Saminchilu History

Saminchilu was founded in 6-21-1981. The complete name of the system is Sai-Mein-Chi-Lu Chu’an Fa Gung Fu. It is shortened to Saminchilu for practical reasons. Saminchilu (Sha-Mein-Zhi-Lu) meaning “The great and kind master of wisdom showing the way of life and eternal energy from a great temple.” The name has been simplified to refer to “The Way of Life”. Chu’an Fa is the original meaning for Chinese Kempo. Gung Fu is a mind exercise that is applied in many of the fighting arts and eastern philosophy. The founder and original instructor is Luis Ortega. The original group of students was Eric Yuri Reznik, Igor Eric Belokon, Juan Carlos Soto, Alex Brisk, Craig Upgraw, and Jay Stevens. The roots of Saminchilu as any Martial Arts, date back to approximately 2000 B.C. The art has been passed down from generation to generation. This system originally combined influences from China, Okinawa, and Japan. Most effective techniques from Chinese Kempo (Chuan-Fa), Tai Chi, and Kudokan Judo were combined to create a system that can be learned and proficiently applied in shorter time in the fast pace society. Luis Ortega felt that people living in the United States with an involved and busy life do not have the luxury of time as do those practitioners in the Eastern countries. He felt that by combining the most efficient techniques a student can become a well versed practitioner in three to five years. However, this would only be a beginning of a journey that extend the philosophy and practice into every aspect of a student’s learning and living. In fact, as the name suggest Saminchilu becomes a “Way of Life”. Once a student reaches initial goal of Black Belt, the learning expands to the rest of the Martial Arts world and only then a student begins to develop skills and knowledge that would fulfill the rest of their lives.

The practice of Saminchilu encompasses physical as well as spiritual training. It emphasizes training not only during the practice of techniques in the dojo (hall of practice), but also in daily life: the way you walk, the way you sit, the way complete any given tasks. When you assume the “Saminchilu way”, your everyday activities begin to reflect your spiritual ideals. You project energy not only in practice, but through your everyday activities. Therefore, practice becomes infused in who you are. In the direct philosophy of Luis Ortega, “The practice is at the mental and spiritual soul of each practitioner combining it with the effectiveness of the physical aspect. By such practice we not only become a better karateka, but also a better individual.”