Is Shaolin-Do for real?

[Judge Pen]

well that's easy to explain, language variation. my jiangsu village dialect would be so-lin do. the village right next to us would be sio-ning do.

gangbang aside, my point is that
i think no one has the authority to call themselves shaolin unless they train the way pre 1928.
the henan shaolin temple. it's authority is questionable but at least it is the real shaolin temple (although rebuilt) right? at least they train hard, even modern whushu people in china train ten times harder than trad kung fu westerners here. at lesat they have somehting in common:both can't fight for sh1t

Ok, then by your definition almost no one in the world practices shaolin.
That's the good thing about deninitions, they can always be changed based on the persepctive.

[Judge Pen]

I noticed that GMst is going to teach the golden leopard again. A question for those who took it the last time, what did you think of the material and the seminar method of teaching?

I'm not a big fan of learning material in a seminar--its usually too much information to digest in one sitting and I spend most of the time following the seminar teaching myself. The best "seminar" form I've learned in SD took 5 days of 4 hour classes a day (while in Hawaii). It was the right amount of time to digest a long and complicated form under direct supervision.

Specifically about the Leopards, I havent' developed a true appreciation for them yet. They are unique forms with some nice hand and feet combonations which target very specific areas so I can see the benefit in training both speed and accuracy. The footwork and philosphy is a bit aggressive and direct which normally I like, but I had trouble getting into the grove. I intend to spend some more time reviewing them once I get through my test. Right now, I'm worried about surviving that!

[KungFu Student]

I'm not a big fan of learning material in a seminar--its usually too much information to digest in one sitting and I spend most of the time following the seminar teaching myself. The best "seminar" form I've learned in SD took 5 days of 4 hour classes a day (while in Hawaii). It was the right amount of time to digest a long and complicated form under direct supervision.

Specifically about the Leopards, I havent' developed a true appreciation for them yet. They are unique forms with some nice hand and feet combonations which target very specific areas so I can see the benefit in training both speed and accuracy. The footwork and philosphy is a bit aggressive and direct which normally I like, but I had trouble getting into the grove. I intend to spend some more time reviewing them once I get through my test. Right now, I'm worried about surviving that!

I agree 100%. I have been to several seminars, and it takes me more than a couple of hours to get the form down to a point where I can practice it on my own. There are those who can pick up a form by seeing it done a few times, but I am not one of them. Being only 2nd brown, I think I will stick to my required material and lay off of the seminars for a bit.

I did like the Golden Leopard form though, at least the 1st road, which is all I have seen so far. At least there are several fellow students at my school who have the form down enough that they can help me remember it!

[Chain Whip]

Bruce... the problem with the misinformation is there's been no active attempt by anybody to correct/clarify the statements.

I'm not sure I would agree with that assessment Sean. I think some of the school’s websites have avoided making the claims you speak of. If you can find any mention of the 900 forms, or Shaolin Grandmaster instead of Shaolin-Tao Grandmaster or claims about the markers at the temples on the Atlanta site - http://www.shaolincenter.com/index.htm please point them out and I’ll bet Bruce could mention them to Master Grooms and it would be changed. I would also say that Master Grooms would agree with the positions that JP and Bruce have stated here. That may not be “active” enough for you, but I don’t know what else he can really do.

[Baqualin]

I'm not sure I would agree with that assessment Sean. I think some of the school’s websites have avoided making the claims you speak of. If you can find any mention of the 900 forms, or Shaolin Grandmaster instead of Shaolin-Tao Grandmaster or claims about the markers at the temples on the Atlanta site - http://www.shaolincenter.com/index.htm please point them out and I’ll bet Bruce could mention them to Master Grooms and it would be changed. I would also say that Master Grooms would agree with the positions that JP and Bruce have stated here. That may not be “active” enough for you, but I don’t know what else he can really do.

