Training in Asia

[STUDD WILSON]

I haven't been on these boards in years but I ave been living and training in Asia for over 2 years now. I am considering Taiwan but lately I've heard that it's no longer a Mecca of CMA but has been overrun by TKD dojangs. Does anyone have any experience with CMA training there? I trained in Korean Takgeyon for a year and a half and I am currently in Bangkok training in Muay Thai. I'll return and eventually get my full instructor's certification but I am wanting for reasons of employment to relocate. Some of my other options include Vietnam (Hong Gia), but I am particularly interested in Bak Mei, Shui Jiao, of Xingyi/Ba Gua. I would just go to mainland China but the salaries for teachers there are really low. I am also thinking about going back to Korea and getting back into Takgeyon, or maybe Hapkido, or Hwarang Do.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Training in Asia is great, for the flavour and exotic element and if you are looking for something that has no schools anywhere else.
Other than that, no big deal.

[Ben Gash]

Taiwan is good for Shuai Jiao, Xingyi and Bagua, as well as Changquan. There are several big, well known schools with loads of vids on Youtube. A former class mate has been at Adam Hsu's school there for 5 years now, and he loves it. He teaches English there, so if you want I'll try to hook you up and he can give you the skinny.
You should also try Onyomi on MAP, he trains at a couple of the big Changquan schools.

[Mr Punch]

I've heard pretty much the same as Ben, plus if you're interested (I know it's a long shot given the style's rep in the last few years but...) Lo Man Kam (Yip Man's nephew) has a wing chun school there and also teaches a supposedly very tough class to the Taiwan police and riot squad. I don't think he teaches the police himself any more (must be what 75/6 by now...?) but he always did. He also trained extensively in choi li fut: some reckon his chun is influenced by that and some of his chun's signature moves do seem a little antithetical, but whatever, it seems good. I've felt the hands of a couple of guys who've trained there and they're among the best chunners I've come across.

[STUDD WILSON]

Actually I would say that it is a big deal. I trained in America all my life before I came to Asia and I must admit that the training I am getting here is way better than anything I did back home. Maybe I just know how to find the good schools? But aside from that my Muay Thai gym has hotshot fighters coming in from all over the world and most of them are pretty sloppy and lack power. I noticed that most of the mrtial artists from America are usually from the "spar first - if we have any time left we'll do anything else" thinking. They aren't that impressive in all.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Actually I would say that it is a big deal. I trained in America all my life before I came to Asia and I must admit that the training I am getting here is way better than anything I did back home. Maybe I just know how to find the good schools? But aside from that my Muay Thai gym has hotshot fighters coming in from all over the world and most of them are pretty sloppy and lack power. I noticed that most of the mrtial artists from America are usually from the "spar first - if we have any time left we'll do anything else" thinking. They aren't that impressive in all.

Perhaps, and yet...look at the top ranked fighters in the world...how many are from Asia ?

Just saying that the idea of getting superior training in Asia isn't always the case.
Loved to Train at the Kodokan, but was the training superior than at other elite level dojos?
Nope, though it did FEEL that way.
Training in BJJ in Brasil is great, certainly the view is awesome ;), but many of the elite level fighters are in the States, so...

Again, its a great experience to train in the homeland, just don't make it out to be more than it is.

[chessman71]

I haven't been on these boards in years but I ave been living and training in Asia for over 2 years now. I am considering Taiwan but lately I've heard that it's no longer a Mecca of CMA but has been overrun by TKD dojangs. Does anyone have any experience with CMA training there?

I've trained here in Taiwan for the past eight years. I also right a blog about my experiences that you might enjoy:
http://formosaneijia.com/

I have a guide to teachers here in Taipei that you would find useful under the "My Products" page at the top of the blog. It's a description of 15 or so top teachers, where they train, what they teach, etc.

[STUDD WILSON]

Perhaps, and yet...look at the top ranked fighters in the world...how many are from Asia ?

