Austin Kung Fu & Tai Chi
Shaolin-Do Kung Fu and Tai Chi, 8910 Research Blvd, Suite E-1, Austin, TX 78758
About
Austin Kung Fu & Tai Chi offers Kids Kung Fu where children practice Shaolin-Do Kung Fu, including sparring, practicing kicks, and weapons training with items such as the Kwan Dao, Sword, Spear, Staff, Two-Edge Sword, and more. The program is part of a larger school that also offers Adult Kung Fu, Adult Tai Chi, Senior Tai Chi, and Tai Chi classes, and every student learns weapons as they progress.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
Masters Joe and Sheryl Schaefer own and lead Austin Kung Fu & Tai Chi and teach every level of child and adult student each week, from first-day beginners to the highest level black belt and sash students. Master Joe Schaefer is an 8th Degree Black Belt with a PhD in Neurophysiology, has been training since 1984, has 39 years of experience teaching Kung Fu and Tai Chi, has 7 years of experience teaching university-level Physiology, is a published neuroscience researcher, is a Certified Trainer in the Open Focus Attentional Method & Neurosynchrony, and has personally mentored thousands of students. Master Sheryl Schaefer is a 7th Degree Black Belt with a Masters Degree in Physiology, has been training since 1988, has 31 years of experience teaching Kung Fu and Tai Chi, has 8 years of experience teaching university-level Physiology, Entomology, and Developmental Biology, has over 10 years of experience facilitating women’s empowerment retreats and seminars, and has personally mentored thousands of students. Austin Kung Fu & Tai Chi has existed for over 30 years, and together the school has trained thousands of people and produced over 500 black belt and sash students.
Their mission is to build a community that is fun, friendly, and supportive, where people of all ages can learn traditional martial arts without any hidden prices or big egos. Students at the school range from young children to seniors, and the Kids Kung Fu classes blend fun, discipline, and positive character development. The Tai Chi program is described as especially beneficial as people age, helping them maintain mobility, balance, and peace of mind. The school community is described as a huge, diverse, and supportive family where everyone can thrive, and one of the noted joys has been friendships, marriages, and babies that have come from classmates meeting at the schools.
Austin Kung Fu & Tai Chi is described as being voted the best year after year. Master Joe is described as one of only a handful of 8th-degree black belts in the nation in their system, and Master Sheryl is described as one of only a few 7th-degree black belts. The facility includes a wall-sized mural of a Dragon and Snake, a Shaolin Wooden man, statues of General Kwan Yu with the Kwan Dao, statues of Damo and KwanYin, and a scroll with all 108 Outlaws Of the Marsh from Chinese legend, along with some of the 25+ weapons taught. The facility also displays 8th and 7th degree black belt certificates next to Masters and Doctorates from the University of Texas in Physiology.
Their community involvement includes knitting for charity, golfing for breast cancer, and collecting items for people experiencing homelessness in Austin. One testimonial from a parent describes Austin Kung Fu & Tai Chi as having exceptional and passionate teachers for both children and adults, a high teacher-to-student ratio, detailed instruction, and a warm and supportive community, and notes that a five-year-old child in Kids Kung Fu receives patience, love, and encouragement. Another testimonial highlights regular sparring, a focus on practicing kicks, friendly classmates, and notes that owners are described as very nice people who help if a student is broke. Additional testimonials describe diverse and fun Tai Chi classes with enough instructors to help students learn new material and practice older moves, and appreciation for the way the studio and instructors venerate and honor the cultural history behind Shaolin wushu in an accessible and inclusive way.
Last updated August 16, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
Masters Joe and Sheryl Schaefer own and lead Austin Kung Fu & Tai Chi and teach every level of child and adult student each week, from first-day beginners to the highest level black belt and sash students. Master Joe Schaefer is an 8th Degree Black Belt with a PhD in Neurophysiology, has been training since 1984, has 39 years of experience teaching Kung Fu and Tai Chi, has 7 years of experience teaching university-level Physiology, is a published neuroscience researcher, is a Certified Trainer in the Open Focus Attentional Method & Neurosynchrony, and has personally mentored thousands of students. Master Sheryl Schaefer is a 7th Degree Black Belt with a Masters Degree in Physiology, has been training since 1988, has 31 years of experience teaching Kung Fu and Tai Chi, has 8 years of experience teaching university-level Physiology, Entomology, and Developmental Biology, has over 10 years of experience facilitating women’s empowerment retreats and seminars, and has personally mentored thousands of students. Austin Kung Fu & Tai Chi has existed for over 30 years, and together the school has trained thousands of people and produced over 500 black belt and sash students.
Their mission is to build a community that is fun, friendly, and supportive, where people of all ages can learn traditional martial arts without any hidden prices or big egos. Students at the school range from young children to seniors, and the Kids Kung Fu classes blend fun, discipline, and positive character development. The Tai Chi program is described as especially beneficial as people age, helping them maintain mobility, balance, and peace of mind. The school community is described as a huge, diverse, and supportive family where everyone can thrive, and one of the noted joys has been friendships, marriages, and babies that have come from classmates meeting at the schools.
Austin Kung Fu & Tai Chi is described as being voted the best year after year. Master Joe is described as one of only a handful of 8th-degree black belts in the nation in their system, and Master Sheryl is described as one of only a few 7th-degree black belts. The facility includes a wall-sized mural of a Dragon and Snake, a Shaolin Wooden man, statues of General Kwan Yu with the Kwan Dao, statues of Damo and KwanYin, and a scroll with all 108 Outlaws Of the Marsh from Chinese legend, along with some of the 25+ weapons taught. The facility also displays 8th and 7th degree black belt certificates next to Masters and Doctorates from the University of Texas in Physiology.
Their community involvement includes knitting for charity, golfing for breast cancer, and collecting items for people experiencing homelessness in Austin. One testimonial from a parent describes Austin Kung Fu & Tai Chi as having exceptional and passionate teachers for both children and adults, a high teacher-to-student ratio, detailed instruction, and a warm and supportive community, and notes that a five-year-old child in Kids Kung Fu receives patience, love, and encouragement. Another testimonial highlights regular sparring, a focus on practicing kicks, friendly classmates, and notes that owners are described as very nice people who help if a student is broke. Additional testimonials describe diverse and fun Tai Chi classes with enough instructors to help students learn new material and practice older moves, and appreciation for the way the studio and instructors venerate and honor the cultural history behind Shaolin wushu in an accessible and inclusive way.
Last updated August 16, 2026.
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