Shaolin Temple UK

[golden monk]

This is great! More monks to choose from.

I am going over to stay in the UK for quite some time and thsi sort of info is very helpful


Does any one know a lot about these guys at Tang Long ?

There isn't a lot of info on their site.

Is it a wushu school or a mix of traditional and wushu ?

How old are the masters, they appear young.

[BoulderDawg]

good day to all

Im south African...and they welcomed me when 1 was there, there was Australians so anyone can come visit the temple....but you have to pay per class when you get there...there's a sign at reception that says no payment no gong fu....and one that says and 1 quote “ if you are late come early” which 1 thought was classic...

repetition is a big factor so be prepared to do drills over and over...in the foundation class...shifu yanzi will take 3 movements from xiao hong and you'll drill those moves over and over....

h's about 30 id say hard to tell but don't worry he's got heaps of energy and you wont tire him...you'll be finished long before he will...remember he coaches all day everyday...

shifu Shi yan li now runs the Birmingham branch to he is no longer based at STUK but maybe you'll be lucky and heel be in London when you get there......

1 knew xiao hong, da hong, etc before 1 got to STUK but when 1 left there 1 understood it...big difference between knowing and understanding it...1 find many that many seminars I've attended and forms I've learned...have just been empty hand and leg movement many instructors know these empty shells...yan zi shifu made me understand the forms.....he taught me to be substantial and insubstantial...now 1 feel 1 can move....to be in one place and then just by shifting your weight appear in another......1 found we as westerners forgot how to walk we just want to run...so go there with an empty cup....

you are not forced to study chan Buddhism .....but yan zi shifu says you can not separate chan and gong fu.......so 1 think it's a good think to understand chan....not saying you need to be Buddhist...but see why shaolin gong fu is what it is because of chan.

in south africa we have the biggest chan buddhist temple outside of china...1 go there a few times a year to retreat...and simply calmness of mind will let you over come even the biggest problem.

namo ami to fou

Thanks for the info.

I think I will go and attend a class. As I've mentioned I've only been exposed to the philosophy of my school and Master. It will be refreshing to see other points of prespective and to learn from others half a world away. Even if it is just for one class.

The Mardarin will be fun to try and diciper.

[golden monk]

Can anyone confirm whether most if not all of the below is taught at the STUK ?

Xiaohongquan (small red fist)
Dahongquan (big red fist)
Tongbiquan (through arms fist)
Liuhequan (six harmonies fist)
Changquan (long fist)
Changhuxinyimen (long protect heart will gate)
Qixingquan (seven star fist)
Meihuaquan (plum flower fist )
Paoquan (cannon fist)
Lohanquan (arhat fist)


(Quoting from Gene Ching from another thread regarding what most shaolin monks teach- or close variations )

[phoenix-eye]

I've done two weekend seminars with Shi Yan Zi. I would back up everything that's been said

a) he's an awesome athlete
b) he teaches practical application of forms - we did basic xiao hong quan
c) he places big emphasis on SanShou/application
d) he's a VERY demanding but fair teacher

I obviously have very limited experience but I would certainly recommend giving the STUK your time and see if its what you want.

[golden monk]

Sounds good!

I think some times it comes down to the combination of the master and also the suitability of the style on a personal level..

I'm excited!

Just the last thing is.. what forms do they teach?

Anyone know?

Some of my previosu post or all of them ?

Cool !! Reply Soon

[golden monk]

Anyone train with these monks ?

Please PM me

Thanks

[qixingmantis]

Good day all


yes have trained with shifu shi yanzi.......most awesome experience ....if you ever get tyhe chance...i say train with shi yanzi

all the best
chris

[GeneChing]

...as if the S.F. Bay Area needs another Shaolin rep We're like at three dozen plus now. I've totally lost count. Nevertheless, Yanlei is now teaching in Berkeley, CA. He's come across the pond from the UK (two ponds if you go all the way back to China) and he's submitted an ezine article for us.

Check out The Shaolin Dharma of Fighting by Shi Yan Lei

[shaolinexecutioner]

Calling BS on this 'monk'.

