Shaolin Martial Arts Schools

[Andy3012]

Hi there, i've been interested in martial arts since as long as i can remember. However i never have really taken anything up (apart from boxing) as around where i live all martial arts schools seem to be the "do's" (i'm sure you know what i mean - like ninjitsu-do, taekwondo etc) which i don't want to do as for me i feel they lack the philosophy and the combat behind the art.
I am currently looking into - after finnishing my degree studying Shaolin Martial arts in china. I have looked about online to see if i can find a school (where i can stay and learn at) that i know i can trust to have good teachers.

I was wandering if anybody has ever done any studying such as this and knows of a place that is good, the main reason for me asking is that i feel places such as the one on realgap and the schools in yantai (which seem pretty popular) all seem to commercialised for my liking - i've even read somewhere that one school fills up with as many as it can hold and a sifu can wind up trying to train 30-40 students at once.

And i also read alot of books around shaolin martial arts mostly by Wong Kiew Kit (my personal favourite author) and sever others like Geng Jun. So my knowledge around the arts is fairly strong - just lack the physical side of the art

 

[Jade Tigress]

Welcome to Martial Talk.

Where are you located? Perhaps there is a member in your general area who may know of a good school.

 

[Andy3012]

i am located in (england) devon around the torbay area - i have checked alot of places, online, telephone directories, yellow pages and shop windows. But there is nothing really interesting around here

 

[Xue Sheng]

Shaolin (Temple) Martial arts in China today is that it is pretty commercialized and mostly Contemporary Wushu with Sanshou for fighting. So I guess the first thing to figure out is what are you looking for in CMA, forms, application, Physical training, etc?

If forms, you will get a lot at Shaolin these days. If Physical Training is what you are after you will get a lot of that too as Shaolin these days. If you are looking for applications to those forms you will not get a whole lot of that at Shaolin these days. Most of the fight training at Shaolin is Sanshou.

You can get much of the same training at any of the Physical Education Universities in China as well.

If you are looking for real live fighting Changchuan or any other traditional CMA you need to look elsewhere.

Nothing wrong with Shaolin, but it all depends on what you are after.

 

[East Winds]

Andy3012,

Check out the BCCMA (British Council for Chinese Martial Arts) web site. You may find an Instructor in your area.

http://www.bccma.com/

Very best wishes

 

[Andy3012]

@ Xue Sheng: Yeah, by commersialised i mean like when the classes are too full to recieve real one to one training (with classes of like 10 you at least stand a chance) - i'm sorry for that i just couldn't think of the right context for that .

@ East Winds I have looked on pretty much every sight imaginable and every single local book/window/poster in the whole of my locality and there is absolutely nothing
-------------------------------------------------------
Basically this was the sort of thing i was looking for
http://www.chinashaolins.com/
I have had my money on going to there for a very long time - but recently it has gone down the pan. They don't have a flushing loo only 1 indoor shower, they cram 5-6 people into a 2 bed room and they put about 40-50 students per sifu. This is all hearsay mind you, i have spoken to quite a few ex students of that school and all have said the same stuff.
There is one with realgap which seems ok - but the thing that is the way its advertised is like "LEARN REAL KUNG FU SKILLS LIKE A MASTER AND IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS". I'm sure you'll understand what i mean by that .
If anybody can recommend a school similar that they have attended i would be very greatful
(Just to clear things up a little)

 

[JadeDragon3]

Yeah, most of the schools are commercialized so they can make money off the name Shaolin. Heck, the Shaolin Temple has the name Shaolin copy righted. That should tell you something right there. If you really want to learn Chinese martial arts then the best thing to do in my oppinion is to learn a family style of kung fu (in China) from someone who doesn't teach to the large masses. You would have to go to China and live of course. Once there ask around at different places as to who the best teacher is in that area (go to a place that is known for it's martial arts). Go to a place like Guangzhou or Bejing or some small town/village. Ask at different restaurants or in the markts where they sell fruit or fresh seafood or meats. Once you have gotten some names of some teachers in that area then the rest is up to you as to how to get them to except you as a student. Start offering gifts. Show up at his door every day. Be persistant. I had a friend who did this and after a long time of persuation the teacher finally agreed to take him. Here is a name of a VERY good teacher that I know that now teaches in China. He used to own a school in Chicago here in the states. Grandmaster Tsai now resides and operates a school in Shandong China. The Tsai family system headquarters is located in Chicago, Illinois and is owned and operated by his Youngest son Sifu Waysun Johnny Tsai. I would contact his son in Chicago and ask him about where to study in China.

