Best School in Boston?

[dr invisible]

I am a potential kung fu student in Boston with no martial arts background. I am looking at schools to go to. Anyone have an idea of the better schools. Doing some internet searches I have found Boston Tai Chi on Boylston St., Chinese Wushu Research Inst (Bow Sim Mark's school), Wah Lum in Chinatown and the YMAA school in JP. Two questions, any recommendations?, and what do you look for when observing a class before signing up?
Thanks so much

[Ford Prefect]

Depends what you want. Boston Tai Chi is modern Wushu. Bow Sim Mark no longer teaches any applications. Do you want to fight? Do you just want the art? Do you want a mixture of both?

[dr invisible]

Thanks for getting back

Fighting competitively is less of an interest.
What do you mean more "modern wushu"?

I believe there is a place in Central Square as well.

[SaMantis]

The first 4 schools you listed are excellent places to start looking, you'll get a good flavor of different systems & teaching styles, an idea of average tuition in the area, and a look at Chinese martial arts.

I've seen the sign for the school in Central Square, but I don't know anything about it ... add it to your list of schools to explore anyway.

With no background in martial arts, I think it's great that you're comparison shopping several schools. The basic things to look for are, does the price meet your budget, and are you interested and excited about what you see in the classes? And always remind yourself to look past the "great deals" on tuition (i.e. black belt clubs, multi-year contracts, etc.), and beyond the colored belts, patches, and cool uniforms. Do the students look happy and do they get along with each other? Do you have a good feeling about the place?

When you do choose a school, do not sign up for any contract longer than a year. Here are a few reasons why:

1. You may lose interest in martial arts for some reason, or your job could become more demanding, and you no longer want to/can attend classes.

2. In your first year of training you'll learn a lot about martial arts, your system, and (hopefully) the MA community. You may decide that the art you originally chose is not for you.

3. The MMA guys on this board might woo you into a MMA school, where you will become hypnotized by the tight shorts and sweaty clinches. You'll feel strangely compelled to ditch all other martial arts and set up an altar to the Gracies ... :p

Anyway, hope this helps. Good luck in your search ...

[Ford Prefect]

Modern Wushu is more about performance. It's like a blend of gymnastics and martial arts. Personally, I'm not a huge fan.

The place in Central Square is Jiann Shyong and is a high ranking member in the same lineage Adam Hsu comes from. From everything I've heard from students there, they focus very little on application or at least don't spar often at all.

Bow Sim Mark is a great coach, but as I said she doesn't teach applications. I feel fighting is part of the martial arts, and it should at least be partly covered. Sparring offers many good spiritual benefits as well.

I've heard good things about the Wah Lum school and I've always been a fan of Yang's school. I've rained there a few times and wish it was more convenient for me to get there because I would have liked to train there full time.

[Mutant]

Thanks for getting back

Fighting competitively is less of an interest.
What do you mean more "modern wushu"?

I believe there is a place in Central Square as well.

Modern Wushu is a training system of non-traditional compulsary forms created by Chinese government for forms competitions... picture lots of acrobatics, butterfly kicks, gymnastic type stuff.

The place in Central Square Cambridge is called Jiann Shyong Kung Fu Center. Teach lots of forms, chin na, tai chi. Their forms look tight from what i saw. Didnt seem particularly friendly though. Don't think they spar at all so you may not learn much about fighting there.

Based on your comments, our school may not be what youre looking for, but youre welcome to come by and check it out anytime. Boston SanDa Kung-Fu (http://www.boston-kickboxing.com/)

If you are at all interested in wing chun kung fu, there is a good school that meets in Cambridge and Arlington, http://www.wckfa.com/homepage.htm

There are a lot of kung fu schools around Boston.
Best of luck with your search.

[Mutant]

[QUOTE=Ford Prefect]Modern Wushu is more about performance....QUOTE]

Ha, Ford, was answering same question just as i was typing that. Yeah, what Ford said

[Ford Prefect]

Haha! Mutant, Boston San Shou (they were across from Tower records at the time) was a place I was dieing to train at but was too incovenient for me and too much money combined with my BJJ. I ended up doing some work at Sityodtong Muay Thai, Bay Union Wrestling Club, and Tohuko and Newton Judo... all for less combined. ;) Still would have dug training there and fighting in the sport. One of my friends lives on Comm Ave right by there, and I'm always telling him he needs to go.

