I'm creating an upcoming Jow Ga Kung Fu Lesson

[Gerry Seymour]

To teach a new student, you can have

- depth first,
- breadth first.

Which approach do you think is better?

Yes.

And I'm serious about that. I have a few things I drive depth on as early as possible. I have another body of things I think students need early exposure to, that they'll build on gradually from time to time.

 

[JowGaWolf]

To teach a new student, you can have

- depth first,
- breadth first.

Which approach do you think is better?

I don't think of these as being better than the other. For me these are process that are done in a specific order. For me. I do breadth first then I do depth. I don't do one without the other.

First breadth because I need students know where they are heading. Sort of like planning a trip. There will be some general things that you'll need to know before you take a trip, things like weather and season. So when I teach, I provide the weather and season of Jow Ga. Then once they have an idea of that, I get into the depth. Depth to me is the type of clothes I'll be wearing. Do I need boots? if so do I need hiking boots or winter boots? Do I need a jacket? If so, do I need one for the cold weather or for rainy weather or both.

When you see the video, hopefully this weekend. You will see me provide an overview so you can see where you are going. Then you will be thrown into the depth of things so that you will know how to train and get there. The temptation for beginners will be to only train the application and not the drills that help build the technique and strength needed for the application. Only training the application will result in undesired results. But it's better to know where they are going so that they can prepare better to get there. Only training application would be like me taking a trip overseas without any information or preparation for being there.

 

[JowGaWolf]

So my English learning process was:

Sentences -> words -> grammar

You can't make sentences without words. But I can say words without a sentence and still communicate.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I do breadth first then I do depth. I don't do one without the other.

I do understand that not too many people would use my teaching method (I don't belong to the mainstream). I just want to indicate that my teaching method does exist.

I just finished a 2-hour class for a new student yesterday (his 1st lesson). The following are what we have covered. It may sound like a lot of information, but beside rhino guard and double hooks, I only taught 1 technique. But I explained 10 different ways to set it up.

When I taught the 1st technique, I explained 2 major footwork.

- right side forward, advance left foot besides right foot, advance right foot.
- right side forward, advance right foot, left foot slide forward.

I also explain

- 3-7 stance - 30% front leg, 70% back leg weight distribution.
- 4-6 stance - 40% front leg, 60% back leg weight distribution.
- bow-arrow stance - 70% front leg, 30% back leg weight distribution.

The footwork and stance are taught along with application. Not before, not after, but "along with the application".

1. Knee seize
2. Inner knee seize
3. Criss-cross knee seize
4. Pulling knee seize
5. Circle running knee seize
6. Uniform stance inner hook knee seize
7. Mirror stance inner hook knee seize
8. Knee strike knee seize
9. Shoulder strike knee seize
10. Sickle hook knee seize
11. Rhino guard
12. Double hooks

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

You can't make sentences without words. But I can say words without a sentence and still communicate.

Have you realized that during the ancient time, people might know how to talk (communicate with each other), but they might not know how to read/write?

 

[JowGaWolf]

I do understand that not too many people would use my teaching method (I don't belong to the mainstream). I just want to indicate that my teaching method does exist.

I just finished a 2-hour class for a new student yesterday (his 1st lesson). The following are what we have covered. It may sound like a lot of information, but beside rhino guard and double hooks, I only taught 1 technique. But I explained 10 different ways to set it up.

When I taught the 1st technique, I explained 2 major footwork.

- right side forward, advance left foot besides right foot, advance right foot.
- right side forward, advance right foot, left foot slide forward.

I also explain

- 3-7 stance - 30% front leg, 70% back leg weight distribution.
- 4-6 stance - 40% front leg, 60% back leg weight distribution.
- bow-arrow stance - 70% front leg, 30% back leg weight distribution.

The footwork and stance are taught along with application. Not before, not after, but "along with the application".

1. Knee seize
2. Inner knee seize
3. Criss-cross knee seize
4. Pulling knee seize
5. Circle running knee seize
6. Uniform stance inner hook knee seize
7. Mirror stance inner hook knee seize
8. Knee strike knee seize
9. Shoulder strike knee seize
10. Sickle hook knee seize
11. Rhino guard
12. Double hooks

What do you do for conditioning the footwork and stances?

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Have you realized that during the ancient time, people might know how to talk (communicate with each other), but they might not know how to read/write?

Words don't require writing. For much of human history, a large portion of the population wasn't literate. But they did use words.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

What do you do for conditioning the footwork and stances?

