How the Online Academy Works
Structured training. Direct guidance. A clear path forward.
The Dragon Phoenix Online Academy gives students a practical way to study authentic Cheng Baguazhang, Chen Taijiquan, and Daoist philosophy from anywhere. Students receive immediate access to Level 1 training material, begin with clear orientation videos, choose one style to focus on first, and train at their own pace. As students practice, they can submit review videos for feedback from Shifu Aaron. When they demonstrate the required material for their level, they can progress and unlock the next level of training. This is not just a video library. It is a guided training path for sincere students who want structure, feedback, and real instruction in the Internal Chinese Martial Arts.
What You Receive When You Join
Immediate access to structured training, philosophy lectures, and video review.
When you join the Dragon Phoenix Online Academy, you receive immediate access to the Level 1 curriculum in both Cheng Baguazhang and Chen Taijiquan, along with the full Daoist philosophy lecture library currently available in the Academy. You will also receive access to orientation videos that explain how to begin, how to choose your first training path, how to practice through the material, and how to submit videos for review. Students can log in through the Dragon Phoenix website or through the free Gymdesk app, making it easy to access lessons from home, while traveling, or wherever you have space to practice. Membership is currently one simple tier: $60/month.
The Student Path
A clear process for beginning, practicing, and progressing.
Once you join the Dragon Phoenix Online Academy, the training process is simple. You begin by watching the orientation videos so you understand how the Academy is organized, how to access your lessons, how to choose your first training path, and how to submit videos for review. From there, you choose one style to focus on first: Cheng Baguazhang or Chen Taijiquan. You will have access to both, but most students make better progress by beginning with one primary path. After choosing your first style, you begin with the foundations. These lessons help you develop the structure, footwork, balance, relaxation, coordination, and internal body mechanics that support everything else in the curriculum. As you practice, you can submit videos for review. These can be full forms, testing videos, single movements, or specific questions about your training. Shifu Aaron will give constructive feedback so you know what to refine and how to continue improving. When your submitted material meets the criteria for your level, you may progress and unlock the next level of training in that style.
Video Review & Feedback
You are not left to guess.
One of the most important parts of the Dragon Phoenix Online Academy is the ability to submit practice videos for review. Students may send videos as often as they like. These videos do not have to be full forms or formal tests. You can submit a single movement, a short section of form, a question about body mechanics, or a full level-testing video when you are ready. Shifu Aaron will review your training and provide constructive feedback so you know what to refine, what to keep practicing, and how to continue improving. This makes the Academy very different from simply watching a video series. Instead of trying to guess whether you are practicing correctly, you can receive direct guidance from a teacher who understands the curriculum, the body mechanics, and the standards for progression. When your submitted material meets the criteria for your current level, you may move forward and unlock the next level of training in that style.
Review videos can be simple. They do not need to be polished or perfect before you send them.
Feedback turns online practice into guided training.
Can You Really Learn Martial Arts Online?
An honest answer for sincere students.
In-person training is always best when it is available. There is no complete replacement for hands-on correction, partner work, direct contact, and the experience of training in the same room with a qualified teacher. But many sincere students do not have access to legitimate instruction in Cheng Baguazhang or Chen Taijiquan where they live. The Dragon Phoenix Online Academy was created for those students. With structured lessons, clear progression, consistent practice, modern video technology, and direct review from Shifu Aaron, students can go much farther than they could through books, scattered online videos, or generic follow-along lessons. Online training works best when students are self-driven, patient, and willing to refine the details over time. It is not a shortcut. It is a real path of study for students who are willing to practice.
Online training is not a shortcut. It is a serious option for students who are willing to practice.
Optional Private Lessons
Additional guidance when you want more personal instruction.
Students who want more direct instruction may also schedule private lessons with Shifu Aaron. Private lessons are available in person at Dragon Phoenix in Asheville, North Carolina, or online through Zoom. These lessons can be used to refine specific movements, review forms, ask detailed questions, prepare for testing, or receive more personalized guidance in Cheng Baguazhang or Chen Taijiquan. Private lessons are optional and are not required to participate in the Online Academy. They are available for students who want additional support beyond the regular curriculum and video review process. Private lesson rate: $125/hour.
Private lessons are optional. The Online Academy is designed to stand on its own, but additional guidance is available for students who want it.
Certification and Deeper Study
For students who want to carry the art forward.
The Dragon Phoenix Online Academy is designed to support long-term study, not just casual video access. Students who continue sincerely through the curriculum may have the opportunity to work toward certification in the material they are qualified to teach. Instructor certification is not simply a reward for completing videos. It requires demonstrated skill, understanding, consistency, personal character, and the ability to communicate the material responsibly. Students pursuing certification may be asked to submit testing videos, record themselves teaching a sample class, prepare lesson plans, and receive guidance from Shifu Aaron as they develop their ability to teach. This allows qualified students to begin sharing beginner-level material earlier in their training while continuing to grow as practitioners themselves. For qualified Cheng Style Baguazhang students, the Academy may also become a path toward being considered for traditional discipleship. This is not automatic and cannot be purchased. Discipleship is reserved for students who demonstrate deep commitment, love for the art, strong character, and real understanding of the Eight Turning Palms. The goal is not simply to earn a title. The goal is to become someone capable of preserving, practicing, teaching, and representing the art with integrity.
Titles are not given for attendance. They are earned through practice, understanding, character, and responsibility.
Who the Online Academy Is For
For sincere students who are ready to practice, study, and grow.
The Dragon Phoenix Online Academy was created for students who want real access to Cheng Baguazhang, Chen Taijiquan, and the Internal Chinese Martial Arts, but may not have qualified instruction available where they live. Some students are complete beginners. Some already practice Tai Chi or another martial art. Some are experienced practitioners looking for deeper internal training. Others are local Dragon Phoenix students who use the Online Academy as a resource between in-person classes. What matters most is not where you begin. What matters is that you are willing to practice consistently, pay attention to details, receive feedback, and continue refining over time. These arts are deep. They are not learned in a few lessons. Cheng Baguazhang and Chen Taijiquan are among the highest levels of traditional kung fu, and they are challenging in ways many people do not expect. But for students who are patient, self-driven, and genuinely interested in learning, the Online Academy gives you a clear place to begin and a serious path to continue.
This is not a shortcut or a quick certification program. These arts require patience, practice, humility, and careful attention. The Academy is designed to support students who are willing to continue steadily over time.
Join the Online Academy
Start training with structure, guidance, and a clear path forward.
The Dragon Phoenix Online Academy gives sincere students a practical way to study Cheng Baguazhang, Chen Taijiquan, and Daoist philosophy from anywhere. You will receive immediate access to Level 1 training material, orientation videos, video review opportunities, and a clear process for progressing through the curriculum. You do not need to know everything before you begin. Start with the orientation videos. Choose one style to focus on first. Practice consistently. Submit videos for feedback. Move forward when your skill and understanding are ready. For students who have been looking for real Baguazhang, real Taijiquan, and legitimate guidance in the Internal Chinese Martial Arts, this is a place to begin. One membership. $60/month. A serious path of study. The path is open when you are ready to begin.
The path is open when you are ready to begin.