Originally Posted by
Ultimatewingchun
Been teaching for 21 years...and there are about 10 people who have trained with me from between 7-16 years (and about 6 of these people still attend some classes whenever they can; and since people's lives change - some get married and have children, some move away, some go forward in their time consuming careers which prevents their attendance on a regular basis anymore)...
But I value these folks very highly, and for a number of reasons.
They are like my children (I have none of my own other than my step son - and I am about to turn 55 years old)...my brothers and sisters, my students, and my friends...all wrapped up into one person.
That...along with the immeasurable value they have served as training/sparring partners - and along with the immense pleasure I have experienced in watching through the years how each one of them has grown and developed in their fighting skill and knowledge...
has been worth all the frustration connected with the literally hundreds of people who have passed through my doors through the years but didn't stay long enough, for one reason or another, to become an excellent student or a friend.
Beautiful post Vic.......
I'm not a sifu, but have taught wing chun & escrima for over a decade, and the coolest thing about it has been seeing people (whether they trained with me for 6 months, or over 6 years); come out of their shells, face their fears & insecurities, gain confidence, and deal with their egos (learning true humility). -All the rest of the headaches and bullsh1t is water under the bridge, but those are the things that have stayed with me.
-Lawrence
I don't think Wing Chun is so limited that I can't do it when I wrestle, box, kickbox, or fight by MMA rules, nor am I so limited a student that I can't improve by training in each of those forums. -Andrew S
A good instructor encourages his students to question things, think for themselves and determine their own solutions to problems. They give advice, rather than acting as a vehicle for the transmission of dogma.
-Andrew Nerlich