Dana Point CMA

[Isrephael]

I posted a more general question in the general message board. (I felt it appropos) But, I wanted to ask my fellow CMA'ers a more directed CMA question.
I'm moving to Dana Point, CA, and need input on the various CMA schools around that area. So far in my research, I've found http://breashaolinkungfu.com/, which, after talking to the Sifu there, teaches primarily Yang Style T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Seven Star Praying Mantis. I've also found the "United Studios for Self Defense" located right next door to the apartment complex to which I will move. They do 5 Animal Kenpo, I've been told. Not strictly Chinese, of course, but I don't mind a bit of integration in my MA.
So, any endorsements of these or other kwoons would be greatly appreciated. And, for that matter, if there are any I should stay away from, I'd like to know that, as well.

Thank you in advance.

 

[clfsean]

Find out who taught them, when, where, etc... It's easy for people to say they're CMA & not be. But it's also even easier to point that out nowadays.

Speaking of that, if you want CMA, stay away from USSD. They're a bad mix of Ke-n/m-po. Most Ke-n/m-po folks stay away from them if that tells you anything.

I posted on the general forum 3 schools I'd drive to LA to get to if I were you & wanted real serious CMA. One of them I can't find his website here at the office, but I have it at home. I'll post it later tonight.

 

[kungfulee]

Stay away from USSD.
They say they teach shaolin but their is no shaolin init, just villari mixed kempo.
I hate charles mattera's ussd.

 

[Flying Crane]

A few years ago I was approached by a USSD chain owner here in the San Francisco area, to be an instructor in one of his schools. He was interested in my Kenpo background and thought I could crosstrain into their system and teach in his schools.

I checked them out, visited their schools, interviewed with them. I had a sense that they were a chain operation, but I was interested in seeing what they were all about.

Ultimately, I declined his offer. Just wasn't what I wanted to do, and I was not impressed with the quality of the operation.

I suppose there are probably some USSD guys who are really good, but the experience I had with them was not impressive. If this helps you, great, but of course feel free to check out anything you come across and make your own opinion. And yes, even tho they claim to teach "Shaolin Kenpo", I think the consensus of those not attached to their schools is that there is little in the system that could be called real Shaolin.

I think Charles Mattera, the USSD head guy, has travelled to Shaolin Temple and created some kind of relationship with the people there, but I don't think that makes his stuff real Shaolin. I think the Abbott there granted him a Grandmaster/10th Dan certificate, but I really don't find that kind of endorsement too impressive. I think it is really just a political connection and little else. Actually, I believe that much of what is now taught at Shaolin Temple is actually Modern Wushu.

Anyway, hope this helps.

 

[7starmantis]

The website you listed didn't give much information at all. I dont by any means try to say that lineage proves anything, but I always wonder when I go to a website that doesn't list lineage. I also didn't see anything on the site about 7* mantis. None of this really means anything, but I would deffinitely check them out more and possibly find out a bit more about their lineage.

You may want to determine your goals for training and then find a school that meets them. sometimes thats the best way to go.

7sm