Kung Fu in NYC

[ChubbyTiger]

I'm not sure that this is the appropriate place for this (if not, I appologize) but....

Does anyone know of a school in the Bronx that teaches a southern style? Hung Gar preferably. I know that Frank Yee's schools are in every other borough, but I can't find anything in the Bronx. I've only been studying Hung Gar for a year and a half or so, but I'd rather not switch styles too dramatically. Alas, I can't wait to graduate, but leaving the dojo isn't easy. Thanks to anyone who's got some info.

[firepalm]

Not sure how to find him but Arnaldo Ty Nunez teaches in that area. He's written for a lot of the mags. Check him out.

[cherrypraxis]

check out www.bolawkungfu.com

it's the hung gar school i go to but it's located in chinatown at the lower east side of manhattan which is a long way away from the bronx.

[Rolling_Hand]

There is a good (TWC) traditional Wing Chun school in NYC

Chubby Tiger,
--but leaving the dojo isn't easy...

Stand by a principle and end up alone? Or bend a little you'll find the light at the end of tunnel.

[ChubbyTiger]

Yeah, cherrypraxis, Chinatown is a long way from the Bronx. Frank Yee has one in Chelsea, which is only slightly better. Actually, those were the only two that I found online. C'est la vie.

Rolling_Hand: I'm not absolutely wedded to Hung Gar or anything, it's just that I really like the school I'm at right now. Going somewhere new will be fun, but it's never the same, you know? Ha, listen to me: get out of grad school and start waxing all philisophical. :D

[TenTigers]

If you live in the Bronx, and you won't spend the short time commuting to NYC by subway for your Gung-Fu, you might as well stay home. Travelling an hour 2-4 times a week is a small price to pay. Student who complain at this level won't be there when needed, certainly won't be there to lion dance,and will not support their Sifu when times are hard. Instead of finding excuses for why you can't do something, find all the reasons why you will.

[ChubbyTiger]

Thanks for your incredible insight, TenTigers. In case it makes any difference to you, I'm going to be a postdoc researcher when I migrate to NY. If I plan on putting in 60-70 hrs a week at work, traveling 45 min each way to the gym is a little bit of a problem. I simply wouldn't be able to make it there as much as I should. I like Kung Fu, but I also like to sleep.

And I hardly think that asking about local schools demonstrates a lack of commitment. I'm at the the dojo 4-5 days a week, including Lion Dance practice/performances. If it weren't within walking distance, I would be hard pressed to make it there for any of the classes, as I seldom leave the lab before 6:00. Most people may not have this scheduling problem, but if I want to study Kung Fu and chemistry, it's something I need to deal with.

Try excercising 'human brain' technique along with your tiger claw before jumping to ridiculous comclusions next time.

[The Whyzyrd]

TenTigers - you don't really know anything about CT so what gives you the right to judge him...and to find him lacking?

Simply by saying that travel accross the City every day will be difficult at best in no way indicates his dedication (or lack thereof).

I know of a whole bunch of really good schools that are just too far away for them to be practical for me to attend...does this mean I am not dedicated? I do travel an hour to class...so what? Do you? and if so...again...so what?

Dedication can be shown in many ways and simply making the effort to travel a great distance isn't necessarily one of them.

Just my opinion.

[cherrypraxis]

Chubby:

I bet you'll be going to Columbia. ;)

[ChubbyTiger]

Albert Einstein College of Medicing, actually. Dare I ask why you guessed Columbia? :)

[cherrypraxis]

Chubby:

oh, it was just a guess. your post to your detractor was both acerbic and controlled. you mentioned that you'd be living in the bronx. i put two and two together and, apparently, ended up with a five!

;)

[TenTigers]

Excuses are like opinions (and other things I won't mention here)-everyone's got one. Hey, I don't care if you live five minutes away from your Kung-Fu "dojo", a token and a short trip is a small price to pay, so stop yer sniv'lin, and learn to eat bitter. I am not impressed with your "credentials" it means nothing on the "mo-Gwoon" floor. (um, that would be Kung-Fu lingo for dojo) Tell it to your "sensei" (oh, somebody stop me!) Okay, so you have a very busy schedule. Train like a madman at home and make the freakin trek whenever you can to see your Sifu (more Kung-Fu jargon, Kewl, huh?) make the bestof your time. Quality not quantity. This way you won't "bei fan Sifu" -ask your Sensei. I'm sure you take your training seriously, I'm just ribbin ya. (You must learn to bend like the bamboo, weedhopper) loosen up. That stress will kill ya. Maybe you should find a good healthy stress relieving outlet, like, say ...martial arts! oh, I forgot, you don't have the time! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! ok, I'm still kiddin ya.
Okay, seriously; Any of Yee's Hung-Ga schools are well worth travelling to, even if it's once a week. Better to travel to a good school than to choose a school based on proximity. "It's better to spend ten years looking for a good teacher than to waste ten years under a bad one." Good luck in your training.

[DF]

Thks for the kind words TenTigers:o


However I don't think Yee's Hung Ga will be the right place for ChubbyTiger at this time. You know with all the strict rules and regulations we have for all our members plus all those other extra activities. With the busy schedule that ChubbyTiger has right now, it will be very difficult fitting in.

ChubbyTiger, I don't know any school up in the Bronx, but I will ask around. I will post it once I find some.

DF

[cherrypraxis]

DF,

Can you tell me a little more about your school(s)? I am not particularly happy at Bo Law Kung Fu though I have been there only for a month. I think, however, that I know and I've seen enough to realize that this may not be the right school for me...

I would appreciate any pertinent info you can give. (i.e. school dues, schedule, student requirements, etc.)

Thanks.

