Practice in San Francisco

[sok]

Hi,

I watched Birth of the Dragon last night, and it's reminding me I'd like to get back into martial arts.

I've studied some, albeit briefly, including JKD, karate, wing chun, and Japanese jujitsu. I am looking for something like aikido, with more of a kung-fu twist.

I like Shaolin kung fu, and took some classes in that, however, it was more exercise than martial arts. I really enjoyed the movements and the history. I also had one class on bagua. I liked that too, however, I don't think there's a group here in SF.

While I am still learning, I think I'd like to know a mix of what I know are internal and external martial arts. I heard that there used to be people who practice in "the panhandle". however, I didn't find anything. I like the idea of people practicing together, not necessarily a school.

I have been to a few schools though, just to try them out. 3 so far - shaolin (mostly kids though), wing chun, and the one bagua lesson. Bagua was the best, but as I recall, they're a bit far.

Also, I am almost 47, so I don't want anything too rough, nor too light.

Does anyone know of any groups or schools that would be a good fit?

 

[yak sao]

Check out Bay Mountain Wing Tsun. They teach Wing tsun, obviously, but also Escrima.
The head instructor, Simon Mayer is a great instructor and a very good person as well.

 

[Headhunter]

Off topic but is that film any good? Obviously most of it's fake but as a movie? I've heard a lot of people give it crap because the main character is a white guy but I don't care about all that only if it's a good movie

 

[Flying Crane]

Hi,

I watched Birth of the Dragon last night, and it's reminding me I'd like to get back into martial arts.

I've studied some, albeit briefly, including JKD, karate, wing chun, and Japanese jujitsu. I am looking for something like aikido, with more of a kung-fu twist.

I like Shaolin kung fu, and took some classes in that, however, it was more exercise than martial arts. I really enjoyed the movements and the history. I also had one class on bagua. I liked that too, however, I don't think there's a group here in SF.

While I am still learning, I think I'd like to know a mix of what I know are internal and external martial arts. I heard that there used to be people who practice in "the panhandle". however, I didn't find anything. I like the idea of people practicing together, not necessarily a school.

I have been to a few schools though, just to try them out. 3 so far - shaolin (mostly kids though), wing chun, and the one bagua lesson. Bagua was the best, but as I recall, they're a bit far.

Also, I am almost 47, so I don't want anything too rough, nor too light.

Does anyone know of any groups or schools that would be a good fit?

There used to be a number of groups that would meet in various parts of Golden Gate Park, including the panhandle. I don't live in that area anymore and havent been around much to see if they are still around, but check on the weekend mornings.

Also, I used to see a lot of flyers advertising various groups, but not so much anymore. Seems like the martial arts community has diminished compared to what it was a couple decades ago. It's kinda sad, I used to like to see the fliers around.

With whom did you train the bagua? There are still some good Chinese martial arts in the SF area, but not all advertise openly, and a lot more of the commercial schools seem like daycare for the kids.

 

[Eric_H]

I do Hung Fa Yi Wing Chun in Daly city (hungfakwoon.com). My Sifu also teaches Fu Style Wudangchuan (which includes bagua) privately.

Adam Hsu has a group here that do a myriad of styles, bagua among them.

Yin Style Bagua has a group here.

I Liq Chuan has a group here.

There are supposedly Gao style bagua guys here too.

If Bagua's your jam, there's a *lot* of options.

 

[sok]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies. Sorry for the delay.

Flying Crane - film was good. Supposedly based on EBM Kung Fu Academy.

I studied with Geoff from Yin Style Bagua Combatives.

Eric, Thanks for the tip on I Liq Chuan. Looking into it. I've never heard of that before.

"There are still some good Chinese martial arts in the SF area, but not all advertise openly, and a lot more of the commercial schools seem like daycare for the kids."

Any ideas to find these schools or teachers that do not advertise openly?

Are there other Bagua schools in the area? Perhaps with some shaolin influence?