Is Kung Fu suitable for me?

[zacharias]

Hi,

I want to start a Martial Art for self-defense, fun and because I'm interested in it anyway. I've already read quite a bit about what kind of art I'd like to do, and i've come to the conclusion that it has to be either Kung Fu (Wing Tsun probably), Ninjutsu or Aikido. I think though that I'll start Kung Fu because:

1. There aren't many Ninjutsu schools around here, only one actually that is a bit far away. Plus I don't like weapon fighting.

2. Aikido seems to be a bit too defensive for me and I also want to do a bit for my condition / health which is, as far as I know, not that much a part of Aikido.


Sooo can you just answer a few questions for me?

1. Is Kung Fu more hard to learn than the other arts? I mean, at the moment I can hardly kick as high as my chest. Do I need to be somehow "talented"?

2. Are there throws, joint locks, chokes etc. in Kung Fu, specifically Wing Tsun (or Wing Chun or however it's spelled, sorry)?

3. Is there some kind of Belt-system in Kung Fu?

4. Is the stuff that I learn also effective in a street fight? (i know i'm not learning muay thai or kickboxing here but still i want to learn some stuff for being able to defense myself)

5. How much will I have to pay for learning Kung Fu (one lesson per week)? I mean average, I'm still a student you know...

6. Is Kung Fu the most "complete" martial art out there? I don't like to learn e.g. only grappling as in BJJ, or only striking as in boxing etc.


THANKS A LOT :)

[fa_jing]

1. Quality of the instructor is more important than which art you choose.

2. Pick something you like.

3. WingTsun is a fairly complete art.

Have fun!

[Liokault]

Is this a Troll?

You wont get far with one lesson a week unless you just want a hobby.

[dezhen2001]

I think any of the skills you mentioned can be good... just remember it takes practise to become good and not to expect anything too quickly.

Aikido can be very good, but it depends on the teacher. I have had many good experiences with it.

Wing Chun is also what i study now, and i enjoy it and find it helps me for health and martial arts skill a lot :)

The main thing is to find a good teacher - someone who really knows their style, but can also teach you it! It's sometimes hard to do :)

Usually you will find that most Universitys have some martial art classes nowadays, and usually they are pretty cheap as well! :)

good luck with your training!

david

[yenhoi]

4. You will not learn Self-defense in any 'martial-art' class. Some (very rare) will teach you how to fight, and will condition your body for fighting, some (even rarer) will teach you how to teach yourself. Most just teach you fancy techniques, and the majority just barely get you "in-shape."

5. Cost varies widely, if you only want 1-class per week, you will probably pay somewheres around 40-70 $$.

6. No. There is no-such thing as a 'most-complete-art'. Most 'martial-arts' will eventually instill a well-rounded set of fighting skills.

I would recomend you seek out the closest Martial Art schools, check them each out, and then attend the one you find the most interesting/challenging. If you are truely interested in self defense and health, then goto a gym, and dont get yourself into violent situations.

[zacharias]

Self-defense should be the side-effect. I mean I'm not supposed to learn MA and get my ass kicked by everyone, right?

I can only take 1 class per week for both time and money reasons, as I'm busy with finishing school the next two years. I mean i can take one class per week and then do it more often later.

thanks for your help guys, if some more want to answer the questinos that'd be very nice :)

PS: NO i'm not a troll, why should I be?!

EDIT: oh and that 40-70 $$ is per week or month?

[Stone Monkey]

Hi Zacharias -
here's a link to an article about choosing a Kung Fu school that may be helpful to you:

http://www.kickboxing.com/knowledge/fitness/ckc6.htm

And here are a few other articles that may answer some of your questions about Chinese Martial Arts:

http://www.kickboxing.com/knowledge/fitness/ckcindex.htm

Asking on this forum is a good start too - there's a lot of collective skill and experience on this forum.

