xcakid
04-24-2007, 08:28 AM
Fairly new here, so I am not sure if anyone already had a thread like this way back in the day. If so, sorry about that.
I was just curious how everyone here got started in the MA? And what style was the first style you took? It would be interesting to see the progression of everyone here.
For myself, my dad actually got me started. After I got my butt kicked in fight at school. I came home with a black eye, puffy jaw and a bunch of bruises on my body. I had a major altercation with my group of friends and another group. This was back in the 8th grade. In Catholic school no less. :)
My father had dabbled in Arnis back in the day and thought it would be a great idea to get me involved in MA. We could not find any Arnis schools near our residence at the time and the only other instructor he knew of was 1hr drive away in Stockton, CA (I later went on to learn from that guy). In the mean time, a co worker of my dad recommended his uncle who was teaching Sil Lum Kung Fu in Chinatown. He had a 2 story apartment. He gutted the 1st floor and taught there, living quarters were upstairs. I was studying Sil Lum for a yr or two. Then while in H.S. I had some friends that were taking Shaolin Kempo with Ralph Castro. Since, I wanted to be with my friends I went on to take that. Our counselor, we found out later, taught arnis and we also took that on the side.
After a yr of college I decided to stop and go into the Navy. Only thing I could find at the time that was convenient, location-wise, was TaeKwonDo. I finished college while in the Navy and got honorably discharged. I found another Shaolin Kempo school(Villari later turned USSD) took that for a few years and ended up teaching for 2yrs. I also continued to study Arnis/Kali in that time period. Got burned out. Left MA for about a yr. and went back to study Ying Jow Pai for a yr or 2. Left due to career change that left me with little free time. I was also commuting 1.5hrs each was and working NY market hours in CA.
Now 12+yrs later, I am trying to work my way back and studying Shaolin Long Fist. Currently an orange belt. Currently out of shape. I would like to stick with SLF, however I am looking to augment that with Arnis or some other style that would compliment it. I would really like to get back into Arnis. I have a couple of friends that I teach to and work drills with, but it is so in-frequent. Both have busy schedules. One of them travel quite a bit for his job. The other is just a flake. Would love to find regular school or group of people to work out with.
That is my journey in the world of martial arts so far.
I was just curious how everyone here got started in the MA? And what style was the first style you took? It would be interesting to see the progression of everyone here.
For myself, my dad actually got me started. After I got my butt kicked in fight at school. I came home with a black eye, puffy jaw and a bunch of bruises on my body. I had a major altercation with my group of friends and another group. This was back in the 8th grade. In Catholic school no less. :)
My father had dabbled in Arnis back in the day and thought it would be a great idea to get me involved in MA. We could not find any Arnis schools near our residence at the time and the only other instructor he knew of was 1hr drive away in Stockton, CA (I later went on to learn from that guy). In the mean time, a co worker of my dad recommended his uncle who was teaching Sil Lum Kung Fu in Chinatown. He had a 2 story apartment. He gutted the 1st floor and taught there, living quarters were upstairs. I was studying Sil Lum for a yr or two. Then while in H.S. I had some friends that were taking Shaolin Kempo with Ralph Castro. Since, I wanted to be with my friends I went on to take that. Our counselor, we found out later, taught arnis and we also took that on the side.
After a yr of college I decided to stop and go into the Navy. Only thing I could find at the time that was convenient, location-wise, was TaeKwonDo. I finished college while in the Navy and got honorably discharged. I found another Shaolin Kempo school(Villari later turned USSD) took that for a few years and ended up teaching for 2yrs. I also continued to study Arnis/Kali in that time period. Got burned out. Left MA for about a yr. and went back to study Ying Jow Pai for a yr or 2. Left due to career change that left me with little free time. I was also commuting 1.5hrs each was and working NY market hours in CA.
Now 12+yrs later, I am trying to work my way back and studying Shaolin Long Fist. Currently an orange belt. Currently out of shape. I would like to stick with SLF, however I am looking to augment that with Arnis or some other style that would compliment it. I would really like to get back into Arnis. I have a couple of friends that I teach to and work drills with, but it is so in-frequent. Both have busy schedules. One of them travel quite a bit for his job. The other is just a flake. Would love to find regular school or group of people to work out with.
That is my journey in the world of martial arts so far.