Straight from The Shaolin Center

[Empty_Cup]

After 26 years in martial arts, having studied at a handful of different schools, learned numerous different arts, trained with 1 or 2 semi-legends, and spent a lot of time researching and trying to learn the sholarly side of martial arts as well...

I think the only way to find a legit school for self defense is to either:

1. Be really lucky
2. Train for 5 - 10 years, learn as much as you can of the litterary and martial sides of the arts, talk to lots of people that know more than you, and then go searching for a real school.

Be honest here though, if legit self defense is what you're after you should get a gun and learn to use it...not study Kung fu for 10 yrs

[Kymus]

Be honest here though, if legit self defense is what you're after you should get a gun and learn to use it...not study Kung fu for 10 yrs

Well, yes and no.

I mean, in Pennsylvania you can pack heat, but it's a b!tch to be able to legally do that in Philly. In NJ and NY (I've lived in all three states) you can't carry a gun. (addendum: you also can't carry a knife... even a tiny one)

So then perhaps option two is learn Escrima, carry sticks with you (not exactly ideal, but it's something, and it's effective as long as they don't have a gun). But there are legal issues with beating the snot out of some tough guy with sticks.

So then there's stuff like pepper spray, but I'm sure all of us can agree that's not perfect either.

So, I think that learning legit martial arts is the most practical solution. Really, in my personal experience, I've avoided most fights by just showing the tough guy in question that I'm not scared and I'm also not all that interested. This sort of confidence - I think - can only come from martial arts, and the skill to back it against any a$$wipe on the street is gonna come from legit training.

another addendum: some people are just plain against guns. I'm not, but..

[Lucas]

Guns are great and all, but if your fallback for every single confrontation is to pull a gun, then you have issues imo.

if you're at a bar and unknowingly hit on some guys girl and he wants to beat the crap out of you, and wont take no for an answer, you're going to pull out a gun on him? why dont you just beat his ass instead? suppose he just ups and swings on you in the bar (not that uncommon) are you just going to shoot him in the bar? or are you going to defend yourself properly with a good old fashion bar fight?

ime, there are self defense situations that pulling a gun is not the best course of action. be a man and fight like man sometimes is the way to go.

[Kymus]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5RU-2eIbKU

Oh look, a new "Praying Mantis Kata" from the "ancient Shaolin Kung Fu" style....

[Kymus]

Oh, and if you're not in stitches after that, there's always this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1pIVkdeXP8

Hi my name is Master Ted ive masterd in the arts of MUAY THAI BOXING / MUAY BORAN /. 76 fights 38ko,s 10 losses ' I also studdy WUDANG KUNG FU AND TAI CHI but i do love teaching Thai / japanese chinese weapons of combat. I started when i was 5 i lived and boxed in Thailand for a number of years under the late grate grand master Cian pow [ sadly died in 2000 so i became the successor as i was his only student. Im living in the london area and teach privately so if you fill you want to train 1 2 1 im here for you so just msg me for more details. Thank you for reading.

[Lucas]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5RU-2eIbKU

Oh look, a new "Praying Mantis Kata" from the "ancient Shaolin Kung Fu" style....

Lol mantis beak

[Empty_Cup]

His knife form was not bad. He had some nice windmill combinations. His forward thrust was off. Do not see a problem with what he demonstrated.

Same here.

[Kymus]

His knife form was not bad. He had some nice windmill combinations. His forward thrust was off. Do not see a problem with what he demonstrated.

Yeah? Looked kinda sloppy to me.. like a self made form... from a self-taught "master".

[iunojupiter]

late great grand master Cian Pow? Only student?
Wasn't the muay thai teacher in the Kickboxer film Xian Chow?
Coincidence...

[Kymus]

late great grand master Cian Pow? Only student?
Wasn't the muay thai teacher in the Kickboxer film Xian Chow?
Coincidence...

My thoughs exactly. I'm also curious why he doesn't refer to him as Ajahn. Not a huge issue; I don't know of many Muay Thai teachers, but it does kinda chip at him..

Also, his MT is bad... his knees are a giveaway. He's chummy with Jake Mace, so I can only guess that he figures that if he puts up lessons on YouTube like Jake Mace does, it'll bolster his credibility or something