Registered User
I have a friend who does MT, and BJJ who is very intetsted in the internals. You know how difficult this can be...I was hoping some of you guys could recommend some very good Bagua or Xingyi teachers in the San Antonio area. I would hate for this guy to get into some crappy school and miss out on what the internals are about.
Registered User
Sorry...you won't find GOOD Bagua or Xingyi in San Antonio.
Closest you can do is to travel to Houston....
Chinese styles are EXTREMELY limited in San Antonio. You CAN find a bit of Taijiquan and Wing Chun...but not much more.
Registered User
That's kind of a real bummer to hear. Guess those of us with close good teachers are pretty lucky.
All I wanted was a Pepsi
GLW is quite correct. There is very little in the way of CMA here. There are a couple good W/C schools and old folks tai chi. Other than that it's pretty much TKD and Kenpo. And of course the Kali school I just started training at.
Your intelligence is surpassed only by your ignorance.
You are more likely to fall down the stairs and break your neck if you live in a house with stairs. You are more likely to be in a car accident if you drive to work. You are more likely to be kicked in the nuts or punched in the nose if you practicing the martial arts. - Judge Pen
All I wanted was a Pepsi
Where does your friend train at Mike Rangel's?
Your intelligence is surpassed only by your ignorance.
You are more likely to fall down the stairs and break your neck if you live in a house with stairs. You are more likely to be in a car accident if you drive to work. You are more likely to be kicked in the nuts or punched in the nose if you practicing the martial arts. - Judge Pen
Registered User
I am not sure where he trains. Sad thing is, he said he took about four months of Tai Chi there, and he had no idea the things I am talking about with internal principles. He was extreemly interested in my blocking and deflecting methods, which I think are really basic kung fu in the internals.
This guy has been in street fights I would never want to get into. Real multiple attacker stuff, gettin beat up real bad type stuff. So he knows what fighting is. He said he wants to get away from the mat rolling and hard Mui Tai stuff, because it is just so abusive to the body.
We worked a project in Dallas a few months back, and he was going around Dallas trying different Mui Tai places. The thing I noted from him, is that when he fights Mui Tai, he is not in the mind set of taking someones center or balance, and then controlling them. He is just sport fighting, which is fine if you win, but you can take quite a few shots in the process. Also, that is not a good recipe for street fighting or self defense.
I'll bet I can find out where he trains...more to come
Registered User
BTW ewallce...I know how important a good teacher is in ANY style that understands fighting principles, and body dynamics, situational and emotional stress, etc. What have you heard around San Antonio about really top level teachers? Any art.
All I wanted was a Pepsi
As far as Wing Tsun goes, William Parker is a 4th level technician. I have heard good and bad things about that school. I went to check it out and it wasy okay. Just wasn't for me though.
There is also Gilbert Leal. A couple of his students post on this forum. I hear he is a good teacher too.
BJJ- There is a purple belt that teaches at concorde karate. His name is Karun Fiederer and is a student under Pedro Alberto. I have not been to check out this place but I have heard nothing but positive things about it. If I somehow come up with an extra 75 or 85 dollars a month I will train there.
I have done countless searches on the web as well as visited quite a few schools before I finally decided on pekiti-tirsia. The instructor really went out of his way to accomodate me and they really make you feel like part of a family. It was also the most realistic training. They train very hard but the environment is somewhat layed back. Class is a helluva workout too. I haven't left once where I wasn't totally drenched. Then again I am not exacty in shape like a world class athlete.
I really would have loved to find a Longfist school here, and Sifu Leal does teach N. Shaolin LF, but only to his more advanced wing tsun students.
Your intelligence is surpassed only by your ignorance.
You are more likely to fall down the stairs and break your neck if you live in a house with stairs. You are more likely to be in a car accident if you drive to work. You are more likely to be kicked in the nuts or punched in the nose if you practicing the martial arts. - Judge Pen
Senior Member
For those who don't know about good internal in SA, it's only because you keep looking in the phonebook. You gotta hit the parks. I was in SA for 6 years and I had 3 private teachers. My Yang style sifu was 70+ years old and a university professor from Beijing. I also studied Tang Shao Tao Hsing I while I was there and did 3 years of Bagua. There is some good stuff in SA but you gotta dig for it. My Hsing I Sifu moved, but the Bagua school is open and practices regularly.
As for Gilbert, I'd advise against him. Same for Horracio Lopez. Sal De La Rosa does Chen and while I haven't met him we have several mutual acquantiences and I have heard good and bad about him. As far as his Tai Chi, mostly good things.
If you're looking for some really good self defense and Muay Thai, Phet Fong Savane is on Austin Hiway. I know there was also a guy teaching Tai Chi and Shuai Jiao on Lackland a few years ago.
San Antonio is defintly grim for Kung Fu, but if you really want to find it, it is there.
Bill
May Your Blade Chip and Shatter
Senior Member
Ewallace.... Who are you doing Pekiti with? Ricky Rillera? Or Gabe Martinez?? They are both really stand-up guys. I went to the Tim Wade seminar they sponsored last year right before I moved.
Say hello to them for me, whichever you're practicing with.
May Your Blade Chip and Shatter
Member
Dr. Gary Stier teaches Sun Style Tai Chi, along with some Ba Gua and XingYiQuan in San Marcos, TX.
Last I heard, he was teaching Tai Chi on Monday evenings and was available for privates in Ba Gua and XingYiQuan during the week.
Senior Member
Is Sifu Steir in San Marcos now?? I trained with him like 6 years ago when he lived out south of Austin but north of Johnson City. THe commute was killing me and from what I remember he was REALLY pricey......... San Marcos woulda been A LOT closer..... Too bad....
May Your Blade Chip and Shatter
All I wanted was a Pepsi
I'm training under Gabe Martinez. He just opened a new school at wurzbach pkwy @ perrin beitel.
Your intelligence is surpassed only by your ignorance.
You are more likely to fall down the stairs and break your neck if you live in a house with stairs. You are more likely to be in a car accident if you drive to work. You are more likely to be kicked in the nuts or punched in the nose if you practicing the martial arts. - Judge Pen
Senior Member
Gabe is a great guy.....very dedicated....very serious. You're lucky to have him.
So Mr. Steir is teaching Sun style huh?? He told the the only kung fu he ever practiced was a family style he learned in Michigan. Interesting.....
May Your Blade Chip and Shatter
Member
I could be wrong, but if my memory serves me right (based on a conversation I had with him over a year ago) he is teaching Sun style.
And yes, last time I spoke with him he was teaching in the parking lot outside of his Acupuncture business in San Marcos.
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