New to forum, new to martial arts.

[Dansolo]

Hi all. I'm Dan, I'm 26 and I'm from Massachusetts (Worcester area). I am new to the forum and I am also pretty new to martial arts in general. I've watched UFC from time to time with friends for a few years now, and of course the occasional kung fu movie, but I've only just started learning: some BJJ basics from my friend Joe. He is also learning BJJ (for just a couple of years now) but he is good enough to teach someone of my level. I've only had two hours of class so far and will be moving from once a week to twice a week. I'm also friends with Joe's Shihan whom I could take lessons from at some point if I decide to do so. (Just to note: Joe's Shihan did not deny me from taking classes from him or anything - I guess I just feel more comfortable at this stage learning from Joe. But Shihan does give me some tips as Joe instructs, so that's cool.)

The thing is, BJJ is not what I really want to learn. I'm going to stick with it for the moment because it's convenient and it is a martial art when I would otherwise be taking none. I don't particularly dislike it or think it's a bad martial art or anything like that, but I feel it's not "my" style. All the practicing on the ground kind of bores me. I'd rather do stand up, and besides, I don't have interest in competing in MMA, either. Actually, it would probably be accurate to say that I have little interest in competing at all.

Despite only just acting on this at 26, I've actually always wanted to learn a martial art and always wished that my parents would have gotten me to do something like that when I was a kid. I never really knew which one I might want to learn but I've recently seen a couple of movies that are probably reasonably well known here: Ip Man and Ip Man 2. For perhaps the first time, I thought to myself "THIS is the martial art I want to take!" So I have been trying to research where I would be able to take it. The options seem to be very few in my area, unfortunately. People say that Sifu Stanley Jue (Boston - somewhat inconvenient for me as it is) practices a style that is more of a mix than truly Wing Chun. While I'm sure he's great at what he does, and I mean no disrespect to him, but I think I would like to try this art with someone who can teach me "purebred" Wing Chun. There is a school in Spencer, MA called MJA Martial Arts which claims to teach WC, but I can't seem to find anything about that school or Sensei Michael Agbay on this or other forums, and that makes me a bit cautious. I found a place in Hudson linked to as having WC classes, but their site does not mention them, so I assume they have stopped those. If anyone is familiar with the area, I would love to hear some advice from you.

Anyway, this has turned into a pretty long post already, so I'll bring it to a closing. If anyone has any advice for me about where to look for WC classes, or about WC in general, or something I said... I would appreciate it. Thanks!


Dan​

 

[SahBumNimRush]

Hello Dan, welcome to MT!

 

[Dirty Dog]

Welcome to MT. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Best thing a person new to the MA can do, I think, is to find as many different schools teaching as many different systems as possible and visit them. Watch a class. Talk to the instructors. Talk to students. Get a feel for the school. Then decide where you want to go.

 

[Dansolo]

Hello Dan, welcome to MT!

Thanks!

Welcome to MT. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
Best thing a person new to the MA can do, I think, is to find as many different schools teaching as many different systems as possible and visit them. Watch a class. Talk to the instructors. Talk to students. Get a feel for the school. Then decide where you want to go.

Sounds like a good idea. Does one just happen to see a school and just stop by, or should I be looking up instructors to see if they are well known and regarded, etc.? How do I, as a martial arts beginner, judge the suitability of a teacher or school? Obviously I will try to judge whether I will be able to fit in to a school as far as getting along with everybody goes, but I will have no idea about whether their martial arts are worth my time because I am so new to martial arts. That's why I mention trying to look up the teachers of the schools that I found.

I am starting to read through some of the existing threads in the beginners area tonight, so my apologies if I am asking questions that have already been discussed as much as possible...


Thanks,

Dan

 

[seasoned]

Greeting to you, Dan. Hope you enjoy the site, it is awesome for sure.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Sounds like a good idea. Does one just happen to see a school and just stop by, or should I be looking up instructors to see if they are well known and regarded, etc.? How do I, as a martial arts beginner, judge the suitability of a teacher or school? Obviously I will try to judge whether I will be able to fit in to a school as far as getting along with everybody goes, but I will have no idea about whether their martial arts are worth my time because I am so new to martial arts. That's why I mention trying to look up the teachers of the schools that I found.

