View Full Version : Status of Kung Fu locally
what is the status of kung fu in your town?
or what are available kung fu wise locally.
I will start. These are local scenes near me. We have a few schools and a chinese culture center. excluding tkd and karate, judo etc but just CMA only schools. meaning not counting karate/kung fu combo schools etc
1. Wushu forms
original, short, and standardized competition forms
4 to 6 months
teachers: ex China Wushu champs.
2. San shou
basic punches, kicks and throws.
4 to 6 months
teachers: ex China, ex Taiwan champs.
3. combat/self defense
basic qin na, shuai jiao
4 to 6 months
ex Taiwan marine
4. my private classes
---
watering down for kids
1. wushu, kids have many other activities and school. short time of practice
students ended up only performing for culture activity
in comparison, in China, they selected talented kids and start training at age of 5 to 6 and just like they trained kids for olympic games.
2. san shou, free hand fighting
kids with a few hours of instructions, they started play fights
ending up as classes on how to avoid injury, no hitting eyes, no hitting nose, no kicking knees, no kicking groins, --
3. self defense
ended up as show and tell and with a few practices.
al thou some students may work for security in front of Chinese jewerly stores, warehouse securities etc, but most adult students just forgot their lessons and never have to use the lessons for the rest of their life (not needed).
these 3 categories of classes are offered in local chinese culture center
al thou they are offered with good teachers
however, most students are not serious. they do not dedicate enough time.
---
I first moved in the area in 1993.
I have some private classes. just a few students each time.
my class structure
1. a few moves/techniques solo
2. partner/equipment
3. discussion of tactics and strategy
4 to 6 months with me.
students pick up some moves from shuai jiao, qin na, tong bei --
they are not wushu form performer. they are not san shou fighters (amateur or professional fighters)
however, they learn and understand that kung fu
1. is not about wushu form performance.
2. is not about sport fighting
kung fu is about learning and understanding practical techinques to fight from day 1 and the rest of their life.
my teaching methods and philosophies made me popular in Taiwan, China and Singapore.
not mentioning hongkong, since hongkong returned and is part of China now.
now back to your local scene.
for people that are interested
1. shuai jiao and qin na
I used the manuals and material from central police academy (taiwan) that I learned in 1970s. now the school is now called central police university.
2. tong bei and mantis
from teachers in kuo shu club in high school in 1970s.
----
dirtyrat
12-25-2009, 11:15 AM
There are several kung fu clubs at the Chinatown where I lived. Without exception, they all became watered down for the kids mainly. They teach forms and lion dance.
Gone are the rough and tumble days. The old timers are almost gone. They take with them their knowledge. Last time I have seen them they were still powerful even at their advance age. They tell me its a different world. People don't have time to train properly. Attitudes are also different. Lack of respect. People today love to sue.
A few of the old timers never learned everything they could've from their sifu, so they jealously kept what they knew to themselves.
The Hung Gar schools seem more interested in teaching forms.
The wing chun schools here are among the only kung fu clubs that are remotely concern with fighting. But none of the wing chun sifu had the same kind of power I felt with the China town old timers.
bawang
12-25-2009, 01:06 PM
There are several kung fu clubs at the Chinatown where I lived. Without exception, they all became watered down for the kids mainly. They teach forms and lion dance.
Gone are the rough and tumble days. The old timers are almost gone. They take with them their knowledge. Last time I have seen them they were still powerful even at their advance age. They tell me its a different world. People don't have time to train properly. Attitudes are also different. Lack of respect. People today love to sue.
A few of the old timers never learned everything they could've from their sifu, so they jealously kept what they knew to themselves.
The Hung Gar schools seem more interested in teaching forms.