Just saying that the idea of getting superior training in Asia isn't always the case.
Loved to Train at the Kodokan, but was the training superior than at other elite level dojos?
Nope, though it did FEEL that way.
Training in BJJ in Brasil is great, certainly the view is awesome ;), but many of the elite level fighters are in the States, so...

Again, its a great experience to train in the homeland, just don't make it out to be more than it is.

I'll put it this way. I was a mid level ranked Judoka in America although not a black belt. There wasn't anyone I couldn't throw and once I tossed a 275 Lb truck driver (fellow student) like he were a rag doll. I thought I was pretty good. WHen I got to Korea I wanted to study something different than the run of the mill TKD. I went to meet with a Takgeyon master and was pretty impressed so I signed up for lessons. The first night we went over some basic training concepts - fundamentals of the art and then he wanted to see me grapple. I thought I was pretty cool and I decided to do my signature throw on him. He was about my size, but when I tried to move him he wouldn't budge. Talk about a humbling experience. After about a year I was able to move him around a bit.
I am 37 years old and I don't consider myself a world class fighter by any means.
We have had some professional kickboxers from Europe come to the gym to train in Bangkok and they are pretty impressive looking but their technique is unremarkable. It tends to be overly sparring oriented and the instructors comment on how sloppy they are, my observation as well. I will add that all have improved when they finish with us. To be fair you can see some sloppy techinque among the local fighters but I guess it's like anything else cooking, etc...sometimes although the training is good the individuals get lazy and start cutting corners. The problem with the fighters that come from abroad, many of which are professionals, are that they don't appear to have been trained well to begin with. That's not to say that they haven't won their fair share of matches and such but more than one time I have observed Grandmaster Noi showing some K-1 type guy how to get way more power out of his punches and kicks. These guys know what they are doing. They live this and their culture created it. One of the guys who appeared to be in great shape and was a tournament fighter in Europe cut the course early because he said he wasn't use to training that intensely. I observed Muay Thai training centers and fighters back in America and I can honestly say that you'd get a way better deal training over here than there at least where Muay Thai is concerned. On a side note, if you are talking about TKD or many of the other commercialized martial arts, no you won't be getting much in the way of improved training here than you will in any dojang in the States.
If you want to use the simple fact that there aren't many Asians ranked high in International Sport martial arts also consider that many of the champion fighters are much larger framed than their Asian counterparts. Now anyone who has fought tournaments knows that size does matter especially in kickboxing and the smaller Asian guys against skewed, brute force wouldn't fair as well. But in my experience for thebtraining these guys will train you far better than the others.

[sanjuro_ronin]

I'll put it this way. I was a pretty high ranked Judoka in America although not a black belt. There wasn't anyone I couldn't throw and once I tossed a 275 Lb truck driver (fellow student) like he were a rag doll. I thought I was pretty good. WHen I got to Korea I wanted to study something different than the run of the mill TKD. I went to meet with a Takgeyon master and was pretty impressed so I signed up for lessons. The first night we went over some basic training concepts - fundamentals of the art and then he wanted to see me grapple. I thought I was pretty cool and I decided to do my signature throw on him. He was about my size, but when I tried to move him he wouldn't budge. Talk about a humbling experience. After about a year I was able to move him around a bit.
I am 37 years old and I don't consider myself a world class fighter by any means.
We have had some professional kickboxers from Europe come to the gym to train in Bangkok and they are pretty impressive looking but their technique is unremarkable. It tends to be overly sparring oriented and the instructors comment on how sloppy they are, my observation as well. I will add that all have improved when they finish with us. To be fair you can see some sloppy techinque among the local fighters but I guess it's like anything else cooking, etc...sometimes although the training is good the individuals get lazy and start cutting corners. The problem with the fighters that come from abroad, many of which are professionals, are that they don't appear to have been trained well to begin with. That's not to say that they haven't won their fair share of matches and such but more than one time I have observed Grandmaster Noi showing some K-1 type guy how to get way more power out of his punches and kicks. These guys know what they are doing. They live this and their culture created it. One of the guys who appeared to be in great shape and was a tournament fighter in Europe cut the course early becuase he said he wasn't usetraining that intensely. I observed Muay Thai training centers and fighters back in America and I can honestly say that you'd get a way better deal training over here than there at least where Muay Thai is concerned. On a side note, if you are talking about TKD or many of the other commercialized martial arts, no you won't be getting much in the way of improved training here than you will in any dojang in the States.

