Instructor
Sifu Richard L. Gamboa
Never satisfied with “Good Enough”, Sifu Richard Gamboa is credited with over 30 years of martial arts experience, which is impressive by any standard:
- Black Sash Jook Lum Mantis 23 yrs
- Black Sash Chu Gar Mantis 25 yrs
- 3rd degree Black Belt Tae Kwon Do
- 3rd Degree in Hawaiian Kempo
- 1st Degree Black Belt Shuai Chiao
- 13 yrs Black Sash Bak Mei White Eyebrow under Jack Moy
- Brown Belt in Ninjutsu
- 4yrs Northern Shaolin
- 3 years experience in Hung Gar
- 2 years experience in Wing Chung
- Instructor of the Butterfly Hand System
- Skilled in both Northern and Southern Drunken Form
- Expert in the Chinese 18 Classical Weapons
- Member of the Hip Sing
- Triple Crown Champion (fighting, forms, weapons)
- Placed 3rd on the National Karate Team
- Was on the 1990 USA Shuai Chiao Team against Taiwan Police Academy
- 1st place Champion Lion Dancing 1998
- Action Marital Arts Hall of Fame, 2004
- Martial Arts Film Consultant, and Actor
- Owns 4 schools (Chicago, New Jersey, California, Canada)
- Conducts seminars nationwide and international
- Appeared on the Rockford news for women self-defense
- Consulted for the Guardian Angels on Carpentersville street watch
- Consulted for the “Stranger Danger” program in Illinois
- President of Shaolin Brand martial arts supply company
- President of MA of China Historical Society and Hall of Fame
- Owner of Hong Kong Chef Chinese restaurant in Dundee Illinois
- Owner of DitDaJow.com and produces and distributes Jow world wide
- Degree in Chinese Sports Medicine
- Degree in Tui Na Massage
- Dr. Degree in Chinese Herbology
- Certified Bounty Hunter (Bail Enforcement Agent)
- Starred in the theatrical play Dracula (part: Dracula)
- Kung Fu instructor in the film festival Broom Stick Closet
- Martial Arts Choreographer on various movies
- Stars in the soon to be released TV show OCTF
Sifu Richard Gamboa has been involved in martial arts from a very young age. With over 30 years experience in the martial arts, his strong determination and effort has helped him achieve black belts in several styles, including but not limited to Jook Lum Southern Mantis, Chu Gar Southern Mantis, Tae Kwon Do, Shuai Chiao, Bak Mei and Kempo. He is a proven champion with true skill having won a triple crown for forms, weapons and sparring, as well as being a Lion Dance Champion and placing 3rd on the US National Karate Team.
To support the martial arts community, Sifu Gamboa has been teaching martial arts for over 20 years and is President of Shaolin Brand Martial Arts Supplies. He is sought worldwide for his knowledge of Southern Praying Mantis, Weapons Forms, Iron Palm Conditioning Skills and Lion Dancing. At Action Kung Fu, his main school just outside of Chicago , his chief interest is the positive effect that martial arts training has on the community to help individuals achieve their full potential. For Sifu Richard, kung fu is more than a sport or form of exercise; it is truly a way of life. This is what he teaches this to his students.
Assistant Instructors
Sihing Jon Werner
Jon Werner is the Dai Sihing at Action Kung Fu, 2nd in command. He began his Kung Fu training under Sifu Gamboa in 1994, and has been a Sihing/Assistant Instructor since 1999. He has received extensive training in Jook Lum Southern Mantis, and also has experience in many other systems:
- Advanced Red Sash, Jook Lum Southern Mantis,
- Chu Gar Southern Mantis
- Iron Ox Southern Mantis
- Chi Kung
- 1st and 2nd level Power Strength
- Lion Dancing
- Yang Tai Chi Chuan
- Classical Chinese Weapons
- Additional experience in Shuai Chiao,
- Bok Mei White Eyebrow
- Butterfly Hands
Sihing Tim Innis
Tim Innis began his Kung Fu training under Sifu Gamboa in 1994, and has been a Sihing/Assistant Instructor since 2000. He has received extensive training in Jook Lum Southern Mantis, and also has experience in many other systems::
- Advanced Red Sash, Jook Lum Southern Mantis, with supplemental training in Chu Gar Southern Mantis
- Blue Belt, Hawaiian Kempo
- 1st and 2nd level Power Strength
- Lion Dancing
- Yang Tai Chi Chuan
- Classical Chinese Weapons
- Additional experience in Shuai Chiao, Bok Mei White Eyebrow, Tae Kwon Do
- 1st place, Southern Advanced Forms 2008
- 1st place, Two-Man Fighting Forms 2008
- 1st place, Advanced Chi Sao 2008
Sihing Ben Rogers
Ben Rogers began training at Action Kung Fu in March of 2001 and has been teaching under Sifu Gamboa since January of 2007. He has experience in many aspects of martial arts, including working and teaching with people of all ages.
- Red Sash in Jook Lum Southern Mantis Kung Fu
- 1st and 2nd level Power Strength
- Lion Dance
- Chi Kung
- Classical Chinese Weapons
- Northern Style Drunken Kung Fu
- 1st place Two-man Fighting Forms 2008
- 2nd place Lei Tei Fighting Heavy-weight Division 2008
- 3rd place Southern Intermediate Forms 2008