should i change style/school?

[zultan]

Hey folks! Hoping i can get some words of wisdom in here.
Ive been taking wing chun for 4 yrs now and i should be alot better at it than i am.Its kind of a trip for me to get there so im not very consistant with training,ill get good for a little while then ill take 2 steps back and this seems to be a pattern.If this is the case,im thinking it would be better to just find a good teacher in a style in my immediate area(a good chen taiji teacher is like 5 min.from me).I really enjoy wing chun,but im wondering if im wasting my time.I think i would make better use with my time going to somewhere that is closer to me and allow me to train in a more consistant manner.Forgive me folks,i just have to vent.Any advice or insults are welcome.Peace Out!!!!!!!

[Lindley57]

Zultan,

You must ask yourself if the "right thing to do" is to seek what you truly want or what is most convenient. Most martial artists do not realize how fortunate they are to find a quality school and Sifu in "their backyard". Many, including myself, sacrificed the travel in order to commit to what we felt had our best interests at heart in the long run. The approach to learning must be reasonable; if your school is far away, one cannot devote years and years of endless study. One cannot "waste time". Instead, you should map a reasonable time plan where you commit to getting the most out of it and then proceeding to another phase of training.

People often do not recognize martial arts training as a personal process. One in which we must take responsibility for and understand. You should not feel the need to be a "regular student" forever or that it is necessary to make class 5 times a week. Just like Karate people should not consider the road ended when they become a black belt.

I originally started to teach because I wanted to create a local group available for me to train with and explore. Teaching others opens up greater understanding. Of course, they can also present bodies for you to work with. I did realize, however, that students are for teaching and not for my own practicing with. For my own training, I need to go to my Kung Fu brothers and sisters.

Sounds like the distance is not the problem. You have to be positive about your experience and approach to training in general. Whether near or far, you must take your training seriously if you are to get the results you seek. If you want something bad enough, you will be consistent.

My advice is you should consider more in your choice than just convenience. Your long trip could be viewed as an investment. However, this is all meaningless unless it is what you are about.

Good luck with your Kung fu.

[yuanfen]

Zultan-

If you are doing/learning second class wing chun and there is first class chen style teacher nearby- hurry thee to the latter.

You can re-evaluate with some experience witha good teacher-
may turn out different than what you expect.

The teacher is an important variable- not just the style- but the biggest is you....your decision making, will, listening and correct practice.

[FSY]

I spend more time on the freeway getting to my Wing Chun classes than I spend in class. However, I keep going, despite living so far away, because I'm very pleased with my Sifu and the school.

There's only so much you can learn and practice in school during your classes. I think that the majority of your practice time should be outside of school on your own. This seems sort of like college. Your professors are there to allow you to look over their shoulders so you can see how it's supposed to be done, but you've still got to do the reading and the homework.

If you honestly put in the time outside of class, but you're still not making improvements, then maybe there is something wrong in the way the knowledge/skills are being transmitted.

[zultan]

I practice on a regular basis outside of class so thats not the problem.Its important to do your homework but with wing chun you also need a partner to learn how to feel and apply it or else your just doing karate.Its just for a while i keep seeing myself kind of stagnant on that point.I will keep going to wing chun for now and feel it out,but if this pattern keeps repeating itself i should probably think about what im doing.Im not a "wing chun or die" person and martial arts isnt a main factor in my life(dont get me wrong,i love it and i think wing chun rocks) but these days i have to use my time wisely and if there is a really good school near me i should at least consider it.Other than the wing chun im going to now,the only other place i considered was this chen school,i think its a long time student of Ren Guang Yi.couldnt hurt eh? I have the feeling i will probably just keep on truckin to wing chun though so ill shut up about it for now :p

[couch]

Firstly, have you talked to your instructor? Maybe he/she can offer some advice or even come up with a solution. Maybe your sifu could get another student to stay late one day a week to practise with you, get you a key to the studio, let you lock up at then end of the night, etc, etc. If you feel like you can approach your sifu, or other students then I think that they could offer you some help.

I know that my sifu would bend over backwards and help me find a solution to ANY of my life problems.

Good luck with your training!

Sincerely,
Couch

[Vash]

Originally posted by zultan
.Its important to do your homework but with wing chun you also need a partner to learn how to feel and apply it or else your just doing karate.

. . . you say that like it's a bad thing. ;)

[zultan]

Karate a bad thing? No way.Look at Sonny Chiba kicking all that ass:D

[Phil Redmond]

I know Karateka that I wouldn't want to fight unless my life depended on it. I hope no one under estimates their hard core training and spirit.

[zultan]

I definately dont under estimate karate.My pops told me stories of witnessing hardcore Karate training in the fifties while stationed in japan.Didnt sound like folks you would want to mess with at all.