The Wing Chun Desert

[geezer]

Ever since my local instructor / training partner got downsized this last fall and had to take a job in the Bay area, I feel like I'm living in the desert. OK, I know I'm posting from Arizona, but I'm talking the Wing Chun Desert. I do try to work out with a couple of his other students, but one lives 30 miles to the East of me, and the other is nearly as far to the southwest, and both have very busy work schedules. And, they probably aren't as motivated to make the extra effort it takes to work with me, their old si-pak, as they would with their beloved sifu. Now there are a couple other groups doing various versions of WC in the greater metro area. But you know how WC politics are. Some of the other guys won't allow their students to cross train. Some have been told not to even talk to us!!!

So anyway, I finally decided to start teaching again to recruit new blood and keep our group going, and I've been relentlessly beating the bushes to find a few of my old kung-fu brothers from the old days. But it's hard going. And the worst of it is the irregular training. Try going for long stretches with nobody to work with... and then when you do finally manage to get together or attend a seminar, it's marathon sessions that leave you sore for days. Still, I won't give up. Anybody else have these kinds of problems?

 

[yak sao]

I feel your pain Geezer. My Si-fu lives about 800 miles from here.
I travel there a couple of times a year and he comes here 6 or 7 times a year, so at times it can be rather discouraging.

I had quit teaching a few years back and had only my fellow classmates to train with (there are 4 of us ) We would get together a time or two every week, but our chi sao sessions were becoming more of a yak sao session.
This guy who was dating my niece begged me to teach him, so after about the 3rd month of begging I started teaching again. I have a room behind my garage that's always been my training room, so that became the school. The group has expanded to 6, plus the original 4, so I guess it's going OK. It definitely has breathed life back into the group (and me)

 

[Nabakatsu]

While I have 2 classes a week, and possibly a si-hing coming over today, (first time I managed to obtain a maybe out of anyone in my class after a years worth of effort!) I feel like I'm in the wing chun Desert myself, I wish I could practice 8 hours a day 7 days a week! It's so hard to keep myself motivated to practice siu nim tao and stepping drills ect ect by myself. My girlfriend is looking to move back to Arizona, I figure after we travel around in south america for a good 6 months or so, starting hopefully within 6-8 months if all things go as I hope, so more realistically 2 years or so.. I may be headed your way! If I can find an active school in south america tho, it would be tempting to train like a banshee for a few years, considering the prices, I could probably train all day, if I could find that many classes anyways.. sorry to trail off.

 

[geezer]

While I have 2 classes a week, and possibly a si-hing coming over today, (first time I managed to obtain a maybe out of anyone in my class after a years worth of effort!) I feel like I'm in the wing chun Desert myself, I wish I could practice 8 hours a day 7 days a week! It's so hard to keep myself motivated to practice siu nim tao and stepping drills ect ect by myself. My girlfriend is looking to move back to Arizona, I figure after we travel around in south america for a good 6 months or so, starting hopefully within 6-8 months if all things go as I hope, so more realistically 2 years or so.. I may be headed your way! If I can find an active school in south america tho, it would be tempting to train like a banshee for a few years, considering the prices, I could probably train all day, if I could find that many classes anyways.. sorry to trail off.

Sounds like you have some cool plans. When I was young, I was all set to go to Caracas for a year to teach a guy WT, and he was going to offer me work at a language school he owned. But my plans changed and I never went. Now I'm 54, have a job, family, mortgage, car payments... in short, I'm not going anywhere. I'd say go for it while you can. And, if you ever end up out here, definitely look me up.

 

[bully]

Yep, I arranged a room and dragged together all the guys from the old days and some new ones.

I paid the room in advance, so it was a risk to me if no one turned up.

It was getting a bit sporadic, I couldn't pin down a guy to teach....then after New Year the numbers dwindled. I got fed up and stopped organising the room.

You wouldn't believe on an Island 9x5 miles that people are not prepared to commit to once per week training.

All is not lost as there is another guy from another lineage who I am going to contact. If he is interested in teaching me I will sort the room again. Don't really care if it is different to what I know, am going to do it anyway.

Good luck Geezer, I will report back on what happens here.