The Mountain Institute

of Kung Fu and Tai Chi

Sifu Tom

Born on October 5th, 1959, Sifu Tom Farrar have a rough start at life. By 6 years of age, he had already undergone 20 major surgeries and was not even expected to live to have them. At this same age, Sifu Tom began his journey in the martial arts

Having trained in Go Jin Ryu, Ishin Ryu, Shotokan, and Kempo, he opened his very first school at the age of 18 years in a raquetball club in Port Hueneme, CA. Concurrent to this, Sifu Tom was training in Chinese martial arts (Kung Fu) which he began at age 17. It was also in his 18th year in which he earned his 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

From 1978 through 1979, Sifu Tom taught Kung Fu at Ojai Valley School, Villanova Prep School, and Happy Valley School. By 1983, he opened a school in Ojai and won an award in Culver City for having the largest competitive school in the region.

By 1980, Sifu Tom began doing stuntwork for television. He went on to work in special effects and set-building and by 1984, he had shot and produced "Self Defense for Everyone" as well as co-hosting with Lisa Lew. This production featured martial artists such as James Lew, Gerald Okumura, Darrell Goodan (Sifu Darrell), and Rufigio Flores along with Sifu Tom himself.

In the mid eighties, Sifu Tom had relocated to Vail, Colorado where he opened a school and became head of security for the local division of a major hotel chain. Along with this, he was also a bouncer and was called upon to train other bouncers in self defense and "cooling" techniques. These "cooling" techniques were ways in which to eliminate threats without leaving marks on disruptive patrons as well as to alleviate liability issues and to get problems outside of the establishment as soon as possible.

Later in the eighties, Sifu Tom moved back to Mammoth, California. Here, he taught privately and bounced at popular locales as well as bouncing in Ventura, California.

Eventually, Sifu Tom came home to southern California and from 1988-1990, he worked in television and music videos while teaching privately and offering protective services and body-guard work for high-profile clients. Later, one such client was David Carradine (perhaps best known as Caine in the "Kung Fu" series or as Bill of "Kill Bill" fame) during his work on the film "The Bitter End" (1993). In fact, Sifu Tom has a role in this film! It was also during this time that he coached girls soccer and taught privately in Filmore, California.

Finally Sifu Tom opened this very school, The Mountain Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi, in 1999 with Sifu Darrell Goodan and Claire Farrar. In 2002, the school became a not-for-profit organization. Even though Sifu Tom continued to undergo three more major surgeries between 2002-2004, he managed to take his school to China in 2000, 2002, 2004, and this past summer, 2007. In fact, earlier this year before the trip to Beijing, Sifu Tom underwent major surgery for a blood clot that ran from his hip to his ankle, yet he continued to teach and did not miss this trip for his students.

In 2006, Sifu Tom was inducted into the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

Sifu Tom Farrar teaches students of all walks of life regardless of age, gender, religion, race, etc. He dedicates himself to students as young as 5 and has great after school programs and teaches adults as well. Not only are martial arts taught at The Mountain Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi, but also fundamentals and aspects of Chinese culture and philosophies. Some of his students have gone on to successful careers in the military, Mandarin linguists, and foreign trade.

Sifu Tom's instructors include Hing Chong Lee (Howard Lee) of the Canton Opera, Zhang Yang Tao, and Wing Lam.

Sifu Tom's martial arts methods of focus are Hang Li Do, Southern Five Animals, Tai Chi Chuan, and Lau Ga Kung Fu

Ryan Says:

I helped to put together this website and am a student of Sifu Tom. To add my two cents, I wanted to further explain that Sifu Tom is a great commodity to his community and he teaches genuine Chinese martial arts. I know what constitutes a good school from a bad one (I have over 17 years of training experience myself), and I am willing to make a three hour drive to see Sifu Tom at The Mountain Institute for Kung Fu and Tai Chi. He is the genuine article with extensive knowledge not just in what he teaches, but also of what else is out there. He doesn’t throw anything at the student that he doesn’t believe the student can handle. He is strict with certain issues, but a loving man who would give you the shirt off his back if he thought it could help you. The students are even given choices as to what sets and weapons they want to learn. Sifu Tom teaches because he loves teaching. What a rare find!

Sifu Tom and Ryan