mantis or Baji?

[cybermantis]

I am faced with a problem I would like to train in both Baji and Mantis the only thing is I kinda like Baji alittle more but heres my problem I could train in Plum flower Mantis www.shaolinkungfuclub.com and hes certified under Duke Y.M. Cheng from Buena Park ca but Id have to commute 4x per week for 1 per class, or train under baji which is 15 minutes away but theres only 1 class per week 2-3 hours per week, this instructor comes from the same lineage as Adam Hsu his name is Jason Tsou www.chikunginternational.com and my last choice is I'd have to commute about an hour and this instructor trained under Jiang Hao-Quan who is very well known and he teaches Mantis, Eagle Claw, Baji, Piqua but his school is taught like a university he has a curriculum that he follows and there no ranking system its a 4 year program etc www.beijingkungfu.com
I think I need more than 1x per week to train?

[taichi4eva]

I trained briefly at Duke Cheng's place. Observing a class first would be best because at the lower levels it gets rather boring. For the practicioners that have been there for at least a year, Sifu opens up.

I wasn't there long enough to reap real benefits, probably because of my age. I was there when I was 16, and incredibly arrogant because I had a black belt in TKD. However, I had to start over again, which was a good experience because I was humbled. The mantis that Sifu Cheng teaches in the beginning is not Plum Flower (except for Meihualuo). You will learn Qishou, Lipiquan, Meihuashou, Meihualuo, and Jingangquan. Sifu teaches much Shaolin in the beginning with Mantis at times interspersed in the curriculum.

I guess it depends on your sense of patience. I know that when I was there, I wanted to learn anything and everything, but I was made to sit and watch others do forms. And the thing is, I'm not trying to complement myself, but it's possible for me to learn by watching a form enough times, but I wasn't allowed to practice the stuff I learned by watching. In retrospect, there was nothing wrong with that, because I was learning behind Sifu's back (lol).

I'm a first year student at UCLA right now and am a member of a martial arts club here on campus. A faithful student of Sifu Cheng comes around here who shows me things that I would have learned had I stayed; at times I feel like CRYING (not really!) because there's so much that he knows.

I've seen the Beijing Kung Fu website, and there's something about it that strikes me as being heavily by modern wushu, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I know it's not for me. The other place sounds more interesting mostly because of the link to Adam Hsu, who is one of the most famous practicioners of CMA in the US as well as internationally.

If you want, feel free to PM me with questions. I don't know too much, but I might be able to help.

[cybermantis]

i would say that I wanna be completely honest with myelf and reflect if I would really push myself on days that Im tired or I have school or work. Ive been told that i is a dangerous only because I will be learning all the stuff but I have no one to practice with. When I think to myself if I am the kind of person that can really absorb the material. I've been told that the benefit of going to class often is that if you are unsure about something you learned you can ask for clarification the next day or whatever. If you go once per week and you forget something in a form or application, I might just skip over a technique or do what I thought is right (even if it isn't) because my main objectiveis to become a good fighter !

[cybermantis]

So the school im interested is in Long Beach and is caled Shaolin KungFu School of Long Beach and the Sifu there learned from Sifu Duke Y.M. Cheng. I want a teacher that will make me a well rounded martial artist and be able to adequately defend myself in a real combat street fight? So my question to you is if you've been a student at his school Are his students combat fighters or form fighters I have talked to a few instructors and even watched a few classes but it seems as if when you watching their class its like if they were filming a movie that was the only time they showed real techniques. They teach forms but that seems to be all they teach. Do their concentrate on forms? Do they do two man drills? Do they demonstrates the technique and show the appropriate amount of force and power to make the technique effective? Just because a person studies a martial art doesn't mean they're a good fighter. I've seen several people that have studied an art for years but still wouldn't stand a chance in a real fight. Much of it depends on your willingness to mix it up and respond to violence with more violence. If you don't have the proper mindset then you're going to get your teeth knocked out evey time. It doesn't matter how many boards you can break or how high your flying kicks are.I agree with this statement I watched a class once and the teacher taught a technique and I would hear some one say that would hurt I could never do that to someone, people like that lack a fighting spirit and the mind set for real combat. I want to be taught a real fighting instinct. Does your school provide this but at the same time I want to learn the complete system traditional MA? I have a brief background in Tai Mantis but because of the death of my sifu I was forced to put my training on hold, and besides after the death of my sifu I encountered alot of personal problems which I have now overcomed, so I strongly believe that it is time to continue my martial art training with a tradition school. Im will to travel to the ends of the earth to get quality instruction ? I live in the San Gabriel Valley and being it is a predominent Asian community you'd be surprised that the only MA schools are Tae Kwon Do schools. I must also be honest with you I have a past and many times I have gone to schools and I was given the cold scholder like I wasnt wanted? I have tattoos, but I know that MA is the only way to make me a better person in life? Even though Shaolin kungfu school of Long beach is the closest it is still an hour away but if it is a good school Im willing to make the time and effort to learn this art, but also how long would it take to use what i learn in a real combat situation, Do they sparr in class? Do they practice applications? Two man drills? etc

[beiquan]

Jason Tsou teaches both Baji and mantis and is probably your best bet there. Beijing Kung Fu is all sport wushu.