 

[Mei Hua]

Sifu Johnny Tsai is an excellent resource, I have spoken with him a number of times and he is not only knowledgeable, but a really decent helpful guy.

You don't actually have to go to China to learn KF, if interested in Shaolin there is the UK Shaolin Temple which is really decent.

 

[JadeDragon3]

Well hello there Mei, whatcha doin' on this forum? Yes John Tsai is a very good guy. Now I'm taling about the father (Grandmaster Tsai, not the son). I don't know the son. My teacher and him (Grandmaster) did a professional street self defense video together. It was done in a studio and had a pruduction crew and everything. This was back in the early 90's. Well, I was on e-bay a while back and saw a copy of it for sale. It was kinda cool to see people were still watching it (or at least still be able to get a copy of it). Here is a link to two videos of GM Tsai on e-bay. The protect yourself video is the one my teacher (Dufresne) did with him. I haven't seen the other video but maybe my teacher was in that one too. Not for sure.

http://cgi.ebay.com/MASTER-TSAI-PRO...goryZ309QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Mei Hua]

Well hello there Mei, whatcha doin' on this forum? Yes John Tsai is a very good guy. Now I'm taling about the father (Grandmaster Tsai, not the son). I don't know the son. My teacher and him (Grandmaster) did a professional street self defense video together. It was done in a studio and had a pruduction crew and everything. This was back in the early 90's. Well, I was on e-bay a while back and saw a copy of it for sale. It was kinda cool to see people were still watching it (or at least still be able to get a copy of it). Here is a link to two videos of GM Tsai on e-bay. The protect yourself video is the one my teacher (Dufresne) did with him. I haven't seen the other video but maybe my teacher was in that one too. Not for sure.

http://cgi.ebay.com/MASTER-TSAI-PRO...goryZ309QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Very interesting

Sifu Johnny Tsai is also a member on one of the other forums we belong to, he really is a good guy who can provide a lot of help.



As for Shaolin MA schools that are authentic, Andy3012, if you're ever in the Cardiff area, you can always train with me, I teach Honan Bei Shaolin Mei Hua Chuan which is about as authentic Shaolin as you can get, I also incorporate MMA and BJJ into my school for greater skill and versatility.

 

[JadeDragon3]

Mei....You know, we started out argueing and wanting to fight when I first joined on that other forum (DL) but now I'd actually like to meet you and workout/train with you sometime. Wish you were back here in the states.

 

[Mei Hua]

Mei....You know, we started out argueing and wanting to fight when I first joined on that other forum (DL) but now I'd actually like to meet you and workout/train with you sometime. Wish you were back here in the states.

Cheers JD, same here.

As I said there, should be back in the States either next year or the beginning of the year after to make the rounds and visit friends/family around the country, so we may be able to work a meet up and train and hang out for some fun together

 

[Andy3012]

Thanks for the input you guys!!

I have been speaking to somebody living in china over myspace who lives in a small town outside the northen shaolin temple.

She is getting me some information, about work, living, and training over there. However i have several options now as i am too be moving out in a few years. And i am going to do a little traveling before i find a home, starting in china i will be trying out the "realgap" 3 month stay at a kung fu academy, followed by a 3 month stay in thailand to stay with buddist monks there and learn from former masters of muay thai. I just want to get a taster of as many martial arts as i can and see which suits me best.

Though that UK temple seems promising, however i live down in sunny devon so its a very long ways a way.

 

[ggg214]

in China, when you have spare time, i suggest you go and visit some parks in your located city. i am sure you will find some surprises!
wish you have a good travel!