Jimmy Chan

A Chicago native and author, poet, former Mr. America (Body Building), and master martial art expert, Jimmy Chan (aka “FoFlight69), is always thrilled to have the opportunity to share his passion for working with youth and seniors, and is also excited to offer Performance Art through Spoken Word Poetry, Personal Training,  Self Defense & Mixed Martial Art Workshops throughout the USA including: Chicago; Los Angeles; Las Vegas; New York and also Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil; Paris, France; Jamaica; Florence, Italy; Athena, Greece.

Standing firm to his motto, “I give because Everyone can use my help”.  Jimmy Chan has trained well known celebrities, politicians, AIDS patients, seniors, troubled youth and yes, even pets!  He says, “Energy is pure no matter the source.  We all absorb and we all transmit.  We are All Healers!  I choose to Walk Through The Heavenly Gate to Share”.

It would not be out of the ordinary to see someone stretched out over a table in a restaurant, leaning deep into stool at a bar or sitting on a suitcase or ground at the train platform in Paris receiving a massage treatment from this vessel of light, life and love.

Growing up with the challenges of the Chicago “hood”, with foster parents, Jimmy’s story and success to date is living proof that no matter the obstacle or challenges one faces as a child, with a little guidance and support, anyone can succeed, inspire and purposely live an extraordinary life.

While attending Chicago State University, Jimmy was deeply affected by the lectures held in his Philosophy Course which was taught by a prominent Rabbi who was teaching the course completely without study guides and books.  Jimmy said it became a thinkers class, for him at least!  These lectures led Jimmy to leave school in his third year and begin traveling the world studying from the “World University”.  With a better “over standing” of the direction he now wanted to go and the type of work he wanted to pursue, Jimmy enrolled himself into the Chicago School of Massage Therapy (CSMT) in 1992 where he graduated at the top of his class and learning a myriad of styles and modalities of healing.  Jimmy was introduced to the powerful gift of massage as a child through his grandmother and grandfather who would put him to work Every Night by working on them!

Known as the Gentle Giant at CSMT by his teacher, Bob King, Jimmy finally began his professional development as a legitimate and certified healer.  At that time, Bob King was the President of the American Massage Therapy Association and was fighting the good fight by leading the drive to establish professional certifications and accreditation of schools, including his own (CSMT), with vigorous curriculum and hands-on training.  Bob saw the future and understood the importance of legitimizing the profession in every way possible.  He truly became the Pioneer/Father of Certified Massage Therapists in the United Sates.  Upon Jimmy’s graduation, he was honored by Bob to be forever known as the “Gentle Giant” and “Most Anatomically Correct”.  Bob also being a weightlifting enthusiast, had a deep and profound respect for Jimmy and his career especially knowing that Jimmy was a 100 percent NATURAL Body Builder.  This became the play on “Most Anatomically Correct”.  Not only had Jimmy mastered the essence of Body Building but he also fused all that was learned at CSMT and began creating his own brand/approach!

During Jimmy’s time at CSMT, someone mentioned his receiving an acupuncture treatment from a well known yet low-keyed Dr. Shi Cun Wu at The Kang Tai TaiJi Center. He said during their first treatment, Dr. Wu insisted that Jimmy join in one of the classes to help make the treatment more beneficial.  It has now been 20 years of training traditional TaiJi Quan with Wu Shifu while learning Acupressure Release, Meditation and Tui Na Massage. Jimmy has gone on to win several Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals while competing on the International Circuit of Traditional Chinese Martial Arts and has also become a judge as well. Jimmy feels that every form taught showed him the importance of vigor and consistent practice!  You truly only get out what you put in!  Jimmy was a Senior Student and taught classes on a regular basis throughout Chicagoland.  He also taught an After School TaiJi/Poetry Class for kids at Richard Career Academy on the south side of Chicago.  Known to be one of the roughest/toughest areas in Chicago, Jimmy says this is the best place to start making a difference, Right in Your Own Backyard!

In 1998, Jimmy Chan’s life would change forever when he met and began training with 34th Generation Shaolin Monk, Shi Yan Ming at the USA Shaolin Temple in Manhattan, NY.  The  journey throughout China was The Most INCREDIBLE VOYAGE that Jimmy has ever taken in his life. There, the principles of Chan Buddhism, Gung Fu, TaiJi and Meditation has made his practice even greater!  He said, “I truly do feel like the gentle giant now!” As Shifu would say:  More Chi! Train Harder!!!

Jimmy’s Massage and Personal Training Includes:

• 30 years plus hours in the field training Professional and Amateur Athletes, Hollywood Celebrities, Politicians, Pre/Post-Natal, Inner City After School Kids Programs
• 25 years in the field as a Business Owner of ChanClan and Independent Contractor, including international work in Brazil, Jamaica, France, Italia and Australia.
• Chicago School of Massage Therapy- (1992-1993) Chicago:
  • 500 hours extensive study program focused on Anatomy/Physiology, Kinesiology (including Myofascial, Neuromuscular Therapy (Rolfing), Trigger Point Release,  Swedish Massage, Hydro/Cryotherapy, Nutrition, Reiki and Chi Gong), Pathology and hands on specific training.
  • 300 hours community outreach programs which included athletes, pre-natal, senior citizens, pets (one of his most challenging but most spiritually rewarding), A.I.D.S patients (most rewarding work he’s ever done).
  • 50 Hours Student Clinic
• Reiki Level I, II – Certificate from Reiki Master Susan Pohn (Chicago)
• 300 hours Lotus Qi Gong with Master Zhen Hong Chen (Chicago)
• Chinese Institute of Gong Fu with Master Hong-Chao Zhang (2012-2014)
• Parrillo Performance Personal Trainers Certification
• Continuing Education:
  • Kang Tai Tai Ji Center with Grandmaster Dr.Shi Cun Wu (1992-Current)
  • USA Shaolin Temple with Abbot Shi Yan Ming (1998-current) (NYC)