The Founder

The Shaolin Kenpo system was developed by Great Grandmaster Ralph Castro.  Great Grandmaster Started his martial arts training in Honolulu, Hawaii in the 1950's under Professor William K.S. Chow.  In the early 1960's Great Grandmaster moved to the Bay Area where he opened the first kenpo karate school in Northern California.  In 1988 Great Grandmaster was inducted in the Black Belt Hall of Fame.

The System

There are three stages of learning that follows us through our Shaolin Kenpo training.  Stage 1, the Primitive stage, going through the motions.  Stage 2, the Mechanical stage, step by step with good foundation and accuracy.  Stage 3, the Reaction stage, flows without thinking.  With these three stages we help the students to work through each of the three reactions that can happen in any scary situation, freeze, flight or fight.

Learning Shaolin Kenpo will help students in many ways.  We do not teach the students to start the fight, but to avoid the fight.  The confidence to take care of the situation if avoidance is not possible.  Teaching them not to look or act like a victim.  The need to be aware of their surroundings.

There are five fundamentals that were are taught and constantly tested on 1.Knowledge                                                                                                              2.Foundation                                                                                                               3.Speed                                                                                                             4.Power                                                                                                             5.Accuracy

Who We Are

Head Instructor,                              Sifu Kim Ostrowski

Sifu Ostrowski started her kenpo karate training at the age of 10 here in San Jose, CA.  She continued until the age of 14.  As a gift, her husband signed her up for classes in 1999 at a Shaolin Kenpo school also here in San Jose.  In 2003 she recieved her Black Belt in Shaolin Kenpo under her instructor Sibok Leo Lopez.  In 2004, with her teacher's permission, she started teaching Shaolin Kenpo at a private elementary school.  In 2007 she received the rank of 3rd Degree Black Belt from Great Grandmaster Ralph Castro.  Sifu Ostrowski is continuing her Shaolin Kenpo education by taking classes at the main school in Daly City.

Sifu Ostrowski received her 4th Degree Black Belt on December 10, 2011 from Great Grandmaster Ralph Castro.

See my Black Belts at this link on the

Shaolin Kenpo Black Belt Family Tree

on the ISKA website.



Assistant Instructor,                       Miss Cynthia Ostrowski

Miss Ostrowski started her Shaolin Kenpo training in 1999 at the age of 6 under the instruction of Sibok Leo Lopez.  She has competed in many tournaments over the years and has done very well.  In 2001 she competed in a tournament in San Francisco and won Kata Grand Champion for 9 years old and under.  Miss Ostrowski has been teaching Shaolin Kenpo since 2004.  In 2007 Miss Ostrowski received her Black Belt under her instructor Sifu Kim Ostrowski.  Miss Ostrowski now holds the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt.

Miss Ostrowski received her 2nd Degree Balck Belt on December 10, 2011 from Sifu Ostrowski.

Assistant Instructor,                           Miss Thea Lambert

Miss Lambert has left us at the end of August 2010 to continue her education at UC Davis.

Good Luck to her!  And I'm sure we will be seeing her in the future.

Miss Lambert started her Shaolin Kenpo training in 1997 at the age of 10 under the instruction of Sibok Leo Lopez.  In 2004 Miss Lambert received her Black Belt under her instructor Sibok Leo Lopez.  Miss Lambert now holds the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt.  Miss Lambert had a small interruption in her Shaolin Kenpo training, she went to college.  She graduated in May 2009 from Lewis & Clark College summa cum laude with Department Honors with a Biology Major and Chemistry Minor.