I am starting to read through some of the existing threads in the beginners area tonight, so my apologies if I am asking questions that have already been discussed as much as possible...

Knowing who is legit is always a problem, even for experienced people. If you know people who are training locally, that is one good place to start. If not, then when you go to a school, I'd suggest asking questions about what orgs they are affiliated with, who rank is certified by, who the intructors trained with, what ranks the instructors hold...

Then do some research into the answers you're given.

That still doesn't mean you won't get in with someone with legit credentials who happens to be a rotten teacher. But the info gives you a place to start.

 

[Carol]

Thanks!


Sounds like a good idea. Does one just happen to see a school and just stop by, or should I be looking up instructors to see if they are well known and regarded, etc.? How do I, as a martial arts beginner, judge the suitability of a teacher or school? Obviously I will try to judge whether I will be able to fit in to a school as far as getting along with everybody goes, but I will have no idea about whether their martial arts are worth my time because I am so new to martial arts. That's why I mention trying to look up the teachers of the schools that I found.

I am starting to read through some of the existing threads in the beginners area tonight, so my apologies if I am asking questions that have already been discussed as much as possible...


Thanks,

Dan

Welcome to MT, Dan! :wavey:

I wouldn't be too concerned about an instructor being famous, or even mentioned on the internet. There are some fine folks out there that run small schools, even informal schools.

As far as whether a school is right for you personally...make an appointment to stop by the school and watch a class. Make sure you include time to talk to the instructor privately. When you speak to them, talk to them about what your needs are, and what is important for you in a school. Ask if he has other students that has achieved those goals. Also ask about his lineage. Who has s/he trained under? What has his/her rank progression been? If you get clear answers, that's a good thing. If you get evasion or unclear answers, that's a bad thing.

Take note of the class, watch what the students are doing. Do they look interested? Do they look like they are enjoying what they are doing? Can you see yourself enjoying the training?

Once you've done all that, if it all seems good to you, give the school an honest shot. Keep in mind, the only way you can become more skilled at the arts is by getting on the mat and training. Hopefully you pick the school that is right for you, but it is also not the end of the world if you determine down the road that the school is not right for you. Martial arts is a lifetime journey

 

[sfs982000]

Welcome to the forums!

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Everyone here has given good advice. I would only add welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy it here.

If you find a location you're interested in for training, you can always run a Google search for the instructor, style, school, etc. That can be somewhat helpful in determining legitimacy.

 

[Dansolo]

Thanks, Dirty Dog and Carol. I will try to put your advice to use. I will work this week on making a list of some schools in my area to try and perhaps start checking them out next week. Hopefully I will be in a position where I feel comfortable beginning somewhere soon. I will try to ask those questions and see where the answers lead me. Still, if anyone in my area does happen to read this, recommendations of some schools to check out would still be greatly appreciated.

Everyone here has given good advice. I would only add welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy it here.

If you find a location you're interested in for training, you can always run a Google search for the instructor, style, school, etc. That can be somewhat helpful in determining legitimacy.

Thanks. I will continue to Google instructors but I will try not to make it the sole source of information. I can be the type of person who might delay this sort of thing because I haven't found glowing recommendations on Google or something else. So while I will continue to look on Google, I will try to take Carol's advice and just check some schools out, even if I don't find much on Google. (Though finding a lot of recommendations on Google would be even better...)

Welcome to the forums!

Thanks

 

[Instructor]

Welcome to MT, best of luck finding a place to train.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Thanks. I will continue to Google instructors but I will try not to make it the sole source of information. I can be the type of person who might delay this sort of thing because I haven't found glowing recommendations on Google or something else. So while I will continue to look on Google, I will try to take Carol's advice and just check some schools out, even if I don't find much on Google. (Though finding a lot of recommendations on Google would be even better...)

Well, I wasn't thinking so much of recommendations - they can be faked and have been.

I was more thinking of checking legitimacy and lineage.

