About Us

Toronto Northern Legs Southern Fists is a multi-cultural Chinese Martial Arts group who's committed to moving forward, educating the next generation, maintaining a high standard of quality by taking leadership, leading by example as well as the preservation and promotion of Chinese Martial Arts.

What we do

     We teach kung fu, an Asian fighting, self defense, spiritual and cultural tradition and the source of all eastern martial arts. The origins of kung fu have been obscured by the passage of time. Mythical Chinese martial figures such as Bodhidarma, the eight immortals and the monkey king, intersect with history. Legends are many. Fiction merges with fact. The practice of kung fu has emerged from the shadows mutating into the multitude of systems that we see today.

     We acknowledge the traditions of the past and modify them to suit the present. Our roots run deep, back to Shaolin. We are legacy holders of the southern style of kung fu and lion dance that evolved in the Guangdong province of southern China, notably the village of Toisan. Thanks to popular Chinese martial artists such as Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Donnie Yen, and through film (‘Kung Fu Panda (2008) and its sequels, Disney’s ‘Mulan (1998’), and Shang-Chi (2021) the awareness and interest in kung fu in the west has increased.              

Who we are

     Practitioners of authentic traditional kung fu are difficult to find. In China, kung fu training was familial and passed on only amongst clan members.

     Sifu Ian Chow can trace his ancestral kung fu heritage back three generations to his grandfather who, as a young boy in Hoi Ping/Toisan and later in Hong Kong practiced with legendary grandmaster Chan Dau. Sifu Ian’s father, Master Mo Chow was one of the first kung fu practitioners and teachers in Toronto. Master Mo has been recognized by and inducted into the Canadian Black Belt Hall of Fame for his life-long contribution to Canadian martial arts.

     Sifu Ian Chow has dedicated his life to promoting and sharing his respect for his Chinese culture and traditions through the art of kung fu. Sifu Ian is an advocate for Chinese martial arts worldwide. He is an ambassador to the Black Belt hall of fame and has appeared in film as an actor and stuntman. His kung fu lion dance team has performed on Omni TV, at the Ontario Parliament buildings, at the Toronto and Mississauga city halls during Chinese new year, at events organized by the York Region and Peel Regional Police, at shopping malls, at various hospitals, educational institutions and commemorative events (the dedication ceremony of the monument to the Chinese railway workers) and at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto. Internationally, his teams have performed in the USA, Greece, Guangzhou (Canton) China and in Malaysia at the Genting World Lion Dance Competition.

Why study with us?

We are well-trained, knowledgeable and patient instructors; in many cases, we are lifelong martial artists. Many of us have trained in China.

We believe in the benefits accrued from the legacy we share.

We are open, transparent and honest in all aspects of what we promote.

We will make your learning experience interesting and thought provoking.