qi Gong: Soaring Crane (fron Niam Zu Li), Eight Pieces of Brocade (from Shawn Liu), Six Healing Sounds (from Nian Zu Li), Qi Gong Wu Xhi Wah (from Chao Chi Liu), Micro-Cosmic Circle Qi Gong (from Shou-Yu Liang), and meditative Qi Gong (Conference Staff, Beijing).

Being located inside the Washington Beltway has given Rob some unique opportunities. In addition to teaching martial arts and presenting workshops to members of all the Armed Services, including special forces members, as well as CIA, DEA, FBI, Department of State Foreign Service Officers, U.S. Customs Officers, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and Exxon-Mobile Corporation, Rob has presented numerous health and fitness demonstrations and workshops to Washington, D.C. area businesses and agencies, including Georgetown University Hospital, Northern Virginia Hospital Center, Alexandria Hospital, Arlington Public Schools, USA Today, and Intelsat.

In 1999 he received an invitation from the American Physical Therapy Association, and was a featured speaker at their Annual Convention, which took place that year in Washington, D.C.

Rob is a freelance writer who has sold articles and fiction to Inside Kung Fu Magazine, Black Belt Magazine, and Aboriginal Science Fiction Magazine. His articles have also appeared in numerous on line publications. Additionally, he has been adjunct faculty in writing and social sciences at National Lewis University.

Rob lives on a shady street in a quite neighborhood with his wife Izumi, their son Austin, their daughter Tyler, and their cat Happy.

 


List of Publications:

MA Success Magazine, January 2004
Six Big-Time Owners Show You How to Market to Grownups

T'AI CHI Magazine, October 2004
How Does One Teach T'ai Chi Philosophy?

Inside Kung-Fu Magazine, October 2004

Coaches Notes (on line newsletter), Spring 2005
Qi Gong Cools Down
6 Great Qi Gong Cool Downs

Black Belt Magazine, December 2004
Fist Like Lightning: 5 Keys to Faster Punches

 


Talk Radio:
Show
Jay Cruz Show
Station
Healthylife.net

Topic
Martial Arts

Date
2/15/06  
Listen to Robert's Interview on the Jay Cruz Show
(if audio does not begin playing automatically within 30 seconds, Right click and choose "Save As" to save it to your hard drive)

 


Seminars Presented:

Defense Intelligence Agency - Tai Chi Chuan
Exxon-Mobile Corporation - Automatic Self-Defense
Georgetown University Hospital - Healing Qi Gong
Northern Virginia Hospital Center - Tai Chi for Seniors
Alexandria Hospital - Healing Qi Gong
Arlington Public Schools - Self-Defense for Children
USA Today - Tai Chi Chuan
Intelsat - Self Defense
American Physical Therapy Association, Annual Convention 1999 - Qi Gong

 


Products - by category:

Conditioning and Fitness - products/martial.htm

Martial Arts - http://www.autoselfdefense.com

Personal Development/Motivational - products/breakingthrough.htm


Testimonials:

Dear Sifu,

I wanted to drop you a line and tell you how much I have missed training at White Birch. The people I trained with there are like family and I find that every time I come to Washington on business I want to come by for a visit and see who is there.

Since I moved away just over one year ago I have been unable to find a martial arts school that will satisfy my needs. I found one person who teaches marital arts and also does full-contact sparing; however, after one session I realized that I was training him with very little benefit for my fighting skills. After eight years of your tutalage, the schools and teachers around here just aren't adequate. Unfortunately, my timing is degrading and as are my self-defense skills.

For eight years I depended on my training to keep me physically fit and help relieve the stress of long days in the Navy and later getting my PhD in Physics. I have been running to maintain physical fitness but I find my mind returning to kung-fu forms and fighting. Scenarios run through my head as I run and I find my heart racing with anticipation of the fight. I have to think about physics to reduce my pace to a more sustainable level.

I have been thinking about forming a local club to train kung-fu and fighting to provide myself with an outlet for my martial arts. I hope that I can come visit and continue training with your school in Arlington so that I can continue to improve my skills and perhaps pass those skills on to some of the people here.

Thanks again for many years of wonderful training,

James Cooley


Hi Rob,

I have to tell you, I've been subscribed to many "Martial Arts" newsletters, and I put yours in the top 4.

regards,
Dave Cobb


Rob,

I am currently working in Iraq doing security work and tomorrow we are taking off an a job that promises to be a doozy. the nerves are kicking in and your email reminded me not to concentrate on what might happen but concentrate on what I will do. Breathing and thinking cleanly has helped focus on the positives of anything occuring and although we don't have much time to train over here the phillosophy of implementing your thought patterns into eveything we do is great advice.

Cheers
H. K.

P.S. If you quote my letter, please don't list my name, due to the nature of my work.


Rob,

I wanted to let you know that I got the fitness book and it has far surpassed my expectations. The exercises in it are some of the hardest I have ever attempted. I can't wait to see the improvements I know they will make. Thank you so much for providing me with a quality, well organized and extremely useful resource.

Oh yeah, my spine sends a special "thank you" for the warm up exercises. The first time I did them was like getting a massage!

Thanks,
Todd Gibson

 

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