Inspiring Conversations with Zach Pearlswig of Sun Valley Shao-Lin Kempo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach Pearlswig

Hi Zach, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I don’t remember my first classes, but I do remember the feeling of joy heading to my martial arts class. Not only did I look forward to a great class from my instructors, but martial arts has always had a special bond for me. For you see, my father is the great Grandmaster Pearl. Robert Pearlswig was a master of Shao-Lin Kempo even before I was born. My entire life, I was raised, guided and training in the ancient arts by one of the greatest martial artists alive today, and inspired me to be the Master of martial arts that I am today.

So my journey has not always been easy. Although I had ease of access to my martial arts training, the expectations were higher, and there was always a demand for improvement. This lead to me becoming passionate about anything I set my mind too. It helped me develop a better memory, hand eye coordination. I learned focus, respect, discipline, drive and how to fight to win.

Raised in the pacific northwest, I could no longer stand the cold. I got permission from the Grandmaster to expand our organization of martial arts schools from the Pacific Northwest to the Southwest. With his blessing I started our first Arizona dojo in Lake Havasu City in 2011.

It has been a whirlwind journey through the wild west. My old dojo is Lake Havasu City is still running under the great tutelage of my student, Jacob Walker. In 2021 two others of my students, a father/son due of Rick and Ricky Arnold Opened up Tempe Shao-Lin Kempo on Mill and Baseline just south of ASU. The Arnolds has been training with me since I lived in Oregon and Ricky is a graduate of ASU.

As a master of Shao-Lin Kempo, along with my sister Master Cassandra Davis, who runs one of the largest dojo in the Pacific Northwest in West Salem Oregon, I am proud to bring my story, my journey, and my art to the Valley of the Sun. Like an ancient legend, this artform has been passed from master to student for 1500 years, from father to son, and now Master Instructor to Sun Valley. Come check out our locations in Lake Havasu or Tempe, or come to my new dojo on Ray and Cooper Rd. in Chandler: Sun Valley Shao-Lin Kempo.

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Everyone faces struggles. I’ve discussed the challenges of the pandemic before.

One of the challenges that people can easily overlook in physical work, is injuries. Most people reading this, has something bothering them right now. A bad back, a weak knee, an injured shoulder. These things can be debilitating. It can make it hard to work, hard to stand, hard to be active.

And the world of martial arts, actually isn’t as dangerous as you would think.

When most people hear martial arts they think of a “professional” fight or an action movie with brutal special effects. But this is not what martial arts training is for most people. Most people show up to a dojo with injuries or limitations that life has put on them. Injuries from work, hobbies, other sports, accidents etc.

Much of what we do is stretching and strengthening, helping the body get stronger, and more flexible then ever. With that comes a boost in self confidence, and it helps with increased positive mood, and a proven fighter of depression. And that doesn’t even count the wonderful self-defense technology we teach our students.

But injuries can effect all of us, including me. When I was 18, I was riding my motorcycle on a mountain road. There had recently been a fire and a particular curve was covered in rocks, dirt, soot and ash. I was an inexperience rider and even though I was only going 35 miles an hour, I crashed and I crashed hard. Broken bones up and down the left side of my body and other gruesome injuries. I was taken by ambulance 45 minutes to the nearest hospital. It was not a great hospital.

I was a young man in the prime of my life, and I had lost it. I had to use crutches and even a cane for many months. But as soon as I could, I got back into the dojo. There I took a new approach, compared to my former arrogant teenager ways. Luckily the art of Shao-Lin Kempo teaches a balanced philosophy. I focused on rehabbing my body, and using the martial arts to help, not hurt people.

Yes, our martial arts is based in self defense and is all about keeping yourself safe. In the over the 1500 years since the Shaolin Temple was first build, the original purpose was to help heal the body. And learning to heal myself was one of the hardest challenges in my time as a martial artist, but made me a better one for it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Sun Valley Shao-Lin Kempo, or SVSK, is part of American Schools of Shao-Lin Kempo, run by Grandmaster Pearl, a real 10th degree master of the martial arts. He started studying in the 1960s and still teaches clinics and seminars to this day. We pride ourselves on the quality of instructors so you won’t find us on every corner, but when you do, consider yourself lucky. You are in the presence of an instructor with decades of experience in an artform that has been growing, maturing and evolving since 495 AD.

We take students from ages 3-93 years old, although I’d love to see someone older then that willing to give it a try!

We have flexible scheduling and no contracts making it easy to get started in the art. And as I said before, we work with people regardless of their issues or limitations. We have helped people with weight loss, injury rehab, confidence building and mobility training.

If you want to be active, give us a call.

If your unsure, definitely give me a call. Come see what American Shao-Lin Kempo can do for you and why SVSK is the best martial arts in the valley!

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
There is no one I wish to thank more then Grandmaster Pearl and his late wife and my mother, Mrs. P.

Both of which are the reason I am the honorable man I am today, and have the knowledge to help others.

And I would be foolish to not acknowledge my wife, Erica, who has been the sunshine in my life since I met her 10 years ago, and everything I do, I do for her.

Pricing:

• We offer flexible pricing to fit your budget with no contracts

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shao-linkempo.com/index.php
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sun_valley_shao_lin_kempo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sunvalleyshaolinkempo and https://www.facebook.com/Sunvalleyshaolinkempo

Image Credits
American Schools of Shao-Lin Kempo
Sandra D Photography.