Good luck with your training :cool:

[The Willow Sword]

you will find alot of CMA schools teaching this method.
in Cantonese it is called " Nan See Boi" method.
a very good system.

also you can look for a school that teaches this method as well. also a very good method its called "takeyo do" its more of a hybrid japanese style but most schools will utilize it.

Good Luck in your search,,The Willow Sword:D

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

1. Is Kung Fu more hard to learn than the other arts? I mean, at the moment I can hardly kick as high as my chest. Do I need to be somehow "talented"?

talant is worthless without dedication, while dedication can eventually create talant. most styles definately take a lot more time to get proficient with, but i personally think it's worth it in the long run. don't worry about kicking above the waist. if a school makes you kick higher than that on a regular basis (for anything but fitness work) stay away from it.

2. Are there throws, joint locks, chokes etc. in Kung Fu, specifically Wing Tsun (or Wing Chun or however it's spelled, sorry)?

a lot of styles have some chi na in them and the ones that dont usually have sifus that have crosstrained in jujitsu or something of the like.

3. Is there some kind of Belt-system in Kung Fu?

depends on the school. mine doesn't, but that guy's over there does.

4. Is the stuff that I learn also effective in a street fight? (i know i'm not learning muay thai or kickboxing here but still i want to earn some stuff for being able to defense myself

depends on the school. you definately have to visit the schools. style isn't nearly as important as the teacher and class. make sure that if you aren't sparring immediately you will be sparring at some point. a good rule of thumb is that if the advanced students can without a doubt hand you your ass, you have at least a little to learn there.

5. How much will I have to pay for learning Kung Fu (one lesson per week)? I mean average, I'm still a student you know...

depends on the school. 40 - 70 a month sounds about right.

6. Is Kung Fu the most "complete" martial art out there? I don't like to learn e.g. only grappling as in BJJ, or only striking as in boxing etc.

no such thing. only complete fighters. as a general rule good kung fu will be all you need for striking, but you will usually have to seek out grappeling elsewhere if you're interested.

[yenhoi]

Self-defense is not a "side-effect" of going to MA class. Sometimes better physical health is a side-effect, tho.

If you only take 1-class a week, with no other training, even at a 'very-good-academy-of-real-fighting' you will probably get your ass handed to you by all but the most non-athletic people.

Fighting, MA, and self-defense are very different, and only sometimes majorly related.

[dezhen2001]

Fighting, MA, and self-defense are very different, and only sometimes majorly related.

that's one of the best sentences i've read here for a LONG time...
just wanted to say it :)

david

[Stone Monkey]

Yenhoi has a good point - martial arts are a very small part of 'self defense'.

To get past the semantics and get a good idea of what self defense really is and how the martial arts fit in, I suggest you check out Marc MacYoung's site No Nonsense Self Defense (http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/) where the topic is dealt with exhaustively.

[Former castleva]

zacharias Hi,

"I want to start a Martial Art for self-defense, fun and because I'm interested in it anyway. I've already read quite a bit about what kind of art I'd like to do, and i've come to the conclusion that it has to be either Kung Fu (Wing Tsun probably), Ninjutsu or Aikido. I think though that I'll start Kung Fu because:

1. There aren't many Ninjutsu schools around here, only one actually that is a bit far away. Plus I don't like weapon fighting.

They do plenty of empty hand technique as far as I know but if it´s far it´s...

2. Aikido seems to be a bit too defensive for me and I also want to do a bit for my condition / health which is, as far as I know, not that much a part of Aikido.

Aikido is pretty defensive (we could say the same about majority of kung-fu but...) You generally accept the force,you don´t just go there and create an opening for yourself.
Probably very good for health,you won´t develop thick muscles in no time but strengthen yourself generally,learn to breathe properly and increase the vitality of your internal organs.
It is an internal art,and considered by some as a "health exercise" but there is lots of martial left.
Schools and styles vary,some are like dancing,some breathe fire (you might also want to check out jujutsu,this is,where aikido is largely from,not completely)
BTW,it does not rely on brute force to succeed so your present condition is not a big thing anyway.

Sooo can you just answer a few questions for me?

