Is it traditionally possible to have 2 shifus in different styles??

[xinyidizi]

I have been in China long enough to know that most of the authentic teachers especially those who come from famous Kungfu families are very conservative about teaching Kungfu and they would only teach some of the practical fighting stuff and neigong to their indoor disciples. I know that it is not possible to have two shifus in the same style but from a traditional point of view is it possible to openly have two or more shifus from different styles?

[GeneChing]

It's just like when Mormons have two wives...

...just kidding...

It really depends upon the Shifu. Some Shifu are very possessive and don't let their students train elsewhere. Others encourage it. There are some people who will double-disciple even.

I actually have several Songshan Shaolin shifu, but as that's from a monastic tradition, the notion of lineage is a little different.

[bawang]

there is an old saying: "a good fighter learns from eight doors and nine teachings"

[YouKnowWho]

is it possible to openly have two or more shifus from different styles?

You can have as many teachers, senseis, and coaches as you like. You can only have one sifu.

[bawang]

you can have as many sifus as you like.

your first sifu is called opening door sifu, because he initiated you into martial arts. other than that nothing special.

[YouKnowWho]

You can have as many girlfriends as you like. It doesn't mean that you will marry them all.

[bawang]

i think we have differnt definitions of sifu. my sifu never took me inside van at edge of forest and do bong bong bong in the anoos.

[SimonM]

As long as you don't intend to marry Bawang's mom. :D

[Raipizo]

As long as you don't intend to marry Bawang's mom. :D

She's a nice lady!

[Lucas]

She's a nice lady!

She is very strong.

[SimonM]

She is very strong.

Beat me to the punch line! :mad:

[bawang]

i dont understand.

[Raipizo]

i dont understand.

Me either. I confus

[taai gihk yahn]

my sifu never took me inside van at edge of forest and do bong bong bong in the anoos.
and this is why u never received the "secret transmission"...

[SPJ]

Yes. You may have as many teachers as you want or need.

But you can only have one sifu in a traditional sense.

Meaning that one day you may or may not carry on his teaching or lineage of school.


--

etc etc.

:cool:

[SPJ]

You can have as many girlfriends as you like. It doesn't mean that you will marry them all.

Yes.

Your girl friends do not carry your family name or last name.

We do have to carry our sifu name if called upon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgIWp488qcU&feature=related

:cool:

[IronFist]

there is an old saying: "a good fighter learns from eight doors and nine teachings"

What does that mean in English?

[SPJ]

What does that mean in English?

8 gates and 9 disciplines/schoolings/teachings

ba men jiu jiao

just means many and many teachers

or learning from many sources

it is a figurative speech.

:cool:

[YouKnowWho]

One of my 6 months beginner students took a workshop from a Taiji instructor. He came back and told me that throws won't work on those Taiji guys because they have strong rooting. I told him to go to his Taiji insturctor and not to come back to my class any more.

I have no problem to teach someone who cross trained other styles (many of my students cross train Judo, Sambo, wrestling, BJJ). But I can't teach anyone who has no faith in my style.

[bawang]

One of my 6 months beginner students took a workshop from a Taiji instructor. He came back and told me that throws won't work on those Taiji guys because they have strong rooting. I told him to go to his Taiji insturctor and not to come back to my class any more.

I have no problem to teach someone who cross trained other styles (many of my students cross train Judo, Sambo, wrestling, BJJ). But I can't teach anyone who has no faith in my style.

https://images.encyclopediadramatica.se/f/fd/Wtf_pics-pickle-boys.jpg

[xinyidizi]

I respect all of my teachers and my shifu but if I want to learn another style in depth then I think baishi is the only way as I have seen many shifus who would just leave their outdoor students with a bunch of forms without teaching them any further which probably is one of the reasons lots of practical things were lost in history. So is their any way around this code so that I can learn another style in depth without being dishonest about my past?