While it is always possible that an instructor can be very good and have little to no credentials, or they can be very bad and have excellent credentials, I think that some things speak for themselves.

For example, it is not uncommon for a dojo or instructor to belong to one or several associations. But are they legit? There are many that are not, though they sound impressive. I would start with searching for the prospective instructor's listed or stated associations.

I would also look for their instructors and their stated art. Newly-founded arts abound, and that may not be a bad thing, but is it what you want to learn? If an instructor claims to teach X then they should be able to say who their instructor was or is, who instructed their instructor, and so on; and Google can be your friend there as well.

I would consider this to be 'due diligence'. And if you decide to go with an instructor that has little in the way of qualifications you can find or if they are the founders of their own style, hey at least you did it with your eyes open; better to know going in, I think.

My own instructor is well-known and respected in the Isshin-Ryu world (my chosen style to learn). His instructor is a first-generation student of the founder on Okinawa. There is simply no question as to lineage or authenticity. This matters to me; I realize it does not matter to everyone, so YMMV.

I see others who state in their web bios that they have "30 years experience in martial arts" but they don't say doing what. They don't say what style or styles they trained in, where and under whom, or what degrees they have earned.

Again, a talented instructor is a talented instructor, and lineage and high dan ranking is no guarantee that an instructor is any good, but I think it can be a good indicator.

I do the same thing when looking for a physician, BTW. My family doctor was carefully chosen after reviewing his credentials, including medical school attended, graduation ranking, boards certified by, papers written, hospitals he has privileges at, and his number of years actual experience in practice. I am very happy with my choice. I might have gotten a great doctor by looking in the phonebook or asking friends, but I'm just too invested in my health to rely on hearsay or anecdotal evidence for choosing a doctor. A martial arts instructor can have a lot of influence on your life; choose wisely.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Welcome to MT.

I went to High School near Worcester and trained TKD in Worcester.. but I left there...well..... over 26 years ago.....yup...I'm old.

 

[Dansolo]

I will definitely try to find out about lineage and take that in as one of the factors I use to decide. I will then try to Google the relevant people. Thanks again... very helpful advice.

Welcome to MT, best of luck finding a place to train.

Thank you.

Welcome to MT.

I went to High School near Worcester and trained TKD in Worcester.. but I left there...well..... over 26 years ago.....yup...I'm old.

Thanks anyway. I used to live in Worcester itself when I was a kid, but my parents moved before I got into grade school to keep me out of Worcester schools. I still live/work nearby, though.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I think Jack Ling use to teach in Boston but I know he does not teach there anymore if he ever did. However if he did he may have some students around there that are still teaching and if they are like him, and most I have meant are, they tend to fly under the radar and are hard to find, but if you find one that he allowed to teach they are generally pretty good.

Other than that I know of a few CMA schools around Boston but I really don't know any Wing Chun schools in that area

 

[Yondanchris]

Welcome to MT!

I can't help with the WC questions, but as has already been said look for a good instructor and not the art.
I unfortunately came from a questionable art, but had a great instructor. Now I have both a solid art and
an awesome instructor, who BTW was teaching out of his home (as a lot of American Kenpo guys do!)
Look around, watch a class or two even some private lessons and evaluate the potential "marriage" of teacher
and student!

Chris

 

[Dansolo]

Thanks. I actually have a friend who teaches Kempo (not the same friend that's teaching BJJ; this friend is 2-dan, if I remember correctly) and I might ask him to give me a trial in that. But I'll definitely be checking out that MJA MA school that is not too far from me (well - closer to my work) and I hope that I like it because I've been reading and watching stuff about WC and it's still captivating me. I read half of Ip Ching's book about Ip Man just last night and he was a fascinating person. If I don't end up joining MJA then I will probably have to find a different art as it is the only school that I have found that is close enough and has WC. I feel like even if I start taking something else, I will likely switch to WC at some point (yes, I'm saying that without even having done it yet, but that's how much it's captivated me) if it ever becomes more available. But I will take up another art if I have to (and here's to hoping I do not).

