Looking for a Hung Gar school

[CatNap]

I'm from Peabody - north of Boston on the North Shore. With gas prices being what they are and my income being tight, I'm looking for classes near me. I'm looking for a good teacher of Hung Gar. Is there anyone who trains near me? The only place I've seen on the Net is this, but I don't know what their reputation is:

http://www.danversmartialarts.com/

Can anyone offer feedback? Thanks.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I use to live in that area but it has been years so I really have no idea about the school but there are a few on MT from the North shore that might.

But looking at the web page, from a CMA POV I have my doubts, too many styles that are more than a bit different.

But that is only my opinion could be good, could be bad, go check it out and see what you think

 

[CatNap]

I'm a little concerned with the belt ranks - traditional gung fu, which Hung Gar is, doesn't have belts or sashes. I've studied Wing Chun for years and I have no rank. This school looks a bit commercialized so I don't know what to think really.....

 

[Flying Crane]

I just poked around the website a bit too, and personally, just from my impressions from the website, this is a school I would avoid.

I know, this isn't really a fair judgement because I don't actually know these people, but it is my opinion based on how they have presented themselves in the website.

First off, they list some of their training background, as well as who their instructors were. However, they never indicated that their instructors gave them permission to teach. Instead, they point out that they hold rank thru the Ultimate Black Belt Test, at 5th and 3rd degree for him and her. But this is no indication of their true understanding of the arts that they studied and now teach. Perhaps they are good, and their instructors actually gave them permission to teach. Perhaps they are not, and never received such instruction. Perhaps the Ultimate Black Belt Test is how they have decided to circumvent their real instructors, and gain a "credential" from an outside source to justify teaching. But the guys who administer this test know nothing about the arts that the Pasquales have studied, and are not in a position to give them teaching permission, as they were never the Pasquale's instructor in the first place. It's just really a lot of smoke and mirrors.

Secondly, their website just sort of shouts "commercialization!" They've got testemonials, and some sort of survey voting them "best martial arts instruction" and stuff, and again, this just comes across as looking for validation from outside sources. If their instructors had given them permission to teach, then they don't need outside validation of what they are doing.

Bow Sim Mark is listed as one of their teachers. She is kind of famous in the Tai Chi Chuan world. It would be interesting to know if she, and their other instructors, have granted them permission to teach.

 

[LanJie]

I agree with the other forum members that this school is questionable.

Having colored belt ranks is not a concern, There is a great Hung gar school in Newton Highlands, Calvin Chin's MAA and they award colored sashes. He is a high level Hung Gar Sifu and I have enjoyed his schools demonstrations often.

What concerns me is that the chief instructor and his wife were taught by Bow Sim Mark a world famous contemporary Wushu and Tai Chi teacher. She is not to my knowledge a Hung Gar Sifu.

I have found two possible schools for you to consider.

#1) Authentic Northern Chinese Kung Fu Karate & Taichi
(978) 921-2118
Beverly, MA 01915
Don Giovanni

This school you will have to look in to and it may be questionable as well. In some MA forums this school was listed as teaching "Northern Chinese Kung Fu, Wing Lam (He teaches Hung Gar and Bak Sil Lum), MMA, and Wushu". This may mean Mr. Giovanni is learning from Wing Lam. I am not sure but his school is listed on Wing Lam's online Directory as Don Giovanni Karate Studio.

#2) Yang's Martial Arts and Yoga
5 Dundee Park, Andover
MA 01810
United States
Phone: +1 (978) 475-2020

Director:
Alex Kiesel
Website:
http://www.yangsandover.com

This school may be a better choice. I know that Mr. Kiesel does not teach Hung Gar but he does teach Southern White Ancestor Crane and Traditional Chang Chuan. His teacher Dr. Yang is an excellent master and I have trained with one of his assistant instructors. His school would be a good choice.

Good Luck,
Steve

 

[Xue Sheng]

I just poked around the website a bit too, and personally, just from my impressions from the website, this is a school I would avoid.

I know, this isn't really a fair judgement because I don't actually know these people, but it is my opinion based on how they have presented themselves in the website.

First off, they list some of their training background, as well as who their instructors were. However, they never indicated that their instructors gave them permission to teach. Instead, they point out that they hold rank thru the Ultimate Black Belt Test, at 5th and 3rd degree for him and her. But this is no indication of their true understanding of the arts that they studied and now teach. Perhaps they are good, and their instructors actually gave them permission to teach. Perhaps they are not, and never received such instruction. Perhaps the Ultimate Black Belt Test is how they have decided to circumvent their real instructors, and gain a "credential" from an outside source to justify teaching. But the guys who administer this test know nothing about the arts that the Pasquales have studied, and are not in a position to give them teaching permission, as they were never the Pasquale's instructor in the first place. It's just really a lot of smoke and mirrors.

Secondly, their website just sort of shouts "commercialization!" They've got testemonials, and some sort of survey voting them "best martial arts instruction" and stuff, and again, this just comes across as looking for validation from outside sources. If their instructors had given them permission to teach, then they don't need outside validation of what they are doing.

Bow Sim Mark is listed as one of their teachers. She is kind of famous in the Tai Chi Chuan world. It would be interesting to know if she, and their other instructors, have granted them permission to teach.

Agreed

And I wanted to add this

From the site

Martial Arts training began 17 years ago and she has studied the Chen style of Tai Chi with Master Chen Zen Li of China

As Crane stated; In CMA there is a big difference between studying with and being given permission to teach by

I can legitimately make the following claim

His Martial Arts training began over 30 years ago and he has studied the Chen style of Tai Chi with Master Chen Zen Li of China. But it was one class and it was Chen Silk reeling.

I can also claim study with Yang Jwing Ming, John Painter, William CC Chen, Ip Ching, Fumio Demura and a few others I would have to look up to remember their names. But all this means is took a few seminars with them but I am not really a student of any of them and I certainly do not have permission to teach from any of them. And I cannot teach Chen Taiji, anything from YMAA, Bagua, CMC Taiji, Wing Chun or Okinawan Karate

So take such claims for what they are worth

 

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Don't know but someone here may be able to point you to someone:

www.hungkyun.com

or here:

http://wle.com/forum/