having two sifus

[shaolin_allan]

Hi everyone I am in a situation where I want to keep doing wing chun with a sifu a couple of days a week. I've been doing it off and on for six months now. I am also wanting to return to my previous sifu and continue the bagua training I had started years back. Has anyone else here been in the situation where you've had two sifus? Would you consider this a good idea or a bad one? Should I just pick one camp?

[SanHeChuan]

I think its cool.

I've trained with multiple people at a time, off and on, since begining MA.

I know a (imo, good) Sifu who is a disciple of atleast two teachers, and regularly travels the country to train with others.

[Violent Designs]

How "experienced" are you in either system?

From personal experience it is better to be a master of something than a jack of .... nothing. Not saying you can't cross-train (you should!!!) but I don't think Bagua and Wing Chun share any principles?

They might even have conflicting principles? Not sure, don't train either.

But I would honestly focus on getting on down straight before picking up another, at least this is just my opinion.

Now focusing on Wing Chun and grappling is something else.

[shaolin_allan]

sanhechuan what styles were you practicing in and cross training at the time? Wing chun seems to have a lot of similar concepts as wudang systems so I was hoping itd be okay or to do like wing chun and xing yi. I used to do bagua for 2 years off and on but its also been a few years now since I trained in it. I've been doing the wing chun for six months.

[Hebrew Hammer]

Sounds like a 70's love ballad...'Torn between two sifus...feeling like a fool...'

[Grumblegeezer]

Hi everyone I am in a situation where I want to keep doing wing chun with a sifu a couple of days a week. I've been doing it off and on for six months now. I am also wanting to return to my previous sifu and continue the bagua training I had started years back. Has anyone else here been in the situation where you've had two sifus? Would you consider this a good idea or a bad one? Should I just pick one camp?

Two styles? Bad idea. Devote your every breathing moment to Wing Chun, give your Sifu total unquestioning loyalty, and more importantly, great gobs of cash in small, unmarked bills. BTW the fact that I am your Wing Chun Sifu has in no way biased my perspective! LOL

Seriously Allan, I'm just glad you are able to get back into training again. Bagua is a cool system too. It's just a matter of how much can you really handle at once, especially when you factor in school, your health, and finances. Not to mention that you've expressed an interest in continuing with the Eskrima as well. I would focus on picking one thing and doing it well at this stage, but that's up to you. Whatever you decide, I'll work with you. At least you're lucky to have plenty of good options. People post here all the time saying they can't find what they are looking for. --Sifu Steve

[shaolin_allan]

Hey sifu Steve! It's good to see you on this forum but your nickname grumblegeezer doesn't fit you well because it makes you sound like you complain but you seem like a positive outlooker on things to me You can actually still find some great threads on this forum even though rare, you just have to look. I saw in another thread asking what people's favorite wing chun techniques are but gan and tan sao at the same time as a strike at least on the inside seem to be the way to go from what you taught me. It can be used quickly with little thought. By the way i'll have that briefcase of unmarked bills you asked me for lol. I do agree, people seem to have trouble finding what they want these days but Phoenix has some good instructors.

[David Jamieson]

Yep, I've had 3 at the same time.
lol

It's all good as long as you can invest properly into teh study of what each has to over.

Don't overextend your own ability to meet the practice requirements.

[dimethylsea]

I think it's all about "what do you have time for?".

Most of us are hard pressed to study multiple styles sequentially (train one for a few years, switch to a new teacher, do that for a few years) let alone multiple styles/teachers simultaneously.

You just have to be honest with yourself about the sort of time, energy and money you have to expend on your training.

[shaolin_allan]

thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. I figured there would be some who would say it's a bad idea, but I was also looking to see if others have worked with more than one sifu, so it looks like it is possible. I agree though that I really need to take a look at my time and health/energy to really see if I should stick to one teacher for now. Hey dim I saw that your styles listed you have kali and bagua which is similar to what I have done. What is your opinion on cross training in a style like kali while doing kung fu?

[GeneChing]

I've been under two. Heck, I've been under three under the same roof (they were all Shaolin brothers, but there's still that 'do it my way' issue). It really depends upon the masters themselves and how they work with it. Some are more possessive/Confucian than others. Some are more sharing. My first sifu, Wing Lam, really encouraged me to seek out more at Shaolin Temple, as well as with Sun Jianyun.

[kristcaldwell]

gene,

seeing as how he is, in many ways, responsible for my journey into CMA, i would sometime like to hear your reflections on training under wing lam.

[SPJ]

learning from several teachers at the same time, probably o/rite.

but learning 2 different styles/systems at the same time would be tough.

I learned french and german at the same time.

h is not pronouced in french

h is air sound in german

I had a tough time in the beginning, after a while I kind of know better.

the accent, in german, it has to be clear and stressed the second word to the last in a sentence.

the accent, in french, it has to be "slurred" or 2 words pronouced together, if connected to the vowel of the next word---

---

[Dr.Rob]

Good on you.

Many of the older peeps I have spoken with. Feel its bad. You may mix the systems and loose the inner mechanics.

I have trained 2 systems for 12 years at the same time. And still do. I try not to mix.(CLF long range, LY short range). My Sifu's were always aware when I went off to experiment...fencing, kendo, Wing Chun, Bagua or Iaido.

If you keep notes, a steady pace and train. You should be able to fill your weaknesses. No system is better than the other, they just have different things to offer. Also they are different packages.

Weapons vs ground game. Stance vs hands. Everyone has just 2 arms and 2 legs. If you can use them all your limbs well, you are doing better than most.

[shaolin_allan]

I've been under two. Heck, I've been under three under the same roof (they were all Shaolin brothers, but there's still that 'do it my way' issue). It really depends upon the masters themselves and how they work with it. Some are more possessive/Confucian than others. Some are more sharing. My first sifu, Wing Lam, really encouraged me to seek out more at Shaolin Temple, as well as with Sun Jianyun.

You got to train with Sun Jianyun Gene? Ahh that is extremely cool. The style of Wudang arts I was learning was actually Sun Style.