Dan

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Wlecome to MT and good luck finding a school you can enjoy. One question - you referred to your friend's BJJ instructor as "Shihan". That's not a title normally used in BJJ. Does the gentleman in question actually use the title or is that something you came up with based on your own reading?

 

[Steve]

Hi all. I'm Dan, I'm 26 and I'm from Massachusetts (Worcester area). I am new to the forum and I am also pretty new to martial arts in general. I've watched UFC from time to time with friends for a few years now, and of course the occasional kung fu movie, but I've only just started learning: some BJJ basics from my friend Joe. He is also learning BJJ (for just a couple of years now) but he is good enough to teach someone of my level. I've only had two hours of class so far and will be moving from once a week to twice a week. I'm also friends with Joe's Shihan whom I could take lessons from at some point if I decide to do so. (Just to note: Joe's Shihan did not deny me from taking classes from him or anything - I guess I just feel more comfortable at this stage learning from Joe. But Shihan does give me some tips as Joe instructs, so that's cool.)

The thing is, BJJ is not what I really want to learn. I'm going to stick with it for the moment because it's convenient and it is a martial art when I would otherwise be taking none. I don't particularly dislike it or think it's a bad martial art or anything like that, but I feel it's not "my" style. All the practicing on the ground kind of bores me. I'd rather do stand up, and besides, I don't have interest in competing in MMA, either. Actually, it would probably be accurate to say that I have little interest in competing at all.

Despite only just acting on this at 26, I've actually always wanted to learn a martial art and always wished that my parents would have gotten me to do something like that when I was a kid. I never really knew which one I might want to learn but I've recently seen a couple of movies that are probably reasonably well known here: Ip Man and Ip Man 2. For perhaps the first time, I thought to myself "THIS is the martial art I want to take!" So I have been trying to research where I would be able to take it. The options seem to be very few in my area, unfortunately. People say that Sifu Stanley Jue (Boston - somewhat inconvenient for me as it is) practices a style that is more of a mix than truly Wing Chun. While I'm sure he's great at what he does, and I mean no disrespect to him, but I think I would like to try this art with someone who can teach me "purebred" Wing Chun. There is a school in Spencer, MA called MJA Martial Arts which claims to teach WC, but I can't seem to find anything about that school or Sensei Michael Agbay on this or other forums, and that makes me a bit cautious. I found a place in Hudson linked to as having WC classes, but their site does not mention them, so I assume they have stopped those. If anyone is familiar with the area, I would love to hear some advice from you.

Anyway, this has turned into a pretty long post already, so I'll bring it to a closing. If anyone has any advice for me about where to look for WC classes, or about WC in general, or something I said... I would appreciate it. Thanks!


Dan​

Hey Dan. BJJ is awesome, but it's not for everyone. But one of the best things about training at a school from at least an experienced purple belt is that you get quality, detailed instruction and you have lots of different guys to roll with. While you might be more comfortable learning from your friend, believe me, it's really best to train at a quality school. If your friend has been training for a few years, I'm sure he's got a lot to teach you, but knowing from personal experience, I am sure that there are subtle details he's not even aware he's missing. So, before you give up on it, check out a good school. Might totally change your outlook.

You call your friend's instructor a shihan. That's a little confusing for me. Is he training at a BJJ school where the instructor is a shihan? Usually, in BJJ we use terms like Coach, Instructor or Professor.

Anyway, welcome to MT. I'm interested to learn more about where you're training.

 

[Dansolo]

He teaches a few different things and the guys there all call him Shihan. I'm not really sure why they should or shouldn't. I am aware of what the term means, but not necessarily when to use it (as in what respect level to use for what person). BJJ is obviously a Brazilian version of a Japanese art and I suppose it makes sense that you would no longer use Japanese terms, but I think they're used to it because they take other classes with him as well.

I don't mean to bring scrutiny to him or anything. He's a cool guy. And it's not that I dislike BJJ because I don't think I'm learning well enough or anything (and I know that I'd learn better with someone certified to teach it). I just don't really want to do ground game. I simply accepted Joe's invite to come by and learn some things. I don't mean to claim that I am formally taking BJJ. It's more like I was/possibly still am just trying it out with a friend.