Martial Arts & Kung Fu Classes Mobile AL Campus

Mobile Campus

About the Campus:

Opened in 1992, Mobile’s location is the first Shaolin Institute in honor of Shifu’s teaching father, Shi SuXi. The campus is easily accessible with plenty of parking spaces. The facility is family friendly with a separate playroom for families with infants and toddlers, professional kick bags, a practice room for warm up or extra time, and a viewing area for parents and friends. Cung Le, former UFC fighter known for his lethal kicks, got his start at the Shaolin Institute’s US Open and trained in Mobile under Grandmaster Shi DeRu at this very campus until he won a spot on the US National Sanshou team.

This campus has helped many students to gain confidence and improved health. We have been an integral part of Mobile’s community and participate annually in the International Festival, host self-defense workshops, and have produced over 50 martial arts competitions.

Campus Location & Contact Info:

Class Schedule

Meet Our Instructors

Susie Pham

Instructor (Zen Tai Gong, Tai Chi and Qi Gong)

She started with the Shaolin Institute as a student of Zen Tai Gong, Tai Chi and Qi Gong when she just experienced Katrina devastating natural disasters in her Mississippi home.

She had many physical complications, limitations and other physical disabilities along with other health issues. She could not even climb to her second floor at all at the time. Since 2006, she has had leaps of quantum consciousness in her energy frequency and her Qi opening. She has been teaching Qi Gong, Zen Tai Gong and Tai Chi in Mobile for years now driving every week from Diamond head of Mississippi. She led the Shaolin Institute Mobile campus team to have performed numerous shows and exhibitions as well as inter school challenges. She did many fantastic jobs as she always does.

She went to China with DeRu Shi, having climbed some of the peaks of the top mountains of China and Great Wall ruins. She has accomplished her physical and mental challenges that she never saw possible in her lifetime since she was young. She is not only an experienced learner and experiencer but a wonderful teacher with very details and caring. Even after 3 major accidents she was back to training and teaching after very short healing periods. She is one of the most devoted teachers of Shaolin Institute. She holds Golden Black Sash III.

Susan Goucher

(Zen Tai Gong, Tai Chi and Qi Gong)

She started with DeRu Shi in 1991 when she had a series of medical problems as she took about 9 drugs to correct one health issue, and counter react with another with many side effects. She was to schedule surgeries to correct some of her neck pain and spinal cord issues due to cervical cord compression and other spinal cord complications. She had many other nerves and hormonal health issues along with autonomies immune issues and other psychological complications. She freed herself not only from cervical cord surgeries but eventually got rid of 9 drugs she was taking. She was one of the most senior students and shared with many generations of students of her training and meditation experience at the Shaolin Institute since that time from Tai Chi Qi Gong class at University of South Alabama to Shaolin Institute and volunteered for the last few decades. She went to China for training with DeRu Shi twice and climbed some of the most dangerous peaks of mountains in China. She currently holds Golden Black Sash II.

LaliQue Muhammad

Junior Instructor

Started studying Kung Fu under Master DeRu on August 20,2013 at the young age of 5. She immediately fell in love with Kung Fu and has advanced throughout the years in many areas including learning many types of forms along with weapons such as the straight sword, BroadSword, Bo Staff and The Podao. Within 2 years of her training she was inducted into S.W.A.T./ Leadership Class and Golden Black Sash Champion Team (G.B.S.C.) where her journey has become more developed as a leader at a young age. She has participated in many tournaments and won many gold and silver medals since she was 6 year old. Sometimes Master DeRu forgets her age. She is currently 13 and holds a Teaching Brown Sash and hopes when she turns 18 to open her own KungFu School under Grandmaster DeRu.

Jack Briars

Level one Instructor

Jack is a Mobile, AL native, and a local tattoo artist. Before starting training with Grandmaster DeRu shortly after quarantine (2020), Jack had no prior martial arts training. With an initial focus on the art of Sanshou, Jack has branched out into kung fu and after receiving his red teaching sash in 2021, has been helping instruct junior and senior kung fu/ kickboxing classes. Jack’s goal is to compete in tournaments and perform Sanshou professionally. The help and guidance of Grandmaster DeRu has helped Jack become stronger and more coordinated than ever before.

Thy Do

Assist Junior Instructor (Kung-Fu)

Thy Do was born in Vietnam and moved to the United States when she was one year old. She started studying KungFu under Master DeRu with her brother Max when she was 5 years old. She is now 13. Throughout the years, KungFu has developed her skills in becoming a leader to conduct class or help assist whenever needed. She enjoys learning new forms along with weapons as it helps boost her morality, confidence and self-esteem. It also improved her skills in memorization techniques in everyday life and her physical body. Thy Do currently holds a brown sash. She is a girl of power with dedication and endurance. She has participated in a few tournaments and won quite a few medals.

Shaolin Warriors Testimonials

A regular at the Shaolin Institute, said she is healthier now than she was when she was in her forties. After she suffered injuries as a weightlifter, Chan said, Shifu’s treatments changed her life in 1992. “He used acupressure to heal my neck and shoulder problems, so I did not have surgery,” Chan said. “He taught me how to breathe so my body could get the oxygen and blood it needed to be healthy.”

Susan Goucher Chan

A graphic designer/animator for Fox 10 News in Mobile. A graduate of Vigor High School and the University of South Alabama, he has been training in adult kung fu wushu for three years. “When I was a kid, I had dreams of learning kung fu and could not afford to go to a martial arts school, so I tried to teach myself,” Bivens said. “The movie ‘The Karate Kid’ inspired me to start taking classes. “It was difficult at first, but I kept coming and the physical conditioning part of it has gradually got me in to the best shape I have been in years,” he said. “Wushu is a good stress reliever that keeps me more relaxed and in tune with myself.”

Keith Bivens

Director of music and organist at Spring Hill Presbyterian Church, has been practicing tai chi for five years. “It is a Chinese practice that is a gentle exercise for people of all ages and stages of health,” he said. “It exercises deep breathing and the slow movement and relaxation are very beneficial for stress relief.” According to Sheets, the Shaolin Institute is a real “melting pot” for people from ages 14 to 80, describing a sense of community and supportive group of kind people. The nature of tai chi is an awareness of people and their personalities, Sheets noted. “As a classical church musician, I find that I can apply the principles of tai chi to balance the relaxation to help me perform music fluently and expressively.”

Randy Sheets

A second-year resident in the Department of Pathology at University of South Alabama Hospital, moved to Mobile from California last year. She trains in Sanshou kickboxing, and says the institute offers a friendly atmosphere and a place to meet people in a relaxed environment. “In the beginning, the training was hard because it is a cardio exercise,” Geli said. “Every week I started to gain strength and endurance, and I have lost weight. I feel more fit and my body is more relaxed and at peace.”