The wing chun schools here are among the only kung fu clubs that are remotely concern with fighting. But none of the wing chun sifu had the same kind of power I felt with the China town old timers.
people live in their own bubbles. peoples view of the world and their perception of reality can be unbelievably different
living in a comfortable environment makes it very hard to understand fighting. u need to experience coldness calousness and cruelty and brutality
when i didnt eat for two days and had no money and knowing nobody in a big city, i was in a permanent rage 24 7. now that i live more comfortably, its almost like a dream, a illusion and i have to keep reminding myself for what i am training kung fu, to never forget
the secret to good kung fu is living in poverty. if you ever experience being poor and hungry and cold, it will change u
when u are poor and suffering and a so called fellow kung fu brother cannot understand you, cannot relate to you, feel no emotion, and even makes fun of you and laugh at you, they can never be good at kung fu or fighting
mooyingmantis
12-25-2009, 01:15 PM
Our Akron/Canton, Ohio area is very lucky to have:
Wu Tang Ohio, lead by Master Yang Shu Ton
Northern Praying Mantis & Choy Li Fut taught by Mike Biggie
Shuai Jiao taught by Gene Chicoine
Further North in Cleveland, Ohio is:
Hung Gar & Northern Shaolin taught by John Ervin
Northern Shaolin & Nu Hou Quan taught by Gino Belfiore
I teach privately in North Canton, Ohio but I am in the minor leagues compared to the above mentioned instructors.
dimethylsea
12-25-2009, 01:42 PM
I'm pretty much it for kungfu in my town. There are a couple of people who teach tai chi forms for the elderly around.. but in my town the only kungfu around is bagua.. unless you count the JKD people who have a strong presence (there is wing chun in their mix of course).
Basically you have only a few choices around here..
Tae Kwon Do (4+ small schools)
Wado-Ryu Karate (biggest school in town)
Jeet Kuen Do & Kali (Inosanto/Vunak flavor)
Mixed Martial Arts (Thai, Boxing, Brazilian Jujitsu, No-Gi grappling) (2 big schools)
Pencak Silat (Pukulan Cimande Kombinasi)
a couple of "Tai Chi" form people..
one "closed door" school that teaches a mix of kungfu stuff
and us bagua people. Believe it or not this is the best it's ever been in my town in terms of sheer amounts and variety of martial arts available.
Since my first teacher closed his door to new students the only Bagua person who has classes for the general public in Middle TN is me. You have to go 180 miles east to the mountains to find another bagua class (they do Yin), or 200 miles to Atlanta (Pittman's Gao group).
In Nashville you can find TKD, W-R.K., JKD, MMA, plus a very good Southern Preying Mantis school also. Peng Lai Northern Mantis.. some Wing Chun etc. Plus public Tai Chi forms. One Taiji push hands group etc. And that's it.
This isn't like the West Coast where exotic martial arts are common.
As far as I know this is the only town of 100K people where both Bagua *and* Cimande are taught out of public locales. It's weird that way.
Eddie
12-25-2009, 06:25 PM
TKD
Wushu sport
TKD
San Shou
TKD
plenty of really bad taiji
TKD
basketball
well we got shaolin doh....so ............:D
allthe good stuffs up in colorado springs or boulder
GeneChing
12-28-2009, 04:14 PM
...it's freaking out of control. There are so many schools - traditional, modern, Chinese-immigrants, American-born - I'm amazed they all stay in business. And there's a ton of TKD, Judo, Aikido, MMA, even capoeria and ninjitsu! You name it, all styles are here.
blackjesus
12-28-2009, 09:24 PM
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
We are pretty lucky and have lots of choice.
Lam Family Style Hung Gar and Duncan Leung-style Wing Chun at Ulimate Martial Arts, Dandenong
I have been training there, catching two trains to the school from home, one hour each way, for Hung Gar for a couple of years. He is one of the best sifu I have ever met. (What a pity I haven't been back for quite a while due to my injury) My fellow classmate went to fight with a Thai boxer in the ring (Ametur Muay Thai Rule). He won his vrigin fight!
Wong Shun Leung Wing Chun, Sifu David Peterson, Melbourne CBD.
Student of the "King of Rooftop"
Dana Wong's Wing Chun School, Carlton.
Not sure about his lineage but he was the cheif instructor of William Chung's school.
Zi Ran Men Kung Fu, Richmond.
I have met the sifu and it seems nice. Will start training there once their X'Mas break has finished.
