So what's the deal with Wah Lum?

[9dragonshijin]

quote:

If I DID open up a school (hah) I would probably modify the style just as Pui did.


I assume you are serious with your questions, and not a troll, so I apologize up front with my abruptness( iam home with a pretty bad cold, so maybe iam moody). Your statement is like someone who never picked up a paint brush looking at a Rembrandt and saying" Yeh, I could do that". Its absurd. Ive seen so many people who start WL with either previous experience, or none, but think they know more than they do. You have not even taken a class, but have disected the system 25 ways. You do NOT learn MA by talking about it. YOU DO IT. Train hard for 3 or 4 years, and then come back and read some of your statements.

[Lode Runner]

9dragonshijin:

>Your statement is like someone who never picked up a paint brush looking at a Rembrandt and saying" Yeh, I could do that". Its absurd. Ive seen so many people who start WL with either previous experience, or none, but think they know more than they do. You have not even taken a class, but have disected the system 25 ways. You do NOT learn MA by talking about it. YOU DO IT. Train hard for 3 or 4 years, and then come back and read some of your statements. <

My statement is like someone saying "If I do become a great painter I want to have my own unique style; I don't want to simply copy everything Rembrandt ever did. Thus, I would prefer it if my teacher did not ban me from studying all non-Rembrandt paintings." I'm certainly not implying that this is easy in any way shape or form; I am simply saying what I would LIKE to do if I ever manage to achieve that level of skill.

How have I dissected the system 25 ways? I've merely commented on what others have told me is true. For all I know, a great deal of the art involves b*tch-slapping your opponent with a large and smelly salmon because I've yet to sit in on a class (I know I probably should but I want to know what it is I'm seeing before I actually go and see it.)

I know that I will not achieve a meaningful understanding of the art before I study it, but I don't want to spend 3 or 4 years and thousands of dollars just to find out that this system is NOT what I'm looking for. Talking about it does serve a purpose; like Joe said, I just want to get a general idea about what it is that I'm getting into.

[Lode Runner]

18elders:

>Go to other mantis schools and take some classes and compare.<

You know, you're right. if I am really serious about it I should probably visit multiple schools and sit in on many different classes.

Now the only problem is finding the time...

>The parade you mentioned, you said it should have been a wah lum parade.
You should thank pong lai for that.
We were invited to be in the parade but when master chan found out he had a fit and said if we were in it he wouldn't be. He told the association he would bring 5 schools to it to keep us out. Pong lai had already told the association we wouldn't be in it so master chan wouldn't be ****ed.
So much for learn kindness , fellowship<


****. That sounds amazingly petty of him. Before I start seriously ranting, who is "we" and why doesn't master chan like you guys?

[Joe Mantis]

Lode Runner

It's not an assumptions unless Harry has changed what he has been doing.

All Wah Lum schools is a pretty broad statement. But I can't speak for all.

Why don't you first check out Harry's school. Then go up to Merritt Island and watch his other school and how that person teaches.
Students normally teach what and how they have been taught.
I'll save you the trip and tell you: you won't see any mantis applications. You might see some sparring in pads but that is just games.

you have to ask yourself a couple of questions:
1. why do I want to train?
2. Am I willing to invest the time to find it out.

Do you want a lot of forms and be involved in a contemporary wushu type school?

or do you want a school that trains to use the material?

good luck.
by the way, you won't have much self expression. try repression.

[Lode Runner]

Oh. You've actually been to the school? Ok...

[9dragonshijin]

Like i said before, iam at home sick so i tend to get a little grumpy(just ask my wife). My point is that you are not really going to get a good idea before you actually do it , or see it for that matter.( Might want to watch a class before you go creating your own style). Im not speaking of just WL, iam speaking of MA in general, any style. I did Tae Kwon do for a while before kung fu. The instructor was an excellent teacher and very good martial artist. He was old school, trained in Korea. I just did not find it interesting after a while. Do i think that the time i spent there was wasted? Of course not. I gained flexibility, endurance, and some insight into martial arts. Everyone has different preferences,and biases, no one can tell you what MA you will enjoy. WL is traditional, sifus do not decide to start changing the system at will, then it wouldn't be traditional would it? The fact that you have not even seen a class, says something about your interest in learning.

[NorthernMantis]

You might see some sparring in pads but that is just games.

What are you saying Joe Mantis?That all we (wal lum association) do is games?