1. Is Kung Fu more hard to learn than the other arts? I mean, at the moment I can hardly kick as high as my chest. Do I need to be somehow "talented"?

Quite hard to say.I´d say find out if it is for you...
There are over a thousand of styles (serious) and styles vary.
It is often considered,that flashy kicks are not very practical for self-defense (not to say they could not be a lot of fun and conditioning)


2. Are there throws, joint locks, chokes etc. in Kung Fu, specifically Wing Tsun (or Wing Chun or however it's spelled, sorry)?

Grappling in wing chun is likely to be quite straightforward as you might expect from a striking art.Some parts are grappling oriented,maybe.
Simple grabbing to lead up strikes,limb dislocations etc.
Please note though,that I don´t know too much about it,but is highly popular style so you might find it fun.
That´s it when it comes to wing chun.
It is said that nearly any kung-fu style has at least some chin-na (they call grappling "chin-na" in chinese martial arts,it refers to nearly anything which involves grappling-pressure points,choking,blood press/cavity press,limb misplacing/breaking,muscle grabbing,tearing,locking,pinning,throwing,take-downs...list goes on) Some do it more,some less.
But many well-known systems teach a bunch of it.
Generally speaking,so called "southern" kung-fu styles have better chin-na because they rely more on hand techniques,where "northern" styles use more feet.

3. Is there some kind of Belt-system in Kung Fu?

I think in kung-fu they generally talk about "sash"´es.
Belts can also be heard of,but not used at all in various styles.


4. Is the stuff that I learn also effective in a street fight? (i know i'm not learning muay thai or kickboxing here but still i want to learn some stuff for being able to defense myself)

If you want to train it that way.China has an outstanding military history and kung-fu has been "used" a time or two...
Much kung-fu can look useles to an uneducated eye,but it stands it´s ground.Some styles like tai-chi chuan may take longer to learn and look ineffective but can be very deadly at best.
It is a bit offline to add this into this answer,but it has also plenty of more to offer besides self-defense (which still is one of the essential parts)


5. How much will I have to pay for learning Kung Fu (one lesson per week)? I mean average, I'm still a student you know...

I have no idea! :p Visit all schools you can and ask them all that concerns you.


6. Is Kung Fu the most "complete" martial art out there? I don't like to learn e.g. only grappling as in BJJ, or only striking as in boxing etc. "

There is a very popular question which goes like "What is the best martial art to learn?" This question is impossible to answer,no style is completely complete,even if they would teach this and that.
You could say that "whatever art is best for you".
But I support kung-fu and would say that it has plenty to offer,and you can always cross-train.

[scotty1]

Out of the three MA you mentioned, I'd go for kung fu everytime.

But really, go to the classes, see if you fancy it, and try it.

Give it a chance though because it'll be off-putting at first.

"You wont get far with one lesson a week unless you just want a hobby"

That IS what a lot of people want.

[Kristoffer]

Martial art is what you make it to be. Simple as that. You can choose to be a fighter, or not a fighter. None is 'correct', it's all about your own choice. In the end it doesn't really matter that much wich MA ya choose, it's your own approach and how hard you train that matters. But of corse, Kung Fu is the best ,lol, ;)

[TjD]

i think your best bet is to find the best teacher :) go around and check out the schools, see if you can sit in on a class. that way you know what your getting into

im sure the people here can point you towards some good schools in your area to look at as well

1. if you do wing chun, you wont have to worry about kicks for awhile :) especially not high ones

2. the mechanics of wing chun can be applied to all three - it depends on your teacher and what he wants to teach.