-cherrypraxis
(cherrypraxis@hotmail.com)

[jon]

"I am not particularly happy at Bo Law Kung Fu "
* I would not be either... Ill send you full details via email if you wish as i dont really want to go into it here.
Ill see if i cant get together a few good Hung schools that are in your area for you.

That or just take up Bagua its working wonders for me, im training full time at the moment.
Speaking of which im off there now, hope your well cherry ill speak to you soon.

[cherrypraxis]

hey jon!

missed ya! sorry, i still haven't gotten around answering your other e-mail. i'm currently nursing a lot of you-know-whats... ;(

anyway...yes, please e-mail me stuff that you've heard of about Bo Law. i'm thinking of calling that place quits after tomorrow's class. i would still want to take hung gar but if i don't find a school that is right for me, i just might stick with looking for a ba gua school. incidentally, i might study ba gua with mr. bong chan. i've heard good things about him. something cool also happened to me. remember your story about how you met your ba gua teacher? well...i think i may have a similar story but with something that i have no name for...

talk to you soon!

[DF]

Cherrypraxis,

As you know we have a few branches through out the Tri-states area. I think the best advise I can give you is to visit them all and decide on the one that best fit your personality. It is very important for a student to feel fit in and have the same chemistry with the school. Each of the branch school has a slightly different personality due to the make up of the students and sifus there, but at the end of the date, it is still part of the Big Yee's Hung Ga Family.

We are a pretty tight group, all the branches get together very often for the various events we have thru out the years. So being a member of the Yee's, is very demanding in your personal time. All of us get the same complains from our wifes/girlfriends/boy friends/husbands etc for spending more time in school than with them, lol:D .

We do have strict rules in the school. I don't want to go into it here but one of them is posting on the public forum. Yee's Hung Ga members are not allow to post anything on any public forum without Sifu Yee or my permission.

I am glad you are considering us, just drop by and talk to any of the sifu in any of the branches. They are more than happy to answer any question you might have. My best advice is look for a place that makes you happy. You can only learn in an environment that you are excited to be in.

Good luck

DF

[jon]

Im a Hung student myself and have the upmost respect for Master Frank Yee and his family of students. My comments regarding Bo Law are actualy not related to Hung Ga at all but rather to other aspects that are taught in that school. I was not even aware that Master Frank Yee's school was associated with Bo Law. I would certainly never wish to speak ill of Master Yee's Hung as he is a well respected teacher and a great advocate of the art.
Anyway ill email you privately regarding Bo Law and i would certainly recommend Master Bong Chan, his internal work is first rate from what ive heard.

[DF]

Jon,

I think you misunderstand BoLaw relationship wiht the Yee's.

BoLaw school is seperate from the Yee's Family. We are pretty friendly with the martial schools in our area but the Bolaw school is not part of the Yee's family.

Also I must applaud you for showing great respect to the fellow martial practioners in keeping certain things in private conversation rather in a public forum such as this. You show great mo duk, your sifu has taught you well.

DF

[jon]

Thank you for your kind words there much appreciated, more so comming from someone with your position.

Ive read many things written by Master Frank Yee and his students, they are all very interesting and show a lot of insight into the art. Ive also seen one or two performances by some of his top students and they show exceptional skill and talent. He is clearly as good in teaching his art as he is in fighting with it.
Respects and regards
Jon

[cherrypraxis]

DF:

thank you for the information. i can understand why your organization(s) demand(s) restraint from your students when posting in this forum. people can get carried away...
as per your suggestion, i will check the schools within the vicinity in the next several months. again, thank you... =)


JON:

i don't think you gave the impression of insulting Bo Law or Sifu Yee's schools. you're a first-rate guy! =)
i'll also tell you about my observations with regards to the methods employed at bo law in an e-mail...

[cherrypraxis]

BY THE WAY...

just to explain my position, i had misgivings from the beginning but thought that it is just because i am unfamiliar with the protocol in kung fu styles as i used to be a tae kwon do/grappling student. at this time, however, i have the opinion that it is just not the school for me as the perspective i've gained from my previous training is resistant to the protocol observed at this particular kwoon.

[ChubbyTiger]

Sorry for throwing in a few Japanese terms there TenTigers. :) My sifu began studying Aikido before Hung Gar and so everyone at the kwoon (better?) tends to use some terms interchangabley. I'll try to stick with the Cantonese from now on. lol

DF, thank you for understanding that my work schedule dictates much of what I can commit to with everything else. I would love to train at one of the Yee family schools if I had a real job. Maybe in a few years, if I stay in NY, I'll have the time/flexibility. On a different note, one of my older Kung Fu brothers is moving out to NY, too. He'll probably be aiming for either the Brooklyn or Chinatown schools. He's pretty darn good under the lion, too. Oh well, if you hear of anyone teaching in the Bronx, I'd appreciate it. Thanks, in any case.

[TenTigers]

Chubby Tiger, thanx for understanding my humor, yeah, I know I get a bit carried away, and sometimes I get a nosebleed from climbing up on my soapbox-(gettin all high an mighty)

[Yum Cha]

Whatever became of the NY Laundry Association, or the NY Chinese Laundry Association. As named in the book by HB Un?

[Hiram]

It was an honor and a pleasure to finally have a chance to meet you.

Your school's and Sifu's performance was excellent.

Hope the next time we have a chance to exchange views on the Chinese Martial Arts :)


P.S. Sorry if I didn't articulate myself too well. I was tired, hungry, and generally worn out. Next time, hopefully, I'll be in a better mood :o

[DF]

Hiram,

Thks for the kind words, all the sifus there gave a great performance. It was nice to see CLF in NYC, it has been a long time.

The pleasure is all mine getting to meet you. Your sifu is a good friend of mine. If it wasn't for your sifu, I probably will not be there last night. I hate attending public functions, I am not a very socialable person, lol.

peace

DF