instructors | Martial Arts | Kung fu | Hamden Connecticut

 

TEACHERS:

Ilya A. Profatilov (Ma Yong Guang)

 Ilya Profatilov studied Judo, Shotokan Karate and Taekwondo in his youth in the 1970s in Moscow, Russia. He served in the Soviet Army from 1984 until 1986 in the special forces. He also studied the military self-defense methods of the Soviet Army and old school Russian Boxing. He started teaching Kungfu and Kickboxing in Moscow in 1986 in underground gyms because the martial arts were forbidden by the Soviet regime but later started teaching openly. His Moscow Kungfu team won many kickboxing and sanshou full-contact competitions in Russia in the 1990s.

Shifu Profatilov studied the styles of Chinese Kungfu called Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Boxing, Six Harmonies Praying Mantis Boxing and Tai Chi Chuan in Beijing China for 7 years from the renowned Grandmaster Ma Han Qing (1920-1997), becoming an adopted son of Ma Han Qing, an inheritor of his fighting system and spread the art throughout Russia and the USA. Since 1997, Shifu Profatilov studied with Grandmaster Wang Yuan Qian for 5 more years enriching his understanding of Praying Mantis Boxing and learning the complete system of Grand Ultimate Praying Mantis Boxing. Shifu Profatilov's kungfu and adopted brother Ma Lei (son of Ma Han Qing) is the head of the self-defense department of the Chinese FBI in Beijing, China.

Ilya Profatilov has received private instruction from the following Praying Mantis teachers:

  • Mei Hua Tang Lang Grandmaster Li Hong Jie (Taiwan, Tai Zhong City, 1994)
  • Ba Bu Tang Lang Master Zuo Xian Fu (Taiwan, Tai Pei City, 1994)
  • Tai Ji Mei Hua Tang Lang Grandmaster Sun Xue Po (Qing Dao City, China, 1997)
  • Liu He Tang Lang Grandmaster Zhao Jin De (Long Kou City, China, 1999)
  • Mei Hua Tang Lang Grandmaster Liu Pei Yi (Hai Yang County, Pan Shi Village, China, 2002)
  • Tai Ji Tang Lang Grandmaster Liu Bao Min (Qing Dao City, China, 2005),
  • Mei Hua Tang Lang Grandmaster Cheng Xian Ming (Yan Tai City, China, 2002, 2005)

Official positions held by Ilya Profatilov:

  • President of the International Traditonal Praying Mantis Boxing Research Association
  • Vice-president of Yantai City Praying Mantis Boxing Federation
  • US representative of Qingdao City Praying Mantis Boxing Club
  • Honorary Citizen of Yu Shan Kuang Village of Hai Yang County—the birth place of Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Boxing Grandmaster Liang Xue Xiang (1810-?)

Ilya Profatilov is an inheritor of Six Harmonies Praying Mantis Boxing tradition in the 6th generation, Grand Ultimate Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Boxing tradition in the 8th generation and Grand Ultimate Praying Mantis Boxing in the 8th generation tradition.

In 2001 Ilya started teaching in the USA. He has hosted international kungfu seminars and instructed mainly other instructors and masters of Chinese Boxing.


Grace Profatilov

Grace Profatilov studied Tae Kwon Do in her youth and holds a red belt. In 1991 she went to Beijing University in China, and studied traditional Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan from the renown Grandmaster Ma Han Qing (1920-1997), eventually becoming Ma Han Qing's only female disciple and received the complete transmission of traditional Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan.

Grace Profatilov is an inheritor of the orthodox Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan tradition in 5th generation.

 

SENIOR INSTRUCTORS:

Gary Meier
Gary Meier is a disciple of Ilya Profatilov. His styles are Liu He Tang Lang and Tai Ji Tang Lang. Gary also received instructions from Tai Ji Tang Lang Grandmaster Liu Bao Min (1935-).

Al Baubonis
Al Baubonis is a disciple of Ilya Profatilov. His style is Tai Ji Tang Lang. Al also received instructions from Tai Ji Tang Lang Grandmaster Liu Bao Min (1935-) and Master Li Jin Fu in Qing Dao City, and Mei Hua Tang Lang Grandmaster Cheng Xian Ming (1937-) in Yan Tai City, China from 2005-2006.

Robert Wheeler
Robert Wheeler is a disciple of Ilya Profatilov. His styles are Tai Ji Mei Hua Tang Lang and San Shou. Robert also received instructions from Tai Ji Tang Lang Master Liu Bao Min (1935-), and Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Grandmaster Cheng Xian Ming (1937-) in Yan Tai City, China in 2005.