is it me or

[Shaolinlueb]

does anyone else notice, at least i think, a lot of the "masters" and some "grandmasters" of systems lack any real fighting experience? I know a real master of kung fu doesnt have to resort to his fists to solve a fight, yada yada. but it seems like kung fu is becoming more of a form thing than traditional combat system. I mean i see people training applications, but how many of you do freestyle and can actually use it? I see a lot fo schools get stuck if something doesnt work out like its suppossed to like in the drill. I know some situations i would be safe some i would get my butt kicked. Maybe its just the whole americanization thing.
[/vent]

[red5angel]

I think there are a lot of things contributing to that. money being the biggest, ego being the second problem, and too much tradition being the third.
I have no problem with forms work, or drilling but there comes a time when what your learning has to be put into an environment where it really get's tested. If you don't get in there and throw a few punches and kicks against someone who not only wants to stop you, but wants to hit you as well, then you never really know and you're just fooling yourself about it being made to work for you.

[MasterKiller]

It's just you.

[rogue]

I've noticed no fight experience and no real understanding of what they're doing. Get a couple of other guys together certif y each other with inflated rank and you have intant masters. Start your own style and make yourself a grand master. Or go the way Ed Parkers people went and just keep inflating the dan rankings to 15.:rolleyes:

[Ray Pina]

There are a lot of those schools out there. That's why I always say better to spend 2 years looking for a school and only one year training at a good one than doing it the other way around.

This might not be popular, but most of the Kung Fu schools I have seen actually possess better technique than most Japanese systems but they don't train properly. They are too into the Shaolin bull$hit and pu$$y foot around with forms and slap, slap chi sau.

The stuff is in there waiting to be found but not many want to put the gear on and dig it out. They rather put on a robe and swing an alluminum sword that jiggles.

You can blame the teachers, and the magazines (look at the crap that they pass off as "martial" and internet adds, but in the end I blame the students. I've visited schools where friends train and ask to Chi Sau -- in front of senior instructors -- and get no takers.

Any fighter I know would jump at the opportunity. I hear someone whisper, "want to spar", I jump to my feat and run to my gear bag.

These students willingly fool themselves. Most would be better of learning Karate, where at least sparring is common in class.

I say it a lot: Boxers box, wrestlers wrestle, grapplers grapple, fencers fence ... who do most Kung Fu guys do? Talk!

[Fu-Pow]

Well, I don't know about other schools but my Kung Fu school includes a healthy dose of free sparring.

If you think it's point sparring, think again....I had blood pouring out of my nose last Friday night. I great way to teach you to keep your hands up....haha.

Anyways, here's my perspective.

As a beginner w/ no martial arts experience you need to spend most of your time on the basics and form work. You are in diapers. You know nothing. At the point of the beginner you have zero ging, zero body mechanics and zero coordination, zero control. You don't have a clue how to fight with our style.

Beginners at this level have no business sparring. They need to spend there time on the basics, ironing out all the "kinks" in how they move.

Then we start working in some pre-coreographed applications. Slowly at first and then with more "zip."

At about a year into your training, depending on how hard you've worked, you might be ready for some free-sparring. But be prepared to LEARN a lot.
;)