Hey CW,
Your correct, the SDA site makes no claims...neither does the Lexington schools web site.
BQ

[sean_stonehart]

I'm not sure I would agree with that assessment Sean. I think some of the school’s websites have avoided making the claims you speak of. If you can find any mention of the 900 forms, or Shaolin Grandmaster instead of Shaolin-Tao Grandmaster or claims about the markers at the temples on the Atlanta site - http://www.shaolincenter.com/index.htm please point them out and I’ll bet Bruce could mention them to Master Grooms and it would be changed. I would also say that Master Grooms would agree with the positions that JP and Bruce have stated here. That may not be “active” enough for you, but I don’t know what else he can really do.

That could be for Atlanta (or even some), but that's just one(few) of many & does not too much to quell the years of stories & what not perpetuated by organization as a whole.

As to the number of forms & stele in Henan, I know the book has mention of one if not both of them in it, but I don't have a copy handy or have looked at it in years so I'm not comfortable in making any statements based on what it contains.

[sean_stonehart]

Hey CW,
Your correct, the SDA site makes no claims...neither does the Lexington schools web site.
BQ

Psst... that's just a couple... there are more than a couple of schools...

[Baqualin]

I noticed that GMst is going to teach the golden leopard again. A question for those who took it the last time, what did you think of the material and the seminar method of teaching?

First I love the seminars....it's great to have everyone together for a day....kinda neat to spend time with SDers you normally never see. As far as learning a form in one day...I'm not able to do that.....some of the young guys can...not me....I do take notes & get the basic introduction which makes it easier to break it down later and at our school the upper masters spend one day a week and work on seminar material only...anyone that took the seminar can work on it with them when they desire......and it's free.

The 4 roads of the Golden leopard are pretty awesome....the're used to develop speed and strength training for Meteor Fist...he covered more than just the form at the seminars.....breathing and training methods were introduced also. Even if you decide not to move on to meteor fist the 4 roads are something you could spend a life time developing.

GMS has decided to teach the Golden Leopards and Meteor Fist again to give everybody a chance to get it before he moves on to the next material.....which is something very special......by the way we were finally introduced to the start of Golden Snake material in the yin side of meteor fist
BQ

[Judge Pen]

First I love the seminars....it's great to have everyone together for a day....kinda neat to spend time with SDers you normally never see. As far as learning a form in one day...I'm not able to do that.....some of the young guys can...not me....I do take notes & get the basic introduction which makes it easier to break it down later and at our school the upper masters spend one day a week and work on seminar material only...anyone that took the seminar can work on it with them when they desire......and it's free.

The 4 roads of the Golden leopard are pretty awesome....the're used to develop speed and strength training for Meteor Fist...he covered more than just the form at the seminars.....breathing and training methods were introduced also. Even if you decide not to move on to meteor fist the 4 roads are something you could spend a life time developing.

GMS has decided to teach the Golden Leopards and Meteor Fist again to give everybody a chance to get it before he moves on to the next material.....which is something very special......by the way we were finally introduced to the start of Golden Snake material in the yin side of meteor fist
BQ

Did he specify that it was Golden Snake?

[Baqualin]

Psst... that's just a couple... there are more than a couple of schools...

SDA website is not a school...it's the main website for Shaolin Do.....all SDA schools

[Baqualin]

Did he specify that it was Golden Snake?

Yes, the Yin side of Meteor Fist is the Grand father of the Eagle Claw & Golden Snake systems...the first part was a 37 posture Eagle Claw form & the 2nd part was a 80 posture Golden Snake form (like pakua mirror image, 40 right, 40 left)
BQ

[bodhi warrior]

did he specify what the next form would be?

[Baqualin]

did he specify what the next form would be?

No...he will not tell us for 2 years until after he teaches out the Leopards & Meteor Fist again. One person does know, but he'll never tell
BQ

[sean_stonehart]

Yes, the Yin side of Meteor Fist is the Grand father of the Eagle Claw & Golden Snake systems...the first part was a 37 posture Eagle Claw form & the 2nd part was a 80 posture Golden Snake form (like pakua mirror image, 40 right, 40 left)
BQ

Bet the Ying Jow Pai folks would love to hear this...

[sean_stonehart]

SDA website is not a school...it's the main website for Shaolin Do.....all SDA schools

I know that... hence the smilies. I had a membership patch in 98 when it was still pushed in Atl.