Congratulations to our Febraury Fitness Instructor of the Month, Robb Willingham

Check out his story here:

My father (Robert Willingham) studied martial arts while in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean war. After being discharged from the military, he returned to his home state of Oklahoma where he opened the first martial arts school in the state and became a pioneering influence of the wisdom that the study and practice of these unique and ancient arts offer in the USA.

From age eight until eighteen, I enjoyed the privilege of studying martial arts from my father and as I developed experiences and learned from the many different teachers he brought up to his school in Oklahoma.

This unique and highly personal exposure to the martial arts forged in me a foundation for a lifetime passion and interest in honor, growth, integrity and spiritual enrichment.

I discovered Tai Chi Chuan while I was student at Oklahoma State. My father encouraged my interest in the art, because he wanted my understanding and knowledge to go further than his so that I might benefit from internal focus and energy cultivation of this martial art.  The practice of Tai Chi is beneficial to the coordination of mind/body and spirit.

I had a natural aptitude and interest in this healing martial art.  My teacher, Sifu Ting Kou Chang, invited me to train with him at his Dojo in San Francisco. I accepted his offer and relocated to San Francisco and embarked on a full program of study of Tai Chi Chuan. I achieved teacher status in 1977.

Since then, I have continued to study, practice and teach martial arts in Colorado and Texas.  In 2002, I founded Redhawk Tai Chi Chuan, with my wife and senior student, Michele Willingham.

I started my program at the Carbon Valley Recreation Center teaching Tai Chi to the community in 2002. I enjoy sharing this incredible art with our amazing community.