We recently connected with Sam Widerschein and have shared our conversation below.

Sam, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching Tai-Chi/QiGong is getting to experience when a student makes an emotional “breakthrough.” One of the many places that I teach QiGong is at a transitional living substance use program. At this particular time, we had an older patient who was a career Navy veteran. He was very proud of his time in the military (as he should be). He wore his Naval ball cap everyday. On this day, he walked to to me, tears in his eyes and handed me a folded up piece of loose leaf paper. He said, “I wrote you a poem about my time with you in Tai-Chi. I’ve actually written poetry ever since I was a young boy, but I’ve never told anyone or shared my poetry with anybody, because I was taught and believed poetry is not manly. Your class has taught me to start being comfortable with being my true, authentic self and I wanted to give you this to thank you. Your class has changed my life.” Tears in his eyes, he gave me a huge hug. That poem is framed and still hangs in my gymnasium to this day.

Sam, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

When I was a child I loved watching the old Shaw Brothers Kung-Fu flicks on TV. I thought those guys were magic! The way they moved and the style they had when they fought, Wow! I’m getting excited all over again just thinking about it! Ha! Once, my dadrented my brother and I, Fist Of Legend, starring Jet Li. We must’ve made him rent that movie 50 times! I anyways wanted to learn Kung-Fu, but it was very hard to find in the 90’s. Fast forward, I’m 19 and in college in little St Augustine, FL. My good friend, Gregg, moved up there with me during my Sophomore year. He excitedly called me one day and said, “I found Kung-Fu!” I displayed my ignorance and said, “Oh, that’s a scam for sure.” When he returned to our dorm room, he showed me what he had been taught that night, how to stand in an empty stance and how to grab using the Praying Mantis hands!” I was hooked! I joined class the very next night. I was immediately a Kung-Fu junkie, and have been obsessed ever since.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Improved strength/Flexibility, enhanced cardiovascular health, better coordination and balance, weight management, improved focus and discipline, stress relief and relaxation, increased confidence and self-esteem, improved balance and posture, reduced risk of falls, enhanced mindfulness, support for depression and anxiety, improved sleep, decreased blood pressure, helps to regulate blood sugar, improved immune function, sorry for chronic conditions such as arthritis and fibromyalgia and helps to prevent the on-set of Alzheimers and Dementia-related conditions.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I am most proud of the community that we’ve created at the school. It’s so much more than a place where you just learn to block, kick and strike. The students train together, hang out together outside of class and support each other. I have the most amazing group of students that a Sifu could ever ask for.

The Main I Want People To Know About Me/The School:
The main thing I want someone to know about the school is that we are a place where nothing is handed to you. You are going to earn everything at Aun Loon Gwan, but you are going to earn it in a positive, supportive environment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wwww.Kungfulou.com
• Facebook: Sam Widerschein
• Other: [email protected]