How do you find out you like a certain style?

[SPJ]

At first, I saw a couple of teachers doing Tan Tui in the park. I like the kicks and punches. So I started to practice Tan Tui.

Some years later, I saw college students practice Mantis and Ba Ji. I was intrigued.

I started to learn them.

How do you know or find out the style is what you want?

:D

[SPJ]

As a follow up line of question:

How would you promote your style?

By doing demo, books, website, forum discussions etc?

:confused:

[Vasquez]

As a follow up line of question:

How would you promote your style?

By doing demo, books, website, forum discussions etc?

:confused:


u don't choose the style, the style chooses you.

[FuXnDajenariht]

lol how does that work?

[Vasquez]

lol how does that work?

your sifu will mold you to fit the style.

[Neophyte]

Wow are we from the military. Sergeant Major Sifu will beast you until you submit to the style. How enjoyable would that be.

No I think try whats in your area for a good six months to find out what the style is all about. Decide what interests you the most and gives you the best feeling and go with that.

I think demos are a great way to promte your style. At least then people get to see what your all about, its like an ice breaker. Then you can get talking to whoever is interested and invite them to the class.

The problem round where we live is getting people off there a$$ in the first place.

Cheers

[Mikkyou]

How do you find you like a certain style?
You keep doing every day why because you like it.

[Ray Pina]

To me, it's like a girl. I know right away if I want in or not. It's just something you see.

[Kristoffer]

And sometimes you are already halfway inside. So the only logical thing to do is to go deeper. Eventually you'll probably pull out anyway.

[Chief Fox]

In my opinion, the teacher is more important than the style. At my school we have a mixed curriculum including Long Fist, 7 star Praying Mantis and Hung Gar. I've noticed that I've naturally gravitated more towards the 7 star style.

So instead of focusing on the "right" style, I would focus more on finding the "right" teacher.

Promoting a style: I would do this with Demos, annoying windshield flyers and a web site.

[gfx]

If I see something a style I'm interested in, I first go research it.
I would go read about its history, characteristics, general mindset and strategy. If I find it to my liking then, I'd go try to look for videos of it to get a good idea of its training methods, and what is expected to be learnt. At this point I usually just practice these basic drills myself for a while.

If I find myself absolutely loving what I'm doing 3 months later, I'll go look for an instructor close to me.

This would give me an idea of what to expect in the style, and some ability to judge the skill of the instructor should I go seek instructions.

Promotion?
You know what, I don't promote. I'm so sick of demos and what not, I avoid them like a plague now.

[YuanZhideDiZhen]

1. spend some dough.
spend some dough and about a year trying all the different styles in your area. go back to the ones that interest you most even if you continually can't do them right.

2. spend some dough.
spend some dough and about a month watching martial arts demos and movies. in the trailers of films there's usually someone whom can be contacted to refer you to thier art. maybe they'll hook you up with a style progression to get you ready for thier specific style represented in the film.

3. spend some dough.
spend some dough on the telephone calling around your state to the limit of your commuting patience. that'll at least tell you what you're willing to travel to.

4. spend some dough.
if you can't find a teacher near to you or within your commuting patience drop big bucks on instructional videos. they're not bad for the most part: many are just not complete. but they'll certainly give you the flavour of the forms and a leg up towards being better prepared for when you are able to find a sifu.

5. hang around here for a while. there are over 30 styles represented by various people in this forum.

[PangQuan]

Im with CF. The teacher is more important thant he style. You may find a great style, but the person teaching sucks.

Our school also has several representative styles that we train in.

One way is to study under a good master for many years. Once you have become of a profitient level in the styles you have been trained in, begin to travel.

travel around and taste other styles, you may find one that sticks with you.

It may just be that style is obsolete, and matters not. But what truly matters is your understanding of combat and the way the human body moves and functions... just a thought.

[PlumDragon]

People have done a pretty good job already...

To add a bit: Theres sooooo much out there...too much to ever touch on it all. So you need to pursue various thigns until you feel content with one...or several. Ive spent my last 10-12 years studying about 6 different martial arts, and Im still not sure Ive found what suits me best.

Because I moved alot, and had to find new schools, etc...If there is any piece of truly important advice I can offer, its this: Dont spread yourself too thin! Looking around for what makes you happiest is important, but if you dont allow your martial experience to gain as much, or more, depth than breadth, it may hinder your overall progression.

[Vasquez]

Wow are we from the military. Sergeant Major Sifu will beast you until you submit to the style. How enjoyable would that be.

No I think try whats in your area for a good six months to find out what the style is all about. Decide what interests you the most and gives you the best feeling and go with that.

I think demos are a great way to promte your style. At least then people get to see what your all about, its like an ice breaker. Then you can get talking to whoever is interested and invite them to the class.

The problem round where we live is getting people off there a$$ in the first place.

Cheers

LOL how can you decide what you like in 6 months when the knowledge base is like 1000s of years

[SPJ]

I learned Tan Tui. It gave me basic stances, balance and coordination.

I was awalys thrown on the ground by my cousins' Shuai Jiao. So I learned Shuai Jiao so that I know how to counter.

All has been correct.

We may start with any styles. And the basic elements of the style formed our foundations. We then build on that.

I was exposed to several northern arts.

However, for each style, I spent more time on the practice of the basics.

Only over time, things are gatherning more.

All this time, we do have to ask ourself that what are our limits in terms of physical ability. Some we may improve, some we may not.

