Getting Started


Initial Consultation

There are many things to take into consideration when choosing the martial arts that are right for you. To find out whether the Hearst Academy of Martial Arts is right for you, contact Bill directly at bill.hearst@hearstmartialarts.com. Bill will find a time that is convenient for you for an initial consultation where the program will be explained to you in full detail, as well as any questions you have about pricing. This gives you the opportunity to talk with Bill about your needs, goals and concerns so that you may consider whether you feel comfortable with the approach.

It is necessary for all potential students to begin with an initial consultation.

Introductory Program

If after your initial consultation you determine that the Hearst Academy of Martial Arts seems right for you, your next step is participation in the Introductory Program. Consisting of 10 - 1.5 hour classes, this short-term trial program provides you with the opportunity to sample the martial art systems taught. This will introduce you to basic exercises and techniques, and ensures a comfortable transition into your training.

Individual and group rates are available to suit different training goals, schedules and budgets. Training with a partner is always encouraged.


A Womans’ Perspective

 Jun Fan Gung Fu and the Filipino Martial Arts uses equipment in a systematic approach to develop speed, distance, power, accuracy, timing, coordination, endurance and footwork. Training in Jun Fan Gung Fu and Kali are excellent for women because they don’t rely on power or muscles, but rather on agility, sensitivity and development of skill. Simo Paula Inosanto and Simo Tracey Mannon encourage other women to train, and let them see that you don’t have to be a 200-pound hulking jock-type to do it well. Simo Paula and Simo Tracey inspire and demonstrate by example that it’s possible to take the arts to a very high level. Patience in training is imperative to achieving some form of self satisfaction.

“Just when I think I’m getting it and start to feel pretty good, I see the next thing that I need to improve. This must be a universal thing – male or female. In kali, there is nothing better than a weapon to neutralize size difference and focus strictly on skill. And there are also times when being female is an advantage. I don’t have to worry about being stiff or unwieldy, or resorting to power during sensitivity drills, such as Chi Sao, when tactile reflexes are the secret. (I do find it secretly amusing to have to educate the occasional man who may think a woman could never know anything about martial arts.)”


  Amy Tucci – Full Instructor under Guro/Sifu Dan Inosanto.

  Reference: Free Voice Issue 1 Volume 2 Spring 1997