• We teach the ancient art of Shaolin-Do kung fu.  Come learn the original martial art with us.  Get in better shape, learn to defend yourself, and have fun doing it!  It's not a hobby, it's a way of life!
  • In addition to our hard-style kung fu program, we also offer a soft-style internal curriculum that covers Tai Chi, Pa Kua, and meditation.
  • We offer a separate kids program to help our youngest students thrive!  <i>Shaolin Kids</i> is open to children from ages 5 to 12 and meets on a variety of days and times to accommodate everyone's schedule.

The Sin Thé Karate School is the oldest and most reputable martial arts school in Lexington, KY. It is the international home of Shaolin-Do, offering the ancient martial art of the Shaolin Temples in China to the people of Lexington since 1964! Before anyone had ever heard of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li, Grandmaster Sin Thé was teaching Shaolin-Do!

We offer a range of classes, including both hard and soft style Shaolin-Do Kung Fu for both adults and children! Our hard style curriculum covers such classic animal styles as the tiger, bird, praying mantis, monkey, and snake systems and weapons like the staff, nunchaku, short stick, broadsword, and sai. Our soft style curriculum covers breathing and meditation techniques and also empty hand and weapon forms from Tai Chi, Pa Kua, and Hsing I.

We have something to offer everyone . honor, loyalty, discipline, conditioning, and mental health. Come join us today to start your life-long journey to both a better mind and a better body in Shaolin-Do!


"If your primary interest is tournament skills, I advise you to seek your training elsewhere! Most of what you will learn here is too lethal for tournament use. I teach the ancient system of Shaolin-Do, 'Art of survival, not of sport.' As did the immortals, we should learn to destroy so that we may preserve! It is a way of truth. The knowledge that I offer you is not an athletic training; it is a sacred trust."

Shaolin-Do Grandmaster Sin Kwang Thé


What We Offer
Shaolin Kung Fu
Tai Chi / Internal Program
Weight Room

We offer Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Chi for adults and children.

More Information

Please select one of the options above so we can better serve your needs.

Testimonial

Aprill Shepherd

1st Degree Black Belt

My martial arts studies began with karate classes in the student center at Georgia Tech. This style did not hold my attention, as I had hoped, so I began looking for another style to study. I found an instructor teaching Hung Gar kung-fu and studied with him for several years while I finished my Bachelor's degree and landed my first job. I let a job transfer to Detroit bring my martial arts studies to a halt. It was another 13 years, a career change, and a move to Lexington before my martial arts studies would begin again. It has been my honor to study Shaolin-Do as a student of Elder Master Bill Leonard.

Continue reading the testimonial...


To read more of what our students are saying about us, be sure to visit our testimonials page.

Upcoming Events

Summer Rank Advancement Test

Tuesday, June 20, 2023 at 6:30 PM

Grandmaster Sin Thé will conduct our quarterly rank advancement test.

Tai Chi Whipping Stick Seminar

Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 9:00 AM

Grandmaster Sin Thé will teach the Tai Chi Whipping Stick form at his annual summer seminar.

Tai Chi Whipping Stick Seminar via Zoom

Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 2:00 PM

Grandmaster Sin Thé will teach the Tai Chi Whipping Stick form at his annual summer seminar live via Zoom.

Fall Gathering & Tournament

Saturday, September 16, 2023 at 9:00 AM

Grandmaster Sin Thé and the Shaolin-Do Association will hold their annual fall gathering at tournament in Lexington, KY.


Be sure to check out the schedule for all the upcoming events, class times, and hours.

