Is Shaolin-Do for real?

[Shaolin Wookie]

I agree with that assessment.

[brucereiter]

To put my comments in perspective, I learn hsing i from a guy who's done a lot of tai chi and bagua but mostly hsing i over ~20 years, and his teacher has studied internal arts for most of his ~70 years. I get snippets of tai chi at times but don't know any forms. We do a lot of tai chi mechanics for example, which is why I was commenting on structure. I don't know the moves and sequences in the forms but I do know a little about structure.

i think some body mechanics translate from art to art so if you "know" one i agree you might be able to "see" another.

as far as my structure goes i guess feeling me would be the only way to know if my structure is sound. ya may ask some who have touched hands with me who are not sd students for their perspective on my structure etc ... i maintain that i do move from my center and i do us my whole body to move ...

do you have any examples of you practicing your art? then we can see a bit more of where you are coming from.

best,

bruce

[Toby]

... i maintain that i do move from my center and i do us my whole body to move ...

The way we do it it's very easy to see the centre engaging the rest of the body in some moves. I couldn't see that same connection in your clips. I'm not saying that it's not there, but I couldn't see it.

do you have any examples of you practicing your art? then we can see a bit more of where you are coming from.

No, sorry. I don't have a video camera and I've never even thought about filming myself. But props to you for doing so and putting it out there. I enjoy watching demonstrations, there's lots that can be learned.

[bodhi warrior]

I know alot of people recognize Eric Smith as Shaolin do's internal expert, but do some people know he studied with Dr. Yang Ywing Ming in Boston while he attended Harvard Law school? For those that do know, how much of that impacted his study of Shaolin do? Just curious if he discussed some of his training in boston?

[Mas Judt]

This is why I suggest people look at Sin The' - it is easy to for some to cover up or lie about other experience - whereas Sin The' moves like he does, as the head of the system, and all you really need to see is right there.

[Baqualin]

[QUOTE=bodhi warrior;783208]I know alot of people recognize Eric Smith as Shaolin do's internal expert, but do some people know he studied with Dr. Yang Ywing Ming in Boston while he attended Harvard Law school? For those that do know, how much of that impacted his study of Shaolin do? Just curious if he discussed some of his training in boston?[/QUO

GMS incouraged him & it helped his study of Tai Chi.......but he still stands right next to GMS & is still studying under him not Dr. Ming

[Baqualin]

This is why I suggest people look at Sin The' - it is easy to for some to cover up or lie about other experience - whereas Sin The' moves like he does, as the head of the system, and all you really need to see is right there.

What of Sin The have you actually seen to base this statement on..........if your so curious, why don't you meet go the man

[Golden Tiger]

This is why I suggest people look at Sin The' - it is easy to for some to cover up or lie about other experience - whereas Sin The' moves like he does, as the head of the system, and all you really need to see is right there.

I have watched him move and learned something each time he did so. I have held the kicking bag and felt how hard he could kick and strike it (and I am no little fellow either). Now close to 30 years later, I am still here.

What I haven't done is base my opinions on video clips or demos on the web or heresay from others how haven't experienced what I have.

So, should I go with first hand experience or no hand experience....

[kwaichang]

I agree GT I too have felt his power and witnessed his speed during Snake Pa Kua people should take the Missouri principle and if the havent seen or experienced it personally not comment on it. " Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth ? " haha KC

[brucereiter]

I have watched him move and learned something each time he did so. I have held the kicking bag and felt how hard he could kick and strike it (and I am no little fellow either). Now close to 30 years later, I am still here.

What I haven't done is base my opinions on video clips or demos on the web or heresay from others how haven't experienced what I have.

So, should I go with first hand experience or no hand experience....

my teacher said something to me "people may talk about how gmt this gmt that but he has never felt or seen anyone punch and kick as fast and as hard and with as much acceleration/explosion ..." that is second hand info that i think is good ... :-)

[Mas Judt]

I would love to meet him.

I can assure you that I am a nice guy in person. If he's really that awesome, I would own up to it. Although, based on the few videos I have seen and student encountered, I'm not holding my breath.

does he live in California now? I make it to both the North and the South at least once a year... I'd even buy dinner.

[Judge Pen]

I would love to meet him.

I can assure you that I am a nice guy in person. If he's really that awesome, I would own up to it. Although, based on the few videos I have seen and student encountered, I'm not holding my breath.

does he live in California now? I make it to both the North and the South at least once a year... I'd even buy dinner.

He's in Southern California. I'm not sure what his schedule is like because he travels around to his students schools regularly.

[Baqualin]

I would love to meet him.

I can assure you that I am a nice guy in person. If he's really that awesome, I would own up to it. Although, based on the few videos I have seen and student encountered, I'm not holding my breath.

does he live in California now? I make it to both the North and the South at least once a year... I'd even buy dinner.

He lives in the West Hills area of LA.....best bet would be to contact the schools in Ca. to see when the next seminar or tourney is....as JP said he's on the road most of the time.

[Shaolin Wookie]

Hey guys, some questions from the Wook:

I have a couple of forms for which I have names/lyrics for each of the movements:

1st Golden Leopard
2nd Road SL Double Daggers

Are there similar notes on the lyrics for all of our lower belt forms (yellow-brown)? Do any of you have access to them, or can you get them to me somehow? I'm not talking pakua or tai chi (they all have lyrics, and every student learns them). I want to know if I can get the movement lyrics for fei hu chu tung, lohan chien, etc. all the way through brown belt.

I know they're not, per say, vital to understanding the forms, but they often help you divide the form up for drills, etc. I found this especially helpful for Golden Leopard (in dividing up combos for restructuring them and playing with them) and Double Daggers (as it is very easy to get caught up in the spinning slashes, etc...lol).

Thanks in advance, for anyone who can help me with this. I'm gonna ask my teacher, but I'll be on vacation for a week. THought I'd ask you guys, as well, as many of you have been in this system for a decade or two (some even three or four, lol).

Later

[Shaolin Wookie]

Funny. Students (myself included) are always wondering how to apply the material, like it's something that has to be grasped out of thin air. Teachers always imply that everything is rooted in the short forms, which is pretty much true. But I also noticed about a week ago how I kept comparing the movements in lower belt forms to the blue belt techniques, yellow belt ippons, and all the chin na while helping out some lower belt classmates who were having trouble remembering their forms. I'd say 90% of all the movements in the forms have direct correlations to these elementary drills we do. Even when they're not direct, they're just small variations of the same thing. Lol. I realized how stupid I was not to see this....lol. And these same ippons, techniques, and chin na are what most students gloss over, forget, and can't perform that well (not that I'm a particular gem, either). Man, sometimes you just have to slap yourself on the forehead and laugh at yourself for being so blind.

Ippon blocks=opening blocks of short katas 11-12=fold/unfold circle clears at close of Jingang fu hu chien, and those in all of the 3 bird forms=technique #1 clear and arm control. Technique #2=sparring tech #6=China hand sweeps, and any backsweep in short forms (#'s 7, and 25, notably). All the same thing. All dressed just a little different. Taught for applications (techniques/ippons), form (in the sparring techs, short forms), and transition/balance (in forms). How did I not see how this was set up? L O Friggin' L. There is such an overwhelming emphasis for standing grappling, sweeping, and throwing in our lower belt forms, but all I used to see was strikes.

Anyways, my teacher said to me about two weeks ago: Bow stances are knee traps. I almost slapped my head again. I've seen the bow stance knee trap in a couple of chin na. But somehow I just never thought to apply that in general. Hahaha.....useful for staying on your feet.