[YuanZhideDiZhen]

there's a lot of good hung gar in the greater boston area.

try Yon Lee in Quincy.

[dr invisible]

Some great advice. Part of my decision will have to weigh accesibility as I am reliant on public trans. These are great starting pts. to comapre schools. The YMAA website seems very thorough and might be worth the trip out to JP. Anyone have any experiences there? I know Ford Prefect mentioned training with Dr. Yang. Thanks again...

[Buddy]

Or come down to Plymouth on Saturdays and try Gao style baguazhang.

[PangQuan]

I personally have not trained at any of the YMAA locations, but I have heard nothing but good things...

[SaMantis]

I haven't trained at YMAA either, but the system and its founder have an excellent reputation. I've read a few of Dr. Yang's books and was impressed with the amount of information presented as well as his analytical approach to martial arts training. My experience with books by other teachers, when I first started in CMA, was that they were either too simplistic -- covering material I could pick up anywhere, or that I was already learning in class -- or way over my head, so that I would need several years' experience before I could understand half the material in them. Dr. Yang's "Shaolin Long-Fist Kung Fu" proved to be a good adjunct to in-class training for my first couple of years.

There is a smorgasbord of good martial arts in and around Boston ... take your time, pick the one you like best.

[Mutant]

Dr-i;
I trained at YMAA branch in Andover location for a year about 12 years ago, but never at the Jamacia Plain headquarters. I would have kept going htere but i moved away and started a new system. I enjoyed the training there and the people were great. Only met Yang himself a couple times when he came in to supervise, he helped me with some chin na once and he seemed like a very good teacher. Definately worth checking out his school if interested in that kind of training.

----------------------------------------------

Ford;
Sure, send your friend on Comm Ave by the san shou gym sometime, we'll hook him up. We're by Downtown Crossing now btw. You got a great mix of training going your route, and no doubt about it, boxing gyms and judo are great bang-for-the-buck. And I'd like to cross-train in some bjj sometime myself.

[Liz C]

The place in Central Square Cambridge is called Jiann Shyong Kung Fu Center. Teach lots of forms, chin na, tai chi. Their forms look tight from what i saw. Didnt seem particularly friendly though. Don't think they spar at all so you may not learn much about fighting there.

I started classes a few months ago at Jiann Shyong Kung Fu Center with no real MA experience and haven't felt anything un-friendly -- and I'm pretty shy!

Perhaps the lack of posted information put you off? There's not a whole lot of detailed information regarding class content or much schedule information beyond the immediate future available in their flyer/brochure. Although I expect that if you talked with Dr. Leung he'd give you more information.

I can't speak to the sparring/fighting aspect since I have no knowledge or other experiences to make a comparison...

I also rely on public transit and it's a very accessible location -- just a few minutes walk from the Red Line and several bus routes.

In case you hadn't already found it, their website: http://www.jiannshyong.com/

Good luck and thanks for asking the question!

Elizabeth

[Mutant]

I started classes a few months ago at Jiann Shyong Kung Fu Center with no real MA experience and haven't felt anything un-friendly -- and I'm pretty shy!

Perhaps the lack of posted information put you off? There's not a whole lot of detailed information regarding class content or much schedule information beyond the immediate future available in their flyer/brochure. Although I expect that if you talked with Dr. Leung he'd give you more information.

I can't speak to the sparring/fighting aspect since I have no knowledge or other experiences to make a comparison...

I also rely on public transit and it's a very accessible location -- just a few minutes walk from the Red Line and several bus routes.

In case you hadn't already found it, their website: http://www.jiannshyong.com/

Good luck and thanks for asking the question!

Elizabeth
Glad to hear youre having a good experience there and that the place is accomodating. I was a bit put off by a visit to the school a few years back, but maybe i was just there on an off night, maybe the sifu and his wife were in a bad mood that day, i don't know.... Your view on the school would be much more accurate than mine since you spend considerable time there. Yeah the school is in a great location, and the quality of the students forms there looked excellent from what i could see.

And welcome to the KF message board Liz, there are a lot of other Boston area people on here as well. :)