[ShaolinDan]

I respect all of my teachers and my shifu but if I want to learn another style in depth then I think baishi is the only way as I have seen many shifus who would just leave their outdoor students with a bunch of forms without teaching them any further which probably is one of the reasons lots of practical things were lost in history. So is their any way around this code so that I can learn another style in depth without being dishonest about my past?

yep... study somewhere other than china. :) (this coming from the guy moving there in about a month...;))

[Tao Of The Fist]

I respect all of my teachers and my shifu but if I want to learn another style in depth then I think baishi is the only way as I have seen many shifus who would just leave their outdoor students with a bunch of forms without teaching them any further which probably is one of the reasons lots of practical things were lost in history. So is their any way around this code so that I can learn another style in depth without being dishonest about my past?

Di Guoyong, wasn't he an inner door student of both Zhao Zhong and Li Ziming? Alot of teachers learned from multiple people. Liu Jingru, Liu Yunqiao, Ma Chuanxu, ( I could make a loong list) just to name a few. Actually, if you get your shifu's permission I don't think it's such a big deal, especially nowadays. I think that the teacher you wanna learn from and carry on his teachings the most is your shifu, everyone else is your laoshi.

Then again Im not anyones tudi, I'm barely a student myself so what do I know??

[kuniggety]

If you look at a lot of famous martial artists such as Ku Yu Cheung or Chu Chuk Kai, they all studied with different teachers at different points in their lives. Unless you spend your entire life in one city (which I guess some people do), and unless you give up learning martial arts whenever you move, then you're going to wind up with more than one teacher. My Sifu has studied with the same man over 10 years now but his teacher, my Sigung, studied with a variety of teachers over his life (and is one bad ass mofo).

[SteveLau]

Perhaps the original question of the thread should be rephrased as "Is it good to have two sifus in different styles at the same time??"

My answer is no. It is not good if the styles are in the same category, like Taichi and Karate. These are all round styles. But sure, it will be alright if one is studying music and Karate at the same time.






I have no problem to teach someone who cross trained other styles (many of my students cross train Judo, Sambo, wrestling, BJJ). But I can't teach anyone who has no faith in my style.

Yep. It should not be allowed to continue from both the teacher and student POV.



Regards,

KC
Hong Kong

[xinyidizi]

My answer is no. It is not good if the styles are in the same category, like Taichi and Karate. These are all round styles. But sure, it will be alright if one is studying music and Karate at the same time.

I understand that "baishi" is a big deal in the Chinese culture and I wouldn't baishi again but I don't understand why you think one can't learn two styles from two different teachers. It's like saying one can't learn maths and physics at the same time using different teachers who are experts in their own fields.

[SteveLau]

It's like saying one can't learn maths and physics at the same time using different teachers who are experts in their own fields.


Xinyidizi,

That is not I think. Please reread my post throughtfully.
Maths and Physics are very different subjects, and certainly are not in the same category of study. So it is alright to me for one to learn these subjects at the same time using different teachers.



Regards,

KC
Hong Kong

[YouKnowWho]

You will have problem,

- If one of your teachers asked you to punch with arm and chest in one straight line, while your other teacher askes you to keep 90 degree angle between your chest and arm.

- If one of your teachers asked you to stand side way when you face your opponent, while your other teacher askes you to stand forward with your groin facing your opponent.

[xinyidizi]

Then I will do as they say in each class and would try to train each style using its own mindset and principles. Maybe it can cause problems if someone starts 2 styles together but not if someone has done the previous style for long enough.

[David Jamieson]

Yes, but I agree with Gene, it depends on your relationship with your current sifu.

I have had several coaches, and a few sifu, but like Bawang said and YKW inferred, you have one sifu that opens the first door for you.

If you are not completely able to break down what you do, it might be confusing to you to try and learn from two at once, especially since you'll be learning similar subject matter from 2 people with subjective views on that material and different ways of going about it. There might be conflict that could impede overall progress.

Best to stick with one until the laws of diminishing returns kicks in, then branch out.
That was my experience anyway.

[SteveLau]

Best to stick with one until the laws of diminishing returns kicks in, then branch out.
That was my experience anyway.



Super advice




Regards,

KC
Hong Kong