Anyone heard of this school?

[Mel]

Hey all. I haven't posted to these forums in about a year, but I do read. I was involved in hung gar a little over 20 years ago. Two years ago I tried to pick it back up. The spirit and flesh are willing but because I live in a sparsely populated state, I can't find a good teacher. Hell, I can't a teacher at all! It has been a couple of years now, and I just do what I can remember on my own and stay in good shape.

Anyhow, I was thinking maybe I should broaden my horizons and try something else. These people aren't too far from me: http://www.mainewingchunkungfu.com/
Has anyone heard of them? Do you know if they're any good? Please give me the positives and negatives (you can PM the negatives if you want). I'm 43 now and don't have time to waste. Maybe I should try these guys out.

Thanks for your help!

[tjwingchun]

I not heard of them but there are thousands that I have not heard of which means little, after a quick glance at the website I would say it is worth a visit.

What is most important is that you feel some rapport with the instructor and feel comfortable with the training regime, ask to watch a class to observe the atmosphere and attitude of the other students to get a feel for what the underlying ethos of the school is and saee if it suits you.

There is nothing wrong with looking as the search to find the right instructor for you can be a long one fraught with danger or a quick path to the Sifu you have always wished but it is a journey that has to be made without the certainty of success the main thing is to keep an open mind and remember it is YOUR hobby/interest so it is YOUR perrogative where you spend your money

[couch]

I'm 43 now and don't have time to waste.

Have you looked at their curriculum? I don't know anything about them, but if you go through the program, it can take as little as 8 years and as much as 15!

Don't have time to waste, keep looking around.

Best,
Kenton Sefcik

[Mel]

Thanks for your responses. TJ, I had one of those Sifus that people always dream of....20+ years ago. Unfortunately, he's dead now, and I was too young and stupid to know what I had back then. You're right, though. There's nothing wrong with at least looking, and I really do need to "shop around." Trouble is, in Maine there aren't many "shops"!

Couch, I did look at their curriculum. I don't mind the program itself taking long, but I just don't want to waste time if the program is only mediocre. I'd hate to put in a year or two only to find out that the place I'm training at is a farce. The thing is, I don't know much about wing chun. I'm trying to learn as much as I can now by reading this forum and visiting the many links that people inadvertently post. I had never thought much about wing chun because I was already "sold" on hung gar, but now it's the only game in town. Which isn't really such a bad thing because as I said, I'm broadening my horizons.

One thing I've learned that I wish I'd known many years ago is that wing chun is very suitable for women. That's good news to me as I am female and only 5' 2". A good strong wind could knock me over, so I need something suitable to women, LOL! Then again, my old Sifu (or Shufu, as he had us call him) said that all kung fu could be better done by women than men IF they put in the grueling work and time required.

[martyg]

Mel - not familiar with the instructor of that school, but his sifu (Scott Baker) is a standup (meaning nice, trustworthy, etc.) guy with a lot of good insight.

[t_niehoff]

Mel - not familiar with his the instructor of that school, but his sifu (Scott Baker) is a standup (meaning nice, trustworthy, etc.) guy with a lot of good insight.

Ditto. And I'd add that Scott has good fighting skills.

[Dog Mutu]

You're 43. You still have plenty of time to waste you young whippersnapper. Why don't you just amble along and check it out?