Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Lee.
Hi Kevin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started my martial arts journey since the age of seven in WuShu and Taekwondo when I used to live in Taiwan. After a couple of years of training, I began my other martial art training path in Aikido when my family moved to a different town in Taiwan.
Years gone by, my family moved to United States when I was 12 years old and I was able to continue my training in Taekwondo with a school club. I had a lot of fun training Taekwondo, but I wanted to branch out my martial arts training.
I passed by a local martial arts academy when I drive to school every morning. One day, I have decided to step in to check it out. That’s how I found my current teacher, Sifu Francis Fong.
Sifu Francis has been a great mentor to me. Not only he’s taught me martial arts, but also a way of life. I was able to expand my martial arts training to different disciplines including, Wing Chun, Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Kali, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Savate, CSW, MMA and Silat.
Because of my training background, I was able to teach out of University of Georgia while I was attending school over there. I was hired by the recreational department to teach Wing Chun, Kali, Muay Thai and MMA as part of their fitness program for four years.
While in college, I would be regularly attending classes at the Francis Fong Martial Arts Academy and continue my training under Sifu Francis Fong. He has introduced me to Guro Dano Inosanto and Ajarn Sirisute to expand my trainings. Since they would visit Atlanta twice a year to our school, I’d attend their seminars every time when they come visit.
Just a year before I graduated from college, I started my Jiu Jitsu training at our Academy.
It was very new to me to do grappling on the ground. But I quickly fall in love with it. Professor Pedro Sauer was the first jiu jitsu instructor that taught me how to use proper body mechanics while moving the ground.
Upon graduating college, I wanted to improve my mma skills. I started traveling to CSW Training Center each year to join the Fight Team Practice so I could do fight simulations and training with the professionals. That was probably one of the toughest experiences that I have ever had. I remember waking up super sore and felt my body was falling apart every morning. I pushed through the pain and continued my fight training under I have to fly back to Georgia. I have learned so much throughout those training and sparring times under the guidance of my Coach, Erik Paulson. Seeing skillful people like that really thrives me to be better!
I was very fortunate that I was offered a full-time job at the Francis Fong Martial Arts Academy. I had worked at a corporate company for a short time after I graduated from college. Although I liked my job, I knew it wasn’t for me. I wanted to follow my passion and make it into a professional career. I have learned so much about running a business. I have experienced some hard times and made some mistakes, but those times taught me how to set my goals straight and work right through them. It definitely helped me a lot to shape my business mindset. I have researched and attended a lot of business training events to continue grow my knowledge. I have met Gary Vaynerchuk and attended his keynote speaking event. I was included a lot by his business mindset.
About a few years ago, our team started to develop a global organization for anyone who wishes to be certified under our Sifu, Francis Fong. We have built a platform where people can learn online from us and attend physical training camps up to 3 times per calendar year. As of today, the organization has affiliate schools around the world including North America, Asia, Central America and Europe.
Throughout the years of training and teaching, I was able to achieved my Instructor certification in:
Wing Chun under Sifu Francis Fong
Jun Fan / Kali under Guro Dan Inosanto
Muay Thai under Ajarn Chai Sirisute
Coach Level 2 under Coach Erik Paulson
Brown Belt in Jiu Jitsu under Professor Pedro Sauer
Red Glove in Savate under Professor Nicolas Saignac
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely has not been as smooth as I thought it would be. I have gotten injured while training and struggled to surpass my physical limits.
For my personal training: Since I was the smallest guy in the classroom, the biggest struggle was when I had to spar with bigger and taller guys. I have failed and gotten injured while training. It was my teachers who continued to put their time into me and helped me through my trainings. Yes, I was small, that’s why I needed to be more technical and more efficient with my body movements. I spent more time to improve my technical skills and started to pay more attention to the details on each technique. I knew it would take me longer to overcome the physical difference. But the end result is worth every minute of my time. I started getting better and seeing things I couldn’t before. This is why I always tell the students at the Academy take their time to develop their technical skills. Don’t rush through with muscular strength. Practice slowly and focus on the transitions of the body movement.
The other part is to stay motivated. Martial Arts training is like riding a roller coaster. Sometimes you feel like you are going up, sometimes you feel you are going down. There will be many downs than up in your journey. Thus is important how we overcome those downtimes. I found self-motivation is just as important as my physical trainings. Making a change in your life requires persistence and many of us find it difficult to stay motivated. For me, it is important to look at what is motivating you to seek change. I have create a short-term goal and a long-term goal and set a timeline for them. The short-term goals help me to feel accomplished while working on my long-term goals and stay motivated. I found it easier to stay motivated this way, for me at least. I became more aware of these motives and helped me to stay on track towards the goals that I want to achieve.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I work for the Francis Fong Martial Arts Academy and the Francis Fong Instructor Association as the Technical Director. I am also a full-time martial arts teacher.
I do the website, social media, graphic design and data analysis for the business. Aside from that, I also teach martial arts classes throughout the week.
I think what sets me apart from the others is that I am very fortunate to be a certified instructor under many great teachers including: Sifu Francis Fong, Guro Dan Inosanto, Ajarn Chai Sirisute, Sensei Erik Paulson, Professor Pedro Sauer and Professor Nicolas Saignac.
I have also had the honor to train under: Professor Jean Jacques Machado, Professor Paul Creighton, Ajarn Greg Nelson, Ajarn Bryan Popejoy, Professor Steve Grantham and Professor Alan Baker.
I am very proud at what I do and what I’ve achieved. I am very grateful that my instructor, Sifu Francis, has introduced difference types of martial arts discipline and taught me to blend them together for my personal trainings. Thus I can say I don’t just specialize one type of martial art system, but in weaponry (kali), striking (JKD, Wing Chun, Muay Thai and Savate), and grappling (Jiu-Jitsu and CSW).
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Woah, there were so many to recall! I would definitely say food! My favorite time beside training is eating good food.
I remember going to visit my grandparents each year and they would prepare a feast for the whole entire family. My grandma was an amazing chief. I grew up partially with my grandparents when I was very young. She would always make Hakka food for me and made sure I was well fed. There were so many dishes she made that I haven’t yet to find in any restaurants. Unfortunately, she passed away in Taiwan when I was attending high school in America. She was a big part of my childhood memory and definitely made me appreciate my Hakka culture.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@francisfongacademy.com
- Website: www.francisfongacademy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinleevlog/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevinleevlog
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/KevinLeeVlog
