I know nothing about martial arts, have few questions

[Pirl0]

im 20 and ive never taken a martial art or fighting class of any kind but recently ive really been wanting to get into it. am i too old? whats a good type of kung fu to get started on? i was looking into a northern mantis school thats close to me, is that more of an advanced thing that ppl who know kung fu go to or can i start there as a beginner? thanks for any info

[NJM]

You're definitely not too old to start, and NPM is a great style that you could start with no prior experience.

[PangQuan]

Definately not too old.

Just go for it, try out that school and see if you enjoy the training.

[Pirl0]

thx for info so far u guys

other question i had was how much is this gonna cost me to start off casually learning, like is there a ballpark of prices for just beginner classes maybe even up to intermediate?

[SaintSage]

Really depends on the school. Check with them and they should be able to answer your questions.

[golden arhat]

TRY EVERYTHING


and i mean absolutley everything u can get your hands on

for a few lessons or 2 examine the costs etc

then stick with the stuff u like/can afford

also dont get attached to names and styles andlineages etc and be all snobby no one likes that

welcome brother :D

[NJM]

thx for info so far u guys

other question i had was how much is this gonna cost me to start off casually learning, like is there a ballpark of prices for just beginner classes maybe even up to intermediate?

I've personally heard of from 15$ a month to 3000$ a month, it really depends on the school.

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

I usually get $2500.00 to $3000.00 a month, but I am just THAT goooood!!! :D

[NJM]

im 20 and ive never taken a martial art or fighting class of any kind but recently ive really been wanting to get into it. am i too old? whats a good type of kung fu to get started on? i was looking into a northern mantis school thats close to me, is that more of an advanced thing that ppl who know kung fu go to or can i start there as a beginner? thanks for any info

Although you can probably join as you are, it would be a good idea to start stretching, running, lifting, etc, if you're out of shape to make the transition into KF practice smoother for you.

[Shaolin Wookie]

Most schools I've ever seen in any style are generally about $85/month. If it's a contract-based school (nothing wrong with contracts, IMO), the price can go down if you sign up for a longer period of time (just like a gym). I suggest you don't just pick a style and go for it. Find four or five schools minimum that you're considering. Go in and ask if you can try the style before you sign up. Sometimes they'll give you a free week. Sometimes a discounted month at half price. Don't rush to sign that contract. The style you count out initially might be the best style for you. Where do you live, BTW? You might get replies from various teachers/students of local schools that can give you info if you tell where you live.

[street_fighter]

Most schools I've ever seen in any style are generally about $85/month.

Man, thats cheap. To me it seems like the average is anywhere from $90 to $130 a month. In vancouver, youd be hardpressed to find a school under $120 for 3 lessons per week.

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

Man, thats cheap. To me it seems like the average is anywhere from $90 to $130 a month. In vancouver, youd be hardpressed to find a school under $120 for 3 lessons per week.

Reply]
Ditto for Chicago.

[Chosen-frozen]

Am I that old? I remember taking lessons at the VFW hall for $20 a month in high school. `Course that was 25 years ago.

[bodhitree]

I pay 60$ a month for instruction from international level judo players, one US olympic alternate, and some national level BJJ guys. Pittsburgh, great cost of living:D

[gwa sow]

were do you live and what exactly do you want out of the clases. If it is just to fight, dont leave out boxing, judo, BJJ, any other styles. If kung fu, look at as many schools as posible.

[xcakid]

I usually get $2500.00 to $3000.00 a month, but I am just THAT goooood!!! :D


Don't mind RD, sometimes he has a lot of typos. That decimal is actually quite a few more places closer to the dollar sign. :p cause he really is "that gooood"

[xcakid]

Oh yeah. On the cost: I think that will vary depending on your area. Seems to vary by styles too.

CMA styles these days are in the back burner. So in my area of DFW you can see them between $80-150. There is a school that charges $65 a month. However, he teaches a hodge podge of stuff. Resemble the Shaolin Kempo I took years ago.

My current long fist school charges $125 a month for unlimited group classes in you level. Plus 1 half hour private a week. **** good deal tuition wise if you ask me.

Most Karate, Kempo and other offshoot MA are about the same.

TKD and BJJ seems to get the big bucks these days. Going up to $250 a month. Most will require you sign a contract.