Melbourne Systema, North Coburg
Peter de Been Jiu Jitsu Gracie Barra Australia, St Kilda
They have some good groundfighters there.
people live in their own bubbles. peoples view of the world and their perception of reality can be unbelievably different
living in a comfortable environment makes it very hard to understand fighting. u need to experience coldness calousness and cruelty and brutality
when i didnt eat for two days and had no money and knowing nobody in a big city, i was in a permanent rage 24 7. now that i live more comfortably, its almost like a dream, a illusion and i have to keep reminding myself for what i am training kung fu, to never forget
the secret to good kung fu is living in poverty. if you ever experience being poor and hungry and cold, it will change u
when u are poor and suffering and a so called fellow kung fu brother cannot understand you, cannot relate to you, feel no emotion, and even makes fun of you and laugh at you, they can never be good at kung fu or fightingvery well said... i personally have spent 3 and a half months walking alone in the mountains - my first time utterly alone when i went to sleep came when i was 20 years old. this truly was a life altering event... not alone like in a city or park, but alone on a mountain in the middle of the woods. made me suddenly realize just how rare it is for people to feel so utterly alone, as our society doesn't encourage it... after this walk of a 1000 miles, i went on my first of three trips and two years in europe where i learned to juggle - i lived on the streets of many many european cities, alone and by myself. i had to find my own food, find my own way, earn my own keep, cross the borders by myself, be pulled off trains at gun point, thrown in foregin jails, waking up to being kicked in the face with boots. i have been thrown out of countries, denied access to countries, i have been robbed by the police, beat by the police, thrown off of trains, i have seen naked 3 year old orphans running around on the streets... i have slept in abandon train cars, under bridges, on scaffolding, on roof tops, beaches, park benches... i truly value my experience of living on street level, watching the world ****z around me with oblivious people who live in their secure little bubble... have crossed paths with beings that most people could not even dream of meeting - characters only to be seen when you are on their wavelength, on their level of being... people who would give you the shirt off their back when it was all they had, people who could look at you and read your soul like an open book, people who seemed to be timeless and ageless, people of such depth and character that a simple chat with them would amount to a lifetime of studying and learning... the lessons from this way of living have been profound... i have a sense of true peace and security knowing that i will be fine where-ever i might find myself.
your words are truly wise in this post bawang... i offer you my sincerest respect for them, but don't get too used to it you hock sockey chop choppy. :p
Lucas
12-29-2009, 10:50 AM
not a lot of CMA in my town. my old school (great teacher and people) slowly started switching gears and i wasnt happy with where they were headed so i left. went to a wing chun place for a bit but the teacher moved to cali so his student of 3 years was leading the group, i didnt like that so i left there too. great taiji in china town, but zero sparring. so i left there. doing my own thing right now, i have a guy who has never done MA and wants to learn, so im going to teach him for free while i keep my eyes and ears open, should be fun.
uki / bawang, my thoughts :D
ever hear the phrase 7 times down 8 times up? its a similar situation. thrusting oneself or being thrust into a position where you truly can no longer rely on anyone else for anything is a lesson unique unto itself.
the only catch is not letting it beat you. most people lose that fight, and they NEVER return. if you come back you are guaranteed to learn from it. its an aspect of life that many people never experience, many even look down on, but the truth of the matter is that its a part of the whole picture. it is an element of life, that some just dont get to experience. likewise ill never experience what its like to be a general of a huge military force. its the balance i suppose. im grateful for my years down and it makes me really appreciate being up where I am now.
KC Elbows
12-29-2009, 11:20 AM
Generally agreed, though I'd add that one should understand the hard life, but not be enamored of it any more than the easy life.
Lucas
12-29-2009, 11:31 AM
Generally agreed, though I'd add that one should understand the hard life, but not be enamored of it any more than the easy life.
agreed
i love the easy life. its....well, easy. im not looking to living day to day on a survival basis again. still, MY hard life was easy compared to your average orphan living in africa. not even a real comparison.
kfson
12-29-2009, 11:37 AM
agreed
i love the easy life. its....well, easy. im not looking to living day to day on a survival basis again. still, MY hard life was easy compared to your average orphan living in africa. not even a real comparison.
Respects to all the hard lifers.
I lived a hard life... only because I felt the need, for various reasons, to beat the holy shimoly out of myself. That project is now complete.
KC Elbows
12-29-2009, 11:46 AM
agreed
i love the easy life. its....well, easy.
