Life & Work with Zach Pearlswig

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach Pearlswig .

Hi Zach, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My father is Robert Pearlswig, 10th degree Grandmaster of American Shao-Lin Kempo. He has been a leader and teacher in the field since 1976. I have trained under him for 30 years. In 2019, I became a master of the same martial art. It is an art form that has traveled from the Shaolin temple in the mountains of China through the southern islands of Japan and made its way to Phoenix. I opened my first dojo, or martial arts training school, in Lake Havasu City, AZ. After developing the school into the largest dojo in the area, I passed the dojo on to two of my students, who now run it. Two other students came out to Phoenix and opened a dojo in Tempe. After traveling the country, my wife and I fell in love with the area and settled in the SE Valley of the Sun.

Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
No road is smooth. Whether when I was developing a fitness program in one of America’s hottest cities or trailblazing online teaching in the early days of the pandemic or becoming a master of kung fu at 29, I have faced my fair share of challenges. But as a master of traditional martial arts, effort is my first principle.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might need to become more familiar with it, what can you tell them about what you do?
I do American Shao-Lin Kempo. It is a traditional martial art based on Shaolin kung fu, the world’s oldest civilian martial art form, founded in the 6th Century. I achieved mastery in 2019 at age 29 and won many tournaments from 2003-2016, and I am a master swordsman.

What’s next?
We have our grand opening party on Nov. 4th, our winter retreat in Lake Havasu City in Feb., and our annual national tournament in Oregon in the spring. As for our new dojo, we are open and accepting new students ages 3- 93 who want self-confidence, self-defense, stress relief, and balance. We are excited to begin our journey in Phoenix and expand our martial arts to those interested in learning.

Pricing:

• We have grand opening specials! Contact us for more info.

Contact Info:

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