BIO
Rik Zak
Rik Zak is the head instructor of the Calgary branch of the Honan Shaolin Association. He studied traditional Shaolin martial arts originating in Henan Province, China, under Shifu Woo Chai Meng 胡介民 in New York City, from whom he received his teaching certification. Before becoming Shifu Woo's student, Rik studied Hung Kuen 洪拳 from 1969 to 1973 with Shifu Chen Kin Min, 陳健⺠, at the Hong Men's Sports Association located in Calgary's Chinatown. Shifu Chen began teaching kung fu there in 1954 after emigrating to Canada. Upon relocating to Edmonton, Rik learned the basics of Wing Chun under the guidance of Shifu Winston Wan between 1974 and 1976. Shifu Wan was one of Lok Yiu's 駱耀 top students and also trained with Leung Sheung 梁相. In 1976, Rik and his wife Rita moved to New York City, where he met Shifu Woo Chai Meng and began a long-term commitment as one of his senior disciples. Rik continued training with Shifu until his passing in 2010. Additionally, Rik is a creative director at Schroeder Inc., a brand development firm in New York, a filmmaker, and a Professor Emeritus at the Alberta University of the Arts, where he once led the Visual Communications Program as Chair and Head.
1982 - 1983
Honan Shaolin Association, Golden Dragon Team,
New York, USA
Instructor and Association President
Martial Arts
Résumé
1984-Present
Honan Shaolin (Cultural & Historical) Association, Calgary, Canada
Chief Instructor, Chairman
1982 - 1983
Honan Shaolin Association, Golden Dragon Team,
New York, USA
Instructor and Association President
Published books and Articles
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Chinese Culture
Routledge Press; 2008. Contributing author
The Dragons of Shanghai's Henan Shaolin Association,
Published 2003 by the Honan Shaolin Association, author;
ISBN 0973368209, 9780973368208
United States Registered Copyright TX 9-192-198
Shaolin Kung-Fu vs. Armed Attackers
Inside Kung-Fu Magazine, January, 1983, author
Shaolin Training: The First Decades of the 20th Century
Inside Kung-Fu Magazine, July 1982, author
Selected Seminars and Courses
1997 Professional Knife Combat and Defense Course: Part I:
Instructor: Former Green Beret, US Special Forces, Sergeant Gregory A. Walker.
1998 Professional Knife Combat and Defense Course: Part II:
Instructor: Former Green Beret, US Special Forces, Sergeant Gregory A. Walker.
2000 Psychology of Combat:
The physiology and psychology of deadly conflict situations.
Instructor: Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, former US Airborne Ranger, Former Professor of Military Science at West Point.
2001 Psychology of Combat:
The physiology and psychology of deadly conflict situations.
Instructor: Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, former US Airborne Ranger, Former Professor of Military Science at West Point.