I find the important part of accepting both without admiring either is because people from both sides will surprise you in ways you were not aware was possible before meeting them. Ease derails the spirit, which is a difficult thing, while hardship tempers it in ways that can be inflexible. Either one can be a path to whatever good and bad things are out there.
bawang
12-29-2009, 11:55 AM
i agre. being too hard isnt good. after you stop feeling you can do anything . u turn into a sociopath
KC Elbows
12-29-2009, 12:03 PM
i agre. being too hard isnt good. after you stop feeling you can do anything . u turn into a sociopath
but i think we need to be more careful of the people who are born biologically unable to have feelings and empathy.
in martial arts its easy to recognize these people but beware of them hiding in everyday life
True.
I think, in time, even most of them come to grasp that without other people, they're screwed and lonely, and so they have a rational, not emotional, cause for getting along better than they did before.
Because the ones who don't do this are the ones we hear most about, these people get lost in the cracks.
The ones who do cope, well, they're probably not warm and fuzzy, and should still be approached with caution, but, in ways, a rational cause for moral conduct is far better than an emotive/biological one, since the latter is the kind that is useless once society itself is derailed(see: nazi Germany, Khmer Rouge, etc).
sanjuro_ronin
12-30-2009, 06:40 AM
Balance and moderation never killed anyone, the extremes however, have and do.
taai gihk yahn
12-30-2009, 06:34 PM
your words are truly wise in this post bawang... i offer you my sincerest respect for them, but don't get too used to it you hock sockey chop choppy. :p
having extended the Hand of Friendship, you will now have to share your goat-woman with him - but, is he man enough to handle her?!?
is he man enough to handle her?!?i dunno... i got myself cracked over the head with a beer bottle once by her - she's a feisty one.
David Jamieson
01-05-2010, 06:29 AM
There are commercial schools with a variety of styles.
There are closed door groups also with a variety of styles.
It's still practiced regularly and openly.
On reflection of Bawangs commentary. I believe that hardship is a component of understanding the value of training and understanding the value of society as well.
I do not believe you must be in a state of constant self induced hardship to cultivate your kungfu. In my opinion, you must be of the mind to improve and to remain motivated. Hardship is a key, the work at hand is the door.
On reflection of Bawangs commentary. I believe that hardship is a component of understanding the value of training and understanding the value of society as well.
I do not believe you must be in a state of constant self induced hardship to cultivate your kungfu. In my opinion, you must be of the mind to improve and to remain motivated. Hardship is a key, the work at hand is the door.the value is the experience of living the hardships out in order to give one a better foundation of self-confidence and security - those who have hit the bottom and have taken the time to climb back to their feet and continue forward are much better off than those who still take all they have for granted, being spoon fed from silver dishes and what not... i view all the blessings in my life as a temporary convienence, as i do not take for granted that at any moment our reality can change... many people would be clueless if they were thrown onto the streets to fend for themselves.
David Jamieson
01-05-2010, 06:55 AM
the value is the experience of living the hardships out in order to give one a better foundation of self-confidence and security - those who have hit the bottom and have taken the time to climb back to their feet and continue forward are much better off than those who still take all they have for granted, being spoon fed from silver dishes and what not... i view all the blessings in my life as a temporary convienence, as i do not take for granted that at any moment our reality can change... many people would be clueless if they were thrown onto the streets to fend for themselves.
While it's good that you decide to not take things for granted, I believe you are being unfair and erroneous in your assumption that people who live comfortably and who are not subject to overt hardship are less than anyone else.
I have found this through my personal experience to not be true at all.
I find weakness in those at any end of the spectrum of the human condition and I find that people at all points in between are capable of and have great strengths and as well great compassion and passion.
Hardship can manifest and teach in myriad ways. Life is suffering afterall and no matter how much you seek to avoid that suffering, you will be faced with it whether you want it or not. :)
While it's good that you decide to not take things for granted, I believe you are being unfair and erroneous in your assumption that people who live comfortably and who are not subject to overt hardship are less than anyone else.i would expect nothing less of you... from my life experience here in america, the people i generally encounter on a daily basis would be in for a very rude awakening if their secure little b ubbles were to burst... i do not think people are less if they have not experienced hardship in life - it's like a 12th grader and a kindergartener... we all are at different steps in our respected journey.