The solo drill polish, and equipment/weight enhance should be done by students at home. In school, they just pick up new information. I'll show them how to do solo drill and equipment/weight training, but I don't spend class time for that.

I believe one should come to school to learn and go home to train.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Words don't require writing. For much of human history, a large portion of the population wasn't literate. But they did use words.

That's my point. During the ancient time people might go to outdoor and did their thing. But they might not realize that they had just trained the horse stance.

I believe the best way to train stance and footwork is doing stance and footwork without knowing.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I'll show them how to do solo drill and equipment/weight training, but I don't spend class time for that.

I believe one should come to school to learn and go home to train.

Now everything you say makes sense. The way that I teach wouldn't work for how you have your lessons set up (were at home training plays a major part in your student's development.)

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Now everything you say makes sense. The way that I teach wouldn't work for how you have your lessons set up (were at home training plays a major part in your student's development.)

I told my students that they should spend at least 6 years in pole hanging at home. Whether they may do that or not, I won't be able to know. IMO, it's their ability that they try to develop. If they don't want to spend time at home training, there is nothing that I can do about it.

I believe in CMA; a teacher leads a student inside the door. The rest will be up to that student.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I believe in CMA; a teacher leads a student inside the door. The rest will be up to that student.

Most people who train a martial arts won't do this on a consistent basis. I put it this way. I don't count on it or factor it in anymore and I schedule class training as if they don't train at home, or on their own time.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I schedule class training as if they don't train at home, or on their own time.

If you have a Taiji class, you try to teach 108 moves Taiji form to your students.

- You teach 10 moves.
- Your students don't train at home.
- Next class you spend 50% of your class time to review those 10 moves.
- You then teach another 10 moves.
- Your students still don't train at home.
- Next class you spent 75% of your class time to review those 20 moves.
- ...

There is no way that you will be able to finish that 108 moves Taiji form no matter how long that you may have your class.

How do you solve this problem?

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

If you have a Taiji class, you try to teach 108 moves Taiji form to your students.

- You teach 10 moves.
- Your students don't train at home.
- Next class you spend 50% of your class time to review those 10 moves.
- You then teach another 10 moves.
- Your students still don't train at home.
- Next class you spent 75% of your class time to review those 20 moves.
- ...

There is no way that you will be able to finish that 108 moves Taiji form no matter how long that you may have your class.

How do you solve this problem?

Patience.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Patience.

Why do you want to teach someone who doesn't want to train at home? For his money?

 

[Flying Crane]

Why do you want to teach someone who doesn't want to train at home? For his money?

I don’t have an end goal. I have two students, both approximately my age (50) with families, jobs, and other responsibilities and interests. At this stage in their lives, they are not in a position to dedicate all their time and energy on training. The time for that is when you are in your teens and early twenties: no family, few responsibilities, get a job and an apartment and train like Hell. Later in life it isn’t realistic for most people.

So I accept their involvement on whatever level they are able to engage. It enriches their lives, and none of us are training for the octagon. It still has tremendous value.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Why do you want to teach someone who doesn't want to train at home? For his money?

I don’t make my living by teaching. I teach for two reasons. I learn more by teaching others. I continue the teaching style, and the martial arts style. One is as important as the other. The teaching style is far more difficult to transfer. Many will train, most will quit, a few will excel. That is just the way of things. Despite these realities, I learn and progress in my own practice regardless of the path my students take.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Why do you want to teach someone who doesn't want to train at home? For his money?

Well I should address your premise here. I don’t want to teach them, I teach. It is neither my business, nor my concern what they choose to do with the training. Whether they decide to take it seriously, treat it as a hobby, or go to competition is entirely up to each individual. I am available to each of my students in nearly any capacity as a teacher and in some cases, as a friend.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

The solo drill polish, and equipment/weight enhance should be done by students at home. In school, they just pick up new information. I'll show them how to do solo drill and equipment/weight training, but I don't spend class time for that.

I believe one should come to school to learn and go home to train.

I agree for all things that can be done solo, given the short time we have them each week - just some polishing on things to make sure they're doing the solo drills properly. But there's a component of training (especially with anything grappling-related) that requires a partner.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

That's my point. During the ancient time people might go to outdoor and did their thing. But they might not realize that they had just trained the horse stance.

I believe the best way to train stance and footwork is doing stance and footwork without knowing.

That's fine, as long as they're actually doing the stance and footwork. I'm not sure how most folks' activities train those without them being aware.