Senior student training

[Falcor]

A question to those of you who are senior students (disciples, inner gates, etc). Assuming that a system has a finite number of forms, and they at some point you finish learning all said forms in the curriculum (and by learn, I mean that you have absorbed the knoweldge, made it a part of you, explored it to some degree, etc and _not_ just got the movements), and you continue to train under the same teacher, what do you learn from your teacher now? I guess you can learn some additional forms (be it weapons or non-curriculum hand sets, etc) if your teacher knows them and wants to share it with you, but within the chosen system itself, what more do you learn from your teacher? I am not at that level yet, but I would guess that at this point, your teacher would share more of his insights and experiences, perhaps some additional techniques he may have figured out. BUt do you then become more of a...co-explorer in that you two work to explore the art together (but in what way or level does it differ from the way you'd explore the art with a fellow senior student/brother/sister?)? There is obviously more refining to be done, but I'd think it's more of a solo affair where the teacher checks up on you occaisionally - so this leads me to another question - does your training time with your teacher then increase or decrease once you've "completed" the _curriculum_.

[Xdr4g0nx]

Once a student always a student. even if u are sifu of your own school u will still be the student to ur sifu. Think of it as growing up ur dad is 30 when he had you. When u reach the age of 30 ur dad will be then 60.

[David Jamieson]

Your sifu will always be your sifu that is true, and one should always try to be learning for sure. But people pass and times change. I would guess that those that stick around in a school for a long time are likely waiting to be the next sifu. They might just like the friends, they may just enjoy the whole idea of being a part of a martial arts club/school.

Who knows what peoples motivations are for what they do. The thing with Kungfu is that the more you practice the more you learn, the more you learn the more you are able to practice and so on. So, it just becomes "what you do".

If someone enjoys doing that in the same place with the same people for a long time then that is their choice.

Seeing as you have already put the cart before the horse so to speak, why not just wait and see what happens for you and how you fell about it. It is afterall different for everyone.

cheers

[Falcor]

Thanks. I understand that. What I am asking is exactly what type of materials are now learned by you/taught to you once you've gotten to that level?

[Falcor]

Oh, one other thing is that I am not necessarily asking about specifics here, although that would be nice to hear as well, but just in general what the experiences have been.

[Gold Horse Dragon]

Although I am a Sifu..I thought I would post here...because I am still a senior student to my Sifu...after all you can never be a father to your father...you can only be a son.

In my system it would take 10 to12 years just to learn all the forms (kuen) and to perform them at a decent skill level. After this I would continue to refine and refine and refine the students outer and inner skills. Along with this comes the healing aspects (tuina, acupuncture, herbal therapy), more philosophy and meditative skills of the art...all in all...at least another 10 to 12 years of teaching the student...so in total...about 15 to 20 years of teaching the student. It is very easy for the student to make mistakes and think he is training correctly even after 5 years of training unless he continues to learn from his Sifu. I have had long time students who even with continued instruction and supervision, continue to make errors in the performance and application of the art and skills. Mind you, the errors are less and also less serious, but errors none the less. At some point, will the student become a Sifu himself? This requires two things: 1. the knowledge, insight, skills, teaching ability and integrity to even be considered for that level and 2. the title passed on to you by your Sifu. I know there are those believe they are joe sifu after only a few years, but this not what I am referring to.
It takes good teaching, a long time, effort and gained skill to reach all there is to know in an art...if there is such a thing as knowing it all...which I do not believe...there is always 'something to learn'.

GHD