3. some schools have them, some dont

4. if you train and practice hard, you'll be able to handle yourself aptly in a street fight with a year or two of wing chun

5. depends on the schools you look at :)

6. as to completeness, with wing chun you can take it wherever you want to, but first you have to learn the rules before you can break them. it teaches you how to use your body in any situation. so i guess you could call it complete :)

[zacharias]

Thanks guys. I know now that no martial arts is "perfect", but I do also know that for my needs neither Aikido (of which I like the self-defense and grappling part a lot) nor Ninjutsu (which I am interested in the spiritual and historical part more than the other MA's) are as good as Kung Fu. Now I only need to find a school around here, and find out what style is the best for me (Wing Chun probably) :)

Oh and also, do I HAVE to wear such a funny classical Kung Fu clown costume? ;)

EDIT: What I forgot to say is that I'm a little disappointed that there is no official belt/graduate system. I mean, i don't want to walk around with my black belt all the time to attract chicks, but still it'd be good to know what level of Kung Fu someone is at, right?

[Rorny Gracie]

If you want chicks belt colors dont matter to them. Monkey KungFu is the way to go.

[Kristoffer]

:rolleyes:

[Former castleva]

"Thanks guys. I know now that no martial arts is "perfect", but I do also know that for my needs neither Aikido (of which I like the self-defense and grappling part a lot) nor Ninjutsu (which I am interested in the spiritual and historical part more than the other MA's) are as good as Kung Fu. Now I only need to find a school around here, and find out what style is the best for me (Wing Chun probably)

These are just my minor sidenotes which I´d like to add here as a half-hearted answer:
-Aikido does strike (and even kick) at times,to follow up with grappling.
-Ninjutsu is a pretty "cloudy" art in a way,it is surrounded with much mysticism and probably some misleading reputation (Like when there was some sort of ninja boom in the eightee´s etc. movies,think about a guy with a black suit disappearing in a smoke explosion :p ) And as far as I know,some "bad" schools,but a bunch of good ones too,I think.
I´m no expert when it comes to that,but that´s how (with some others feel) You might want to check out www.martialtalk.com & www.e-budo.com if you wanna search further.
Oh and also, do I HAVE to wear such a funny classical Kung Fu clown costume? "

No! You can rent a legit clown costume from a right kind of a store. ;)

"EDIT: What I forgot to say is that I'm a little disappointed that there is no official belt/graduate system. I mean, i don't want to walk around with my black belt all the time to attract chicks, but still it'd be good to know what level of Kung Fu someone is at, right?"

If your school does not happen to support belts,you will still do fine I believe.When you´ll get to know the surroundings and "who´s who" that should not be a problem at kwoon.
Belts can also be a major problem with some (most often they refer to oriental MA in the west) as they can turn tables against actual training.Not to say it would never be an issue for you,this is just one side of the coin.
As they say,belt is just keep your pants from falling.
:)

[The Willow Sword]

on the east part of town i was able to find this school
its a hybrid school but it is a good one.

Dr. Wang hung Lo's school of Tak-e yo do.

great great system. i endorse it all the way. :)


MRTWS

[couch]

It's already been answered by a lot of people, but I wanted to take a crack at it...

Is Kung-Fu suitable for me?

The short answer for anyone: yes.

The reason I believe is that because Kung-Fu covers so many bases. For instance, Tai Chi is part of Kung-Fu and this piece of the art concentrates on health, chi development and self-defense.

Tai Chi usually moves at a slow pace.

Among the other "pieces" of Kung-Fu, you can find more hard styles, etc.

I try to never say that one style is better than another, as they all orginated from the same decent.

BUT...(isn't there always a BUT?)...with that last comment, remember where Kung-Fu fits in the picture:

India > China > Japan

So that's a prime reason I stay as close to the source of the water.

Good luck in your search. Do what feels right, and if you're not happy, nobody said you can't look elsewhere!!

Take Care,
couch

[David Jamieson]

...you can only find out by learning it, then doing it, then really learning it by doing it more.

peace

[small]

You need to start somewhere and do it for a little while before you even know what questions to ask.
Whoever you consider, do a thorough search on the lineage. There are many who teach that are big on ego, possibly even talented, but small on credentials. Find someone who has completed a style, not some toughie with big muscles and a pretty fast punch. I think that most styles of kung fu are hard to learn and also hard to teach.

Good luck in your search.