The physical attributes of each person vary.

Realization of all these may take 6 months or more.

:cool:

[YuanZhideDiZhen]

if you're starting from scratch with nobody nearby and you have a budget of $500 or less for video learning only:
start with yang-88 tai chi chuan; xiao 13 zhong shih; sun bin ambush fist and 60 hands; wing chun dummy practice; shaolin yan qing (marketed as 'short strike'); shaolin/hung gar 5 animal 5 element; shaolin great spirit boxing; mei hua mantis 8 step road; Hong big cannon, hawk step.

that's a broad range of skills and complexity commonly available throughout the web.

if you're an average beginning student on the ubiquitous "self taught" path this grouping should take about seven years to do well enough to rate as a person who's had three years with a teacher 3 days a week. :)

if you want to learn just a single form for kicking one person's a55 and don't have much interest in martial arts lifestyle the shaolin yan qing/short strike is for you. it is so short that it could be a traditional introduction for the wing chun dummy practice. which would be a good combination, come to think of it... :cool:

[ElectricVersion]

Take some time and read about the philosophies and histories of some of the different arts. Find one that really "clicks" with your way of thinking. At the moment, I am taking Shaolin Long Fist Kung Fu, and signed up for 6 months, so I can really figure out if I like it or not. But in the mean time, I'm reading as much as I can and learning about other arts. Aikido seems to "click" the most with me, so I'll be trying that in a few months when my 6 months of Kung Fu are up.

[Vasquez]

There's also a lot of clips on the net you can download for free. Not to mention martial arts programs like fight school. all this will set you on a path of life long discovery. visit the local buddhist temple if there is one near you - nothing like talking to a monk.

[SPJ]

Y;

I am familiar with your lists.

Yang 88 has many repeats.

I am charmed by Sun Bin fists. I practiced a few forms before.

I am working on a video clip of 8 steps mantis.

Why you picked them?

:D

[Royal Dragon]

Tai Tzu found me...

[Vasquez]

Y;

I am familiar with your lists.

Yang 88 has many repeats.

I am charmed by Sun Bin fists. I practiced a few forms before.

I am working on a video clip of 8 steps mantis.

Why you picked them?

:D


you can always do a google search.

[SPJ]

Yes.

Absolutely.

My video clips will not be repeats of what are already published in vcd.


8 steps mantis (http://cstang.www3.50megs.com/artbook.html)

;)

[YuanZhideDiZhen]

Y;

I am familiar with your lists.

Yang 88 has many repeats.

I am charmed by Sun Bin fists. I practiced a few forms before.

I am working on a video clip of 8 steps mantis.

Why you picked them?

:D

well sir, there are a number of commonly available sets that are relatively simple to learn and are generally effective forms which develop the kind of loose power neccessary for tcma and the correct principles for movement into an opponent: the correct pinciples of rapidity in attack strings which also rely upon the building of technique from form to form and basic to more advanced. this particular list has a broad range of wing chun like movements useful at both short and medium distance. it has long movements good for medium and long distance. it has medium distance power applicable to both distance power principles. it has hand first, elbow first and shoulder first principles in application in every form. it works through both linear and circular movements whereas most systems focus on one or the other. it has a blended progression from soft to hard to soft to hard to progressively develop long muscle strength and flexability. in terms of actual styles represented: yang, wing chun, sun bin, southern crane, snake, grappling, bagua, shaolin/hung, shaolin/hong. it's a pretty broad range of styles and techniques and will certainly give someone the chance to see a lot of things they most likely would never have access to or even ever find out about.

this was directed at folks who couldn't get a better edjucation from thier local ma community... ;)

[neit]

i think "try it for 6 months" is a pretty good rule.

[Vasquez]

Nothing like going to china and training at the temples for a few months. They are full on traditional, with swords, memrobilia etc all selling at the streets. It's a whole kung fu environment.

[TenTigers]

There are better teachers teaching in basements, back rooms, and small out of the way schools than in Chuna. No famous names, just excellent teachers. Usually, if they have a big name, it's only due to the fact that they have been in alot of magazines, or head up an organization, no measure of actual skill. In China, unless you are looking for wu-shu, all yu will find are people looking to rip you off. Especially at the Temple. The Shaolin Temple is nothing more than a tourist attraction, with wu-shu players posing as monks. Hate to burst your bubble, but the big mouse at Disney...he isn't actually Mickey, he's just a guy wearing a mickey costume. Wudong is not far behind, and Omei is next. Prety soon, you will see Hua-Shan open up. Can't wait to get my Hua-Shan T-shirt!

[Vasquez]

There are better teachers teaching in basements, back rooms, and small out of the way schools than in Chuna. No famous names, just excellent teachers. Usually, if they have a big name, it's only due to the fact that they have been in alot of magazines, or head up an organization, no measure of actual skill. In China, unless you are looking for wu-shu, all yu will find are people looking to rip you off. Especially at the Temple. The Shaolin Temple is nothing more than a tourist attraction, with wu-shu players posing as monks. Hate to burst your bubble, but the big mouse at Disney...he isn't actually Mickey, he's just a guy wearing a mickey costume. Wudong is not far behind, and Omei is next. Prety soon, you will see Hua-Shan open up. Can't wait to get my Hua-Shan T-shirt!

I don't think so. shaolin being the birth place of cma. sure tourist go there to see the real deal. But you can tell the wushu players keep it real.