News

The Passing of Gail Fortner

Posted: June 1, 2023 8:12 AM

It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Gail Fortner who was Eldest Master Leonard's first student to attain the rank of black belt.

https://www.stanleyfuneralhomes.com/obituary/ila-fortner

Summer Seminar Material Announced by Grandmaster Sin Thé

Posted: May 15, 2023 7:51 AM

For his annual summer seminar, Grandmaster Sin Thé has decided to teach the Tai Chi Whipping Stick form. This form has six sections and eighteen posters. It uses the same length of stick as the Tai Chi Stick - The Stick the Beat the Dog form he taught in 2015 which should measure from your sternum to the floor. Grandmaster Sin describes this form as "beautiful yet lethal" and that it moves the stick to your left hand a lot.

There will be an in-person event on Saturday, June 24th and a virtual event via Zoom on Sunday, June 25th. The prices are the same and you can attend either in-person, online, or both! For those who attend in-person, there will be physical DVDs available for preorder to be handed out at the door. For those who attend the Zoom seminar and preorder a video, you will be emailed a link to download the video to your computer.

Registration Form (PDF)

Congratulations to Eldest Master Bill Leonard

Posted: March 25, 2023 5:52 PM

Congratulations to Eldest Master Bill Leonard who was promoted to 10th Degree Black Belt by Grandmaster Sin Thé at the Praying Mantis Tai Chi Seminar today. Eldest Master Leonard is the only non-Chinese to ever attain this rank.

Elder Master Tony Gray

Posted: February 2, 2023 10:03 AM

As of February 2nd, 2023, Elder Master Tony Gray has been banished from Shaolin-Do due to his continued disrespect and defiance towards Elder Master Bill Leonard over the last few years and his blatant and arrogant disrespect shown to Grandmaster Sin Thé this past December. This attitude and behavior cannot and will not be tolerated.

He has been thrown out of the system and can no longer teach our material. He can no longer use Grandmaster Sin Thé's name, image, or likeness or use the name "Shaolin-Do". He is no longer welcome at any Shaolin-Do school, class, tournament, or seminar (either in person or online). Any school that he teaches at or participates in will lose their Shaolin-Do affiliation. Any student who has studied under him up to this point may leave immediately to join another Shaolin-Do school and therefor maintain their loyalty to Grandmaster Sin Thé and their affiliation with Shaolin-Do.

Articles

Fitness

  1. Runners and Weak Hips: 5 Hip-Strengthening Exercises via Active.com
  2. 10 Tips for Safe Stretching via Better Health Channel
  3. Martial arts offers extraordinary fitness and health benefits to people in their 40's and 50's via NaturalNews.com
  4. 51 Fastest Fat Burners via CNN.com

Meditation

  1. Meditation Makes Your Brain Quicker via Gizmodo.com
  2. Can Meditation Change Your Brain? via CNN.com

Tai Chi

  1. The Health Benefits of Tai Chi via Harvard.edu
  2. Tai Chi: A New Weapon in the Battle Against Alzheimer's via NextAvenue.org
  3. Tai Chi Benefits for Beginners: Rewards From Your Tai Chi Practice via BeginnersTaiChi.com
  4. Tai Chi May Help Parkinson's Patients Regain Balance via National Public Radio
  5. Tai Chi, A 'Medication In Motion,' Helps People With Heart Failure via National Public Radio
  6. Tai Chi Helps Arthritis Pain, Stiffness via CNN.com
  7. Tai Chi Reported to Ease Fibromyalgia via New York Times
  8. A Downside to Tai Chi? None That I See via New York Times

Kids

  1. 7 Reasons Why Your Child Should Practice Martial Arts via BreakingMuscle.com
  2. How Does Karate Help Kids With ADHD? via eHow.com
  3. Benefits of Martial Arts Training for Kids via American Fitness Professionals & Associates

Miscellaneous

  1. Masters of Inner Peace via DailyMail.com
  2. Female Army Veteran Gets Second Chance at Life with SynCardia's Total Artificial Heart After Being Referred to Hospice Care via SynCardia.com
  3. Sin Thé Karate School in Southsider Magazine via Southsider Magazine
Photo Gallery

2013 Fall Gathering
Posted: September 23, 2013

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