Martial Arts is like your taste in music. Even though you like rap, you may be able to get a CD of Waylon Jennings for $2 at the truck stop, but if that is not what you like, you just threw away $2. Shoulda sprung for the $12 CD of .50 Cent. Fo Shizzle, Ma Nizzle.

So Joe Karate may be charging only $25 a month, but what you are learning is crap and its not the way you like to fight. What's the point.

I say, go around the schools in your area. Try out the classes and see if you feel comfortable there. Both in the lesson and the way it is taught. And wether or not you think you are actually able to use the art in an actual confrontation.

[BruceSteveRoy]

well put. and i particularly like the waylen jennings analogy. i would also encourage a person that is looking into martial arts for the first time to look at not just as many different schools but different fighting concepts.

go and check out some schools that are primarily striking, some that are grappling, some that are internal. most people i know that do martial arts had to go through a lot of different styles before settling in to one that they felt conncted with.

so go through your yellow pages, and do internet seaches for different schools and see whats available

if you want to try strking look into, kung fu schools (the names of styles are very varied), muay thai, karate (again this is a very general term and constitutes a lot of styles), boxing, etc, etc

if you are looking for grappling look for schools for jiu jitsu/jujitsu, judo, sambo, etc

internal stuff see if there are any tai chi, bagua, xingyi, aikido, etc

If you find that you like striking and you like grappling and you can't figure out which you like more you could always look for mma schools bc they will focus on teaching both. or if you just want to look flashy and learn to do sick arials, wear shiny silk pajamas and do gymnastics there is always wushu.

there is no harm in test driving a school before signing up. my kung fu school makes you take a free intro class before discussing whether you seriously want to sign up. i think its a great policy. i have only ever joined one school without a free trial just because i knew from observing the class that i wanted to join.

[Pirl0]

again, thx for all the help/info guys

to answer someone's question, i live in orlando and i dont wanna do kung fu for fighting purposes but more so for the harmonization of my body. ive been a chan (zen) practitioner for few years now as well as mainstream mayahna buddhism and taoism, and even little bit of philosophy. i see kung fu not just as a way to fight people but as an art form that when perfected achieves harmony. am i wrong about this? so based on that, ive been looking into shaolin schools like crane and tiger and mantis, etc...

[PangQuan]

The Shaolin, with the right teacher, would be an excellent compliment to your chan...IMO

I feel kungfu is there for the people. We may all have different reasons for practicing, but the action is the same. We practice. Regardless of what brings us to kungfu (or any other Martial Art), we are people who receive some sort of sustenance from our practices.

IMO there are very little reasons that would be 'wrong' to persue martial arts.

[David Jamieson]

you only have to ask yourslef two questions.

1. what is my objective

2. how can I achieve it

the rest will fall in behind that.

[gwa sow]

orlando,---- Wah Lum, its a style of praying mantis. not sure what other kung fu is up there.

[xcakid]

I practice kung fu so that I can have a sculpted body, throw high kicks and pretzel like stances, say I take kung fu so I can impress the ladies. Yeeaaaahhhh Baaaybeee. :D

Now I just need that Ferrari and the beach house. All the women will bow down to my ugly ass.

[Shaolinlueb]

shoot. im charging 65 a month. i'm getting robbed!!

[Fu-Pow]

Echoing David Jamieson, you need to decide what your goals are.

Health and fitness, self-defense, spiritual cultivation?

If self-defense is your primary goal then you MUST go to a school that includes sparring on a regular basis. Like at least once/week, not once per month. If its every class, then all the better.

If you are interested primarily in health and fitness then other schools that are more form-based would be acceptable, but don't be seduced into thinking that this will give you any fighting ability.

If spiritual cultivation is your goal then you might want to seek a Qi Gong and Meditation teacher instead of martial arts.

If fighting is your goal, down the road, you might consider looking at creating your own "system" of martial arts that draws from several different disciplines that specialize in different ranges....this is the so called "Mixed Martial Arts" approach that you will hear alot about on this board.

This would include a striking art, grappling or "clinch" range art and groundfighting art. (Note: some arts specialize in more than one of those ranges but usually not all. For example, most, if not all, Chinese Martial Arts do not emphasize groundfighting.)

However, since you are entirely new to martial arts it would be best for you to focus on one of those ranges to start and gain some conditioning and proficiency, then you can add on to those skills.

Welcome to the Wu Lin/Mo Lum (martial family)!

FP