CrushingFist
Blue Belt
Thanks Pete,
I've sent the place an email with those questions as well with some others I had in mind.
I've sent the place an email with those questions as well with some others I had in mind.
Anyone familiar with the NYC Shaolin Center?
- Thread starter jim777
- Start date
CrushingFist
Blue Belt
Hi, I did read everything.
I am still not very convinced as online I seen so many black belts, and seeing karate stances, strikes etc.
Do you guys use chinese terms or indonesian language terms?
Standard party line responses from any big chain MA school.
A couple of years ago I did some cold calling of local MA schools in my area to get an idea of the current competative pricing scales. Most smaller schools would give the prices over the phone PDQ. The chained schools instead countered with a typical sales pitch "so what are YOU looking for" or "how much time have YOU got to invest in your MA future", etc...
Nothing too shocking there.
A couple of years ago I did some cold calling of local MA schools in my area to get an idea of the current competative pricing scales. Most smaller schools would give the prices over the phone PDQ. The chained schools instead countered with a typical sales pitch "so what are YOU looking for" or "how much time have YOU got to invest in your MA future", etc...
Nothing too shocking there.
Ok, I don't know how sensitive of a topic it is here, so I'm going to try to say this as honestly (#1) and polite (#2) as possible....
NYC Shaolin Center is not what most would consider Shaolin (like what Shi Yan Ming and Shi Guo Lin teach..). It's appropriate name is "Shaolin-Do".
If you are not aware, I'll fill you in on some details.
There is a very big controversy over Shaolin-Do vs Shaolin and many will tell you that Shaolin-Do (SD) is phoney-baloney as far as Kung Fu goes. Most of the students I've spoken to (through forums) are convinced that Shaolin Do is the real Shaolin art and the Shaolin (and perhaps Kung Fu in general) currently practiced by monks and others is nothing more than Wushu. I dunno who told them this, but lots of them from different schools all say the same thing. IMO, that theory is bollocks, but that's just me.
Moving on..
SD claims to have started 2 generations ago from a master who supposedly learned from all the Shaolin Temples, including the mythical Southern temple in Fujian. So, SD says that it is the most rounded style and that they teach all the arts of Shaolin. The current master points to some stone errected at the Shaolin Temple in China that says that he's a 10th Degree black belt or whatever in Shaolin, but again, it's speculated (at least) that anyone with enough money could get the same thing in their honor that says whatever they want.
The legitimacy of Shaoling Do has been disputed and some have charged that the history Shaolin Do gives does not match up in any way with Chinese history. The forms sure don't look like anything that a Chinese Martial Arts practitioner would consider Kung Fu, but keep in mind that SD says that what CMAs practice is really the phoney Kung Fu and theirs is the legitimate version. I'll tell you that I think their forms look like Karate trying to practice bad Kung Fu, but I've never sparred anyone that practices it nor do I know anyone who has.
My advice: stay away from it. The lineage is shakey, most of the students sound brainwashed (though I'm not trying to imply that the teachers actually brainwash students), and the forms look god aweful even ones done by the master himself.
This is a BIG dead horse that's been beaten into the ground over at the Kung Fu Magazine forums and if you're interested in learning more, I'd go look there since you will find posts from those who practice it and those who think it's BS. Although, most of the discussions you will see were not exactly friendly. Most SD people don't like most Anti-SD people and vice-versa for a number of reasons. You'll also find some folks who used to train in SD and now personally feel that they were fooled and wasted their time.
NYC Shaolin Center is not what most would consider Shaolin (like what Shi Yan Ming and Shi Guo Lin teach..). It's appropriate name is "Shaolin-Do".
If you are not aware, I'll fill you in on some details.
There is a very big controversy over Shaolin-Do vs Shaolin and many will tell you that Shaolin-Do (SD) is phoney-baloney as far as Kung Fu goes. Most of the students I've spoken to (through forums) are convinced that Shaolin Do is the real Shaolin art and the Shaolin (and perhaps Kung Fu in general) currently practiced by monks and others is nothing more than Wushu. I dunno who told them this, but lots of them from different schools all say the same thing. IMO, that theory is bollocks, but that's just me.
Moving on..
SD claims to have started 2 generations ago from a master who supposedly learned from all the Shaolin Temples, including the mythical Southern temple in Fujian. So, SD says that it is the most rounded style and that they teach all the arts of Shaolin. The current master points to some stone errected at the Shaolin Temple in China that says that he's a 10th Degree black belt or whatever in Shaolin, but again, it's speculated (at least) that anyone with enough money could get the same thing in their honor that says whatever they want.
The legitimacy of Shaoling Do has been disputed and some have charged that the history Shaolin Do gives does not match up in any way with Chinese history. The forms sure don't look like anything that a Chinese Martial Arts practitioner would consider Kung Fu, but keep in mind that SD says that what CMAs practice is really the phoney Kung Fu and theirs is the legitimate version. I'll tell you that I think their forms look like Karate trying to practice bad Kung Fu, but I've never sparred anyone that practices it nor do I know anyone who has.
My advice: stay away from it. The lineage is shakey, most of the students sound brainwashed (though I'm not trying to imply that the teachers actually brainwash students), and the forms look god aweful even ones done by the master himself.
This is a BIG dead horse that's been beaten into the ground over at the Kung Fu Magazine forums and if you're interested in learning more, I'd go look there since you will find posts from those who practice it and those who think it's BS. Although, most of the discussions you will see were not exactly friendly. Most SD people don't like most Anti-SD people and vice-versa for a number of reasons. You'll also find some folks who used to train in SD and now personally feel that they were fooled and wasted their time.
CrushingFist
Blue Belt
Thanks so much
we should make this a sticky! for fake KF ?
we should make this a sticky! for fake KF ?
Nah... there's enough info out there about SD (pro & con) that a person can make the determination what works for them easily enough.
If SD does work for them... rock & roll but understand there's some questions involved.
If SD doesn't work for them... rock & roll & keep searching.
If SD does work for them... rock & roll but understand there's some questions involved.
If SD doesn't work for them... rock & roll & keep searching.
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