He says that "most fighters don't train in qigong and body conditioning". WTF? They might not train 'Shaolin Steel Jacket' but they sure as hell train body conditioning. A Shaolin monk would say something that idiotic? And he says "I started off by allowing my opponent to attack me. I didn't defend and I didn't block. Because I had trained so intensely in Shaolin Steel Jacket, I found that I could harness my qi immediately. " If he just let his opponent hit him, the judges don't score on how much pain he can endure. You score points in modern sanshou every time you deliver a solid hit. It doesn't matter whether your opponent can take it or not, with the exception of a knock-out. That's absurd. I didn't see any titles on his website. There are plenty of Shaolin monks that have entered sanshou competition. They all have titles and are up front with them. Did Shi Yan Lei ever win anything?

[Hebrew Hammer]

...as if the S.F. Bay Area needs another Shaolin rep We're like at three dozen plus now. I've totally lost count. Nevertheless, Yanlei is now teaching in Berkeley, CA. He's come across the pond from the UK (two ponds if you go all the way back to China) and he's submitted an ezine article for us.

Check out The Shaolin Dharma of Fighting by Shi Yan Lei

Gene,
Loved this article, wanted to hear more about this Monk's journey. I wish more articles were about this kind of martial mental development. Thanks again!

[missredbean]

Gene,
Loved this article, wanted to hear more about this Monk's journey. I wish more articles were about this kind of martial mental development. Thanks again!

Glad somebody had some positive feedback on the article! An update on Shifu Yan Lei: he's currently teaching and training in L.A. for the next month. He'll be back in Berkeley on Halloween for a qigong workshop. If you're in Socal and would like to meet with him, you can contact him via the email address on his website: www.shifuyanlei.co.uk. He's a really exceptional teacher!

[shaolinexecutioner]

Halloween - how perfect. Tell me Redbean, does Yan Lei claim to be a real monk? Does he shave his head and wear robes? Is he celibate and vegetarian? And what titles has he won exactly?

[missredbean]

Actually, Shifu Yan Lei DOESN'T claim to be a monk because he never was. His older brother, Shifu Yan Zi WAS a monk and brought Shifu Yan Lei to Shaolin temple to get him away from streetfighting. As such, Shifu Yan Lei is a Shaolin LAY Disciple. Since I feel it's inappropriate to reveal anything more about my Master's life, such as his diet or relationship status, I would suggest out of respect, you contact him directly or visit his website for more information. As for his fight titles, most were from China and Thailand when he was younger, so perhaps he doesn't feel the need to use them for marketing purposes nowadays. If you actually met him and trained with him, maybe you wouldn't feel the need to question such trivial details. I'm also curious as to why someone such as yourself feels the need to tear down martial masters (and with such little information). That's a lifetime of work, and all that time is much better spent TRAINING, so you can become your own master and not just an ignoramus on a kungfu forum.

[shaolinexecutioner]

Ignoramus? Those are fighting words. Can you back that up?

I'm suspicious of any master that claims to have won sparring matches but doesn't have any records to prove it. If he doesn't need it for marketing, why mention it at all? And those fight titles from Thailand - was that sanshou?

I find it interesting to hear him use the title "Shi" which is reserved for monks, not layman disciples. Given Shi Yan Zi's position on using Shi, I'm surprised he lets his little brother get away with that.

But now, I'm more interested in you since you called me an ignoramus. You are the one making assumptions. What do you really know about his past? What do you know about Shaolin?

[LFJ]

I find it interesting to hear him use the title "Shi" which is reserved for monks, not layman disciples.

not quite true. this is not only common practice in shaolin culture, but other chinese monasteries as well. chinese buddhism has a number of schools and traditions that vary on certain things. this may be one point. but it is common. also its not a "title", but a "family name" for those who have taken refuge and joined shakyamuni buddha's spiritual family, so to speak. depending on the monastery and tradition, that may require full ordination, but not in shaolin and many others, particularly in northern china.