About Us

Five Animal Martial Arts is a complete martial arts school, offering a wide range of classes in Five Animal Kenpo Karate and Mixed Martial Arts for students of all ages.

Our mission is to empower our students to achieve their own physical, mental and emotional goals through functional martial arts training in an environment that fosters fun, camaraderie, community and truth.

Five Animal Martial Arts Training Benefits

In our classes, we:
     - Empower our students to find their own unique fighting style.
     - Work with students as individuals to help them find what works best for them.
     - Give each martial artist student a great foundation of balance and power.
     - Provide a framework for integrating different strategies together.
     - Help build timing, focus, strength, speed and balance.

Give you the ability to:
     - Cope with stress.
     - Learn better study habits and work ethic.
     - Enhance confidence and self-respect.
     - Practice humility and respect for other students.

Sifu Michael Ernst, School Director

Mike began his martial arts training in 1986, and received his Shodan (1st degree black belt) in American Kenpo in 1991. Mike started training in Five Animal Kenpo in 2000, earning his first degree black belt in 2005. At that time, Mike became the only person in history to hold separate black belt rankings in the Five Animal and American Kenpo systems. In 2010 Mike was awarded the teaching title of Sifu (3rd Degree Black Belt) recognizing the fact that he has successfully trained students worthy of being promoted to Black Belt.

Sigung Eric Klein, Head Instructor

Eric has been training in martial arts since 1991 and teaching professionally since 1993. With more than 15 years of teaching experience, Eric has an exceptional ability to help students obtain their goals by creating specialized drills and training methods to meet their specific needs. As the person responsible for setting the teaching and training methods of the school, Eric is always looking for new and better ways to enhance the learning experience.

Eric continues to enhance his own skills by continually training and sharing with some of the most skilled instructors and martial artists in the Sacramento area.

In 2010 Eric was was awarded the teaching title of Sigung (5th Degree Black Belt) recognizing the fact that several of his Black Belt Students have gone on to become instructors and promote Black Belt students of their own.