About Esoma Kungfu

Esoma Kungfu was developed through many years of training with diverse styles of martial arts. In June of 1970, Joe Martin traveled to Vancouver Canada to visit his Kungfu master, Alfreado Sui. It was his hope that Master Sui would test his new abilities and award him a higher rank in the Li Ka Style of Kungfu; the style Mr. Martin had learned from him in the late 1960’s. He lived with Master Sui for 2 weeks while training and demonstrating some of the newly developed techniques he had acquired from a few other teachers (Hobbs, Stover & Phipps). Since Ki La was a predominantly southern style of Kungfu, it had few kicks above the waist. The other styles were predominantly northern styles and therefore had many kicks, most of which were never used in southern styles. Master Sui was impressed with the additional kicks.
During the stay in 1975, Master Sui introduced Mr. Martin to Tai Chi Push Hands and to several teachers in the area who taught Wing Chun (Chinese: 詠春; pinyin: Yǒng chūn; literally "Eternal Spring"), also romanized as Ving Tsun or "Wing Tsun". Although he never had formal training in Wing Tsun, he was taught many of the secret principles of that art and later incorporated those into Esoma Kungfu.
At the end of the 2 weeks, Mr. Martin was awarded the Second Star Black Sash in Li Ka Kungfu. At that time he demonstrated to Master Sui his teaching methods, including the newly developed forms he wanted to add to the existing forms from the Li Ka Kungfu style. Mater Sui was very please with his developments and encouraged him to continue to create from his experience with other methods. Master Sui’s advice was to stop calling what he was teaching “Li Ka”. There were so many new northern methods of Kungfu included, that he felt it should have its own recognition.
As a side note, during the time Mr. Martin was working on the creation of Esoma Kungfu, he had the idea of a new Kungfu method that he called The Way of the Clinging Vine. Although he never completely finished that method as a complete style of Kungfu, many of the concepts of The Way of the Clinging Vine are still used in Esoma to this day. It became too complicated to teach the fundamentals to new students and Mr. Martin was concerned that students would never get far enough, fast enough for Americans. The main concept that was unusual for martial arts was the use of the Twist or Hook Stance as the primary fighting position.
Mr. Martin continued to teach traditional Li Ka Kungfu for several years as he continued to develop new techniques, forms and principles that would eventually become Esoma Kungfu. After 10 years of continual work, in 1985 Esoma became an established style when The Shaolin Kempo Karate Federation, International (SKKFI) recognized and certified Grandmaster Martin as founder of Esoma Kungfu.
For more information on the principles of Esoma Kungfu, see the Philosophy Papers.

Class Registration

For Information, call: 704.907.5735

Class Time & Location

Tai Chi for the Livingroom
Tuesday and Thursday
1505 S. Main St Kannaplois, NC
Esoma KungFu
Coming SOON!
1505 S. Main St Kannaplois, NC