For thousands of years many different cultures have known the benefits of Shou' Shu' or other forms of authentic martial arts training across different sections of society. In many cultures this training has been a large part of the culture and it's benefits widespread among many types of individuals. The purpose of The Sheng Chi Foundation is to maximize these benefits by providing the proper training and classes to those individuals that will benefit the most from that training.
The main emphasis of the Sheng Chi Training is our youth programs however if resources are available we also provide programs for other segments of society including soldiers suffering from PTSD, Seniors citizens for balance and physical fitness, individuals recovering from addiction, and individuals suffering from fibromyalgia.
Youth Programs
At-Risk Youth - The fundamental goal of the Sheng Chi Foundation is in providing direction and a positive outlet for at risk youth. Over the years we have seen the lives of at risk youths dramatically changed. Shou' Shu' training was able to give them a positive direction in their lives. The changes we've seen have been dramatic. Children in our programs have gone on to be the first in their family to graduate high school and continue on to productive lives. Have avoided teen parenthood when it has been the norm within their family and peer group. Kids that were involved in or headed in the direction of gang involvement have been turned around.
We feel that many of our sponsored children have been able to break the cycles of dependence, avoid drug use, avoid gang involvement, and much more through the positive peer group and the positive effects of training in Shou' Shu'.
What is the effect on society of changing only one life to a productive member of society rather than a burden on society? We think the effect is beyond comprehension. Especially when these children go on to positively effect others in the same way.
Shou' Shu' and other authentic martial arts have been highly effective at teaching youths discipline and giving them direction. Youths find it to be a positive outlet for their energies and find the peer group to be a very positive influence. This is especially important for at-risk youth as the training and positive peer group can redirect their focus away from gangs and unhealthy behavior.
Youth Fitness - A high percentage of today's youth's find it difficult to fit enough physical activity into their day. This is especially true for those that do not excel at youth sports. We have found that the majority of youths that have not found "Their thing" excel at Shou' Shu' training. As Shou' Shu' is a discipline rather than a sport, individuals work on personal development at all levels. Since it can be equally challenging for those who are athletic it put's those who are less coordinated on an equal level where hard work is rewarded with skill no matter where the starting point is. This can be a life changing realization for a child who has never excelled at anything previously.
Learning Disabilities - Shou' Shu' has a lot of elements that are highly beneficial for those suffering from a variety of learning disabilities. Of special note is the large amount of cross lateral motions present in Shou' Shu'. Cross lateral motions have been shown to link the brain hemispheres and help them work in conjunction. Many educational therapy techniques include cross lateral motions. Shou' Shu' is fun to learn and naturally beneficial for learning ability.
Skill development in Shou' Shu' also develops body awareness and proprioception. Both of which can be typical co-morbid conditions with a variety of learning problems. In addition recent studies show that exercise promotes new neural growth. New neural networks are formed when exercise is combined with learning as is done in Shou' Shu' classes. While there is a large range of learning problems many can find a great deal of from Shou' Shu' training.