I have found this through my personal experience to not be true at all.not everyone is the same... chances are you are an exceptional being in regards to those who surround you in your community... you're not the average joe... ya know? :p
I find weakness in those at any end of the spectrum of the human condition and I find that people at all points in between are capable of and have great strengths and as well great compassion and passion.of course, but those who have yet to be thrust into a situation in which they can flourish in the experience of the tribulation is the lesson yet to be learned for those who have not learned it yet... no?
Hardship can manifest and teach in myriad ways. Life is suffering afterall and no matter how much you seek to avoid that suffering, you will be faced with it whether you want it or not.exactly the point - some people endure it better than others, which in turn is forged from an inner strength and willpower. :)
taai gihk yahn
01-05-2010, 07:41 AM
i dunno... i got myself cracked over the head with a beer bottle once by her - she's a feisty one.
ah, love at first impact!
taai gihk yahn
01-05-2010, 07:49 AM
the value is the experience of living the hardships out in order to give one a better foundation of self-confidence and security - those who have hit the bottom and have taken the time to climb back to their feet and continue forward are much better off than those who still take all they have for granted, being spoon fed from silver dishes and what not... i view all the blessings in my life as a temporary convienence, as i do not take for granted that at any moment our reality can change... many people would be clueless if they were thrown onto the streets to fend for themselves.
I would tend to agree that this is the case to a degree - that is, if one is not tested from time to time, one becomes dulled in mind and body; at the same time, living in a continual state of hardship will also result in imbalance, as one cannot live in "survival mode" at all times without the system breaking down;
the "problem" with many people is that they have been raised with a sense of entitlement, and it can be very challenging to override this due to the nature of US society in most cases; so, while I want my son to have every advantage, at the same time I want him to at least have some experience with depravation and to understand that his situation is not the norm in regards to how much of this world lives; meaning that I will send him to the best school that I can afford, I will provide him with the best food I can, I will be present for his emotional needs to the best of my ability; at the same time, I may just show up on Uki's doorstep with him one day for a week-long walk in the woods...;)
Drake
01-05-2010, 07:58 AM
I drive a nice car, live in a very nice apartment, and have no issues sipping a delicious Americano in a nice cafe. I like to wear nice clothing, and I have a nice television with all the bells and whistles of a good media system.
On that same token, I have lived in completely destroyed wastelands, slept in muddy holes in the rain, and hiked for eternities carrying a machine gun and a heavy pack. I've carried crates of equipment through the Arabian desert in the summer, and I've had my boots freeze to the ground in eastern Europe. I have yet to meet an environment that
Just because someone likes to live in comfort when they can doesn't make them weak. I've seen silver spoon recruits tap into a resilience they never knew they had, and they LIKED it.
You are quick to judge, Uki, yet cannot stand to be judged.
growing up in Taiwan in the 1960s and 1970s.
We had to face the nuclear threat from China. We had to mimick how to hide under school desk or run into shelters and what to do and not to do in case of nuclear, biologic, chemical bombing. how to evacute from a big city how to triage the hospital, defense after the bombing
such as the lin kou is a city built to evacute Taipei after nuclear bombs etc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJbt1-7mS20
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1FsiYhpZqg&feature=related
---
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOnSNzjE8ZM
one of my best friends father was a U-2 pilot downed in China by SAM missile
U-2 was to collect intel on China's nuclear programs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_8Seto05T4&feature=related
culturally, China faced cultural destruction like never before.
we had to be a part of culture restoration movement in Taiwan.
----
We many live under many and many threats.
practice kung fu or not is entirely upto you.
it is not a life style issue.
We many live under many and many threats.yet what is a threat?? some people feel threatened when others do not... feeling threatened is an individual issue.
practice kung fu or not is entirely upto you.
it is not a life style issue.being a martial artist is a lifestyle. :)
my father and relatives attended high school in Chung king or chong qing
they had to run into bomb shelters all the time for over 3 years from Japan bombing
eventually, they attended military --
I heard too many war stories growing up, --
watching vietnam war story daily on TV
massacre at hue, at may lai---
hanoi hilton
watching senator mccane on TV, he was captured the longest time
----
my high school mate from saigon, before VC and NVA took over, the family came to Taiwan--
---
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHk4TGWx0ZM&feature=fvw
:(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26NkXQvvPMI&feature=related
:(
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.2 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.