are you representative of your style?

[bamboo_ leaf]

We all practice different styles, do you feel that you are representative of your style?

When you say that you play a certain style what dose that mean to you?

In my case I play the CMC style of TC. Most of my ideas are founded based on this style and interacting with people who seem to embody the ideas but have not directly trained in the style.

I don’t claim to represent the CMC style but would be labeled a CMC stylist by those that saw my form or touched hands with me.

:)

[Water Dragon]

It's much more personal than that. Are you a CMC stylist in the manner of William CC Chen? Tao Ping-Siang? Ben Lo? TT Liang? or even Waysun Liao? They were all taught by the same man, yet they are all different. They are also all very different than CMC's American students.

[bamboo_ leaf]

my teacher's and Bens form are almost the same.
have also had some training from Ben, they both learned from CMC in Taiwan.

i have had some training in Bens classes,those that have touched hands with me often ask if he Ben was my main teacher as my teacher is not as well known here.

i agree after a point its very personel. :)

[Water Dragon]

If you get a chance, go push with some of Master Cheng's other seniors as well. It's a living example of Although the variations are infinite, the principles remain the same

[Prairie]

I'm not remotely representative of the Chen style taiji. My body does not yet work the "gears" properly to generate that weird twinning effect.

Perhaps someday I'll get properly coordinated.

[Ray Pina]

I can't wait to the day I am confident to claim to be a true representative of my master's E-chuan. For now, I like the Evolution aspect of this art, becauyse by fighting has evolved and continues to eveolve, but I am nowhere where I need to be in regards to the Energy aspect or technical aspect. Just need more time. I would like to go to UFC, ect., to represent in a few years though. Maybe 2 or 3 more. Still much more to learn though, even after that -- a lifetime.

I am the sole adult disciple of my teacher, and he has OKed me to start a school with our style (which I'll probably do in September).

Since there are no other schools of our style in the world, I'll become the official "representative" of our style. But my sifu will be on hand to visit and give assistance on a regular and ongoing basis.

The linear confrontational directness hardhitting simplicity of our style is very characteristic of my personality. I don't have a lot of moves, but the moves that I do use have worked for many others over the centuries. The practitioners of this style tend to develop these same kinds of character traits.

[count]

I am the officially appointed, internet representative for my school.:D

[Chris McKinley]

In reply to the original question, I can't say that I know for absolute surety. I guess I should mention that I'm not so Taoist that I am willing to completely disregard connotations of words, so in this case I should mention that I do not consider myself to "play" any style. I wouldn't go so far in the other extreme as to approach my practice in a stodgy, pompous manner (everyone give me a harumph) and I do recognize the value of play in learning theory sense, but I do try to keep in mind that what I'm studying/practicing could eventually be used to cause the death or severe injury of someone should I be attacked. In that respect, I do try to maintain at least a degree of humble solemnity about my practice.

As to whether I represent my style (I'm referencing Baguazhang here, though I train other styles), I find it difficult to answer the question merely by comparing myself to others who have practiced it. In comparison with some of the great first and second generation masters from Dong Hai-chuan, I'm hardly a pimple in all likelihood. I have not had the opportunity to receive the same undiluted highest quality training that they did, nor have yet put in the time into my art to get there even if I had.

However, in comparison to most of the practitioners of Baguazhang that I have personally encountered in the U.S., my fighting ability has generally been significantly more advanced and sometimes more subtle. Then again, there aren't Bagua guys on every street corner, and not all who train in it do so with the acquisition of fighting skill as their highest priority. In any case, I am generally regarded as one of the more brutal teachers of Baguazhang in the country as far as the type and kind of applications that I teach. That, I'm sure, has not much of anything to do with "secret", proprietary applications as it does with simply where I place the emphasis. I don't mind being swift and cruel in a real fight when it is necessary, and I teach accordingly.

From what I have seen, though, I also place far more emphasis on the healing side of the art than most of the people I've met. I feel this is important not only for my students to learn, but also for me to teach, since ethically/morally/spiritually (to me) it helps offset/justify the nastiness of the stuff I teach for combat. After all: fighting is maybe someday, health is definitely everyday.

[bamboo_ leaf]

Chris,

Always interesting reading your thoughts. My question was asked more in line of do you feel what and how you do something is reflective of your ideas/ training/ teachers studied under.

From reading the post here and yours I can see that if some who knew anything about your style saw you move they would probably find the real Bagwa flavor in it.

I think skill is relative to your environment and needs. Many I know "I don’t" really have the time needed to train to the skill levels of the past masters. For those guys it was their job. Their training was based against others of equal or more skill then they had. Not exactly the same as the occasionally fight or the drunk guy in a bar.

I do think that with the right “idea” and training that we may approach this level it just takes a much longer time.

i just hope in this life we all have enought time to reach as much as we are able to with these great gifts from the Chinese people.
:)

[Ray Pina]

HungKuavun, what a privelage! Represent well.

Sounds like Bak Mei, or Hsing-I. I have a similiar personality as well.