Your profile says you are 28...
You were a high ranked judoka. BUT NOT a Black belt ??
Grandmaster Noi ? Since when are there GM in Muay Thai ??

I know how Thai Boxers train at Fairtex for example and it is quite intense, perhaps TOO intense but that is another thread, and I am sure that many people go to Thailand to train MT and get "put in their place", but to think that is exclusive to Thailand is incorrect.

[STUDD WILSON]

Your profile says you are 28...
You were a high ranked judoka. BUT NOT a Black belt ??
Grandmaster Noi ? Since when are there GM in Muay Thai ??

I know how Thai Boxers train at Fairtex for example and it is quite intense, perhaps TOO intense but that is another thread, and I am sure that many people go to Thailand to train MT and get "put in their place", but to think that is exclusive to Thailand is incorrect.

I just went to look at my profile and honestly I don't know where that information came from. I am 37 and I was born in 1970 not 1979. I haven't used the boards in years not quite sure how the info was messed up.

High ranked Judoka as in 1st degree brown belt and seeing how most of the guys in my dojo spent 5+years getting their blackbelts we all considered it a "high rank" relatively speaking.

Since when are their Grandmasters in Muay Thai? Since every World Muay Thai federation gym in Bangkok (ie. Rangsit, Lumpini, etc....) has a senior chief instructor referred to as Grandmaster Noi, Grandmaster Pak, Grandmaster Thanaporn, etc.... Next time come over and observe the local scene before making assinine statements based on your ignorance. I'll wager that I know a little more about the state of Muay Thai in Bangkok seeing how I've lived here and trained for a whole year.

[STUDD WILSON]

Your profile says you are 28...
You were a high ranked judoka. BUT NOT a Black belt ??
Grandmaster Noi ? Since when are there GM in Muay Thai ??

I know how Thai Boxers train at Fairtex for example and it is quite intense, perhaps TOO intense but that is another thread, and I am sure that many people go to Thailand to train MT and get "put in their place", but to think that is exclusive to Thailand is incorrect.

And your profile says your 38. Dude we are BOTH too far over the hill to be fantasizing about winning any world championships. Your bones probably feel the same as mine do after a heavy training session. Washboard abs are not gonna happen. I've been able to get myself out of a few scrapes and thats good enough for me. :)

[sanjuro_ronin]

I just went to look at my profile and honestly I don't know where that information came from. I am 37 and I was born in 1970 not 1979. I haven't used the boards in years not quite sure how the info was messed up.

High ranked Judoka as in 1st degree brown belt and seeing how most of the guys in my dojo spent 5+years getting their blackbelts we all considered it a "high rank" relatively speaking.

Since when are their Grandmasters in Muay Thai? Since every World Muay Thai federation gym in Bangkok (ie. Rangsit, Lumpini, etc....) has a senior chief instructor referred to as Grandmaster Noi, Grandmaster Pak, Grandmaster Thanaporn, etc.... Next time come over and observe the local scene before making assinine statements based on your ignorance. I'll wager that I know a little more about the state of Muay Thai in Bangkok seeing how I've lived here and trained for a whole year.

Dude, I asked you since when are there GM in Muay Thai, simple question, if YOU took it as assinine that is YOUR Problem, not mine.
I don't know why you woudl think that 1st Brown is high ranking in Judo, what would a 3rd Dan be then?
Or 5th?
Or a 7th?

What is your record in MT By the way?

[sanjuro_ronin]

And your profile says your 38. Dude we are BOTH too far over the hill to be fantasizing about winning any world championships. Your bones probably feel the same as mine do after a heavy training session. Washboard abs are not gonna happen. I've been able to get myself out of a few scrapes and thats good enough for me. :)

You got that right !
LOL !