instructors | Martial Arts | Kung fu | Hamden Connecticut

 

TEACHERS:

Ilya A. Profatilov (Ma Yong Guang)

 Ilya Profatilov studied Sambo, Judo, Shotokan Karate and Taekwondo in his youth in the 1970s in Moscow, Russia (former Soviet Union). He served in the Soviet Army from 1984 until 1986. He also studied the military hand-to-hand combat methods of the Soviet Army and old school Soviet 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
  • Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Great Grandmaster Lin Tang Fang (1920-) in Haiyang, China, 2007—present.

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.

Ilya Profatilov also studied traditional Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan from the renown Grandmaster Ma Han Qing (1920-1997), and received the complete transmission of traditional Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan. Ilya Profatilov is an inheritor of the orthodox Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan tradition in 5th generation.

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

 

SENIOR INSTRUCTORS:

Al Baubonis
Al Baubonis is a disciple of Ilya Profatilov. His style is Tai Ji Tang Lang. Al also received instruction 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.

Greg Childress
Greg Childress is a student of Ilya Profatilov. His styles are Tai Ji Tang Lang, Mei Hua Tang Lang, San Shou and Russian Sambo. Greg also received instruction from Meihua Tang Lang Master Liu Peiyi iin Haiyang, China,Taiji Tanglang Master Wang Yong in Qingdao, China, Meihua Tang Lang Master Chen Xianming (1937-) in Yan Tai City, China, and Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Great Grandmaster Lin Tang Fang (1920-) in Haiyang, China, from 2007-2008.

Anna Baerman
Anna Baerman is a student of Ilya Profatilov. Her styles are Tai Ji Tang Lang, Mei Hua Tang Lang, San Shou and Russian Sambo. Anna also received instruction from Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Great Grandmaster Lin Tang Fang (1920-) in Haiyang, China, Meihua Tang Lang Master Chen Xian Ming (1937-) in Yan Tai City, China, Ta Ji Tang Lang Master Liu Zhen Ming (1935-) in Qingdao, China, Mei Hua Tang Lang Master Yi Hai Feng, in Dandong, China, in 2008.