[18elders]

We are pong lai wu ji praying mantis. We are also ex- wah lummers who spend many years in the system.
A student of tom hausse's(his wah lum school is near ours) started to bash us so we responded.
Master chan is mad at the things said and also that wah lum has lost students who decided to train with pong lai.

[Lode Runner]

9dragonshijin:

My turn to be harsh.

So basically you're saying that I should just jump right in without any research whatsoever and never question anything wah lum teaches me? That's bull****. Promoting that sort of attitude will only lead to the detriment of MAs, as you'll have a bunch of newbies who wind up joining the wrong school and becoming disillusioned.

>( Might want to watch a class before you go creating your own style)<

And this is just ****ing stupid. I was giving you guys a hypothetical situation based on how limiting these restrictions must be on prodigious students. I even threw in a "hah" directed at the concept of me becoming a master (because I'm pretty **** uncoordinated.)

I should also note that the privilege of blending styles should not and is not the sole domain of the grandmasters. I would hazard a guess that many people here on the boards do the same. Achieving this moderate to high level of skill where I can benefit from a little diversity is not (I think) out of my reach. Therefore, being able to learn other systems is relevant even if the other scenario is just a pipe dream (which -- I freely admit -- it probably is.)

>The fact that you have not even seen a class, says something about your interest in learning.<

What I will gain by looking at the class itself is based on what I already know; if I don't know what makes a good kung fu program (sparring, proper forms, etc.) then I won't learn much of anything. Yeah, I could probably get something out of it even if it isn't what I eventually end up with but I think a month or two of research will be worth it to find a system that's better for me.

18elders:

>We are pong lai wu ji praying mantis. We are also ex- wah lummers who spend many years in the system.
A student of tom hausse's(his wah lum school is near ours) started to bash us so we responded.
Master chan is mad at the things said and also that wah lum has lost students who decided to train with pong lai.<

Ah, ok. I suppose that's understandable, though I can't comment about whether or not he was justified because I don't know what all was said and who said it (if it was a student that's one thing; if it was your Sifu that's another.)

[9dragonshijin]

Hey, do what you want.
Sifu Harry Lo, 6th level dan.Hmmmm.
Interesting research.

[9dragonshijin]

Hey, do what you want.
Sifu Harry Lo, 6th level dan in WL.Hmmmm.
Interesting research.

[18elders]

The things that were said were questions about the history of the system, the mixture of northern and southern, the way people are taught , lack of applications and 2 person drills etc.

[Lode Runner]

Is there any particular reason you feel that you must try to attack me (an admitted newbie who, up until a month ago, knew almost nothing about MAs)? There's being harsh and then there's being an @sshole. I think that by ignoring my reply and instead nitpicking on a very easy to make mistake (did you really manage to memorize all of these chinese terms in a matter of a couple weeks? At this point all I can remember is Sifu, SiMo, SiHing, and SiJze), you've clearly crossed the line into the latter.

[NorthernMantis]

Now the plot thickens as more things are revealed.

Well he probably meant 6th generation but si gung is 6th generation and Harry Lo would be at 7th.Well my question is does Harry Lo that he is saying online?

18 elders we've discussed that before.I don't know what these people have with sigung other than what was just said here and other threads but if anyone gots beef with him take it to him and not to innocent people who know no better and I mean this for all those out there trying to leave a bad taste in peoples mouths about wah lum.

Your basic strategy is to attack possible newbies and innocent people oblivious to these politics and give wah lum a bad rap all while trying to play the innocent part.I would expect more of you than to play these childish games.

Bottom line is:

Ex-wah lum people are angry with Master Chan so they attack begginers in the art who know have nothing to do with this.How ethical of them.

Somehow this seemingly innocent question turned into another flame thread.Whta a coincidnce huh?

Like I said before does Master Shr know about any of this?

18elders -

If you and all the other ex-wah lum people want to respond then take it to sifu Tom or si gung Chan Pui like it was supposed to be done intstead of picking on people who have nothing to do with this.

I knew something was behind all of this and now I compltely understand. You're angry at sigung and have a personal vendetta. Like many other people I got swetp along.

Word to 18 elders and all the others:

Don't include others in your little revenge you have going on.Either take it the authorities or shut up.

[NorthernMantis]

Originally posted by Lode Runner
Is there any particular reason you feel that you must try to attack me (an admitted newbie who, up until a month ago, knew almost nothing about MAs)? There's being harsh and then there's being an @sshole

18elders is mad at si gung so he attacks innocent people unaware of the politics.Enough said.