Hey guys! Im new here and am looking for a martial art to study. I am thinking about Shaolin Kung Fu. Any Info you guys have would be great. Oh ya im in good shape. 24 years old and a Combat Medic in the Army.

If you're looking for a martial art that will actually help you learn to fight, look at something else.

Shaolin Kung Fu? You do realize you're speaking like an ignorant **** right?

*edit
Don't ask don't tell?

Shaolin Kung Fu? You do realize you're speaking like an ignorant **** right?

*edit
Don't ask don't tell?


Nope, thats why I asked. Any ideas that would help me?

Yes; please list you're goals and we can help guide you.

Shaolin Kung Fu? You do realize you're speaking like an ignorant **** right?

*edit
Don't ask don't tell?

Nope, thats why I asked. Any ideas of what would be a good CMA to get into. Is all Kung Fu bull **** or just the whole Shaolin thing?

Well like I said, I dont know much about Martial Arts. I would like to learn an effective art thats not BJJ TKD or Karate. Kung Fu looked like it would be fun and a lot of work. Most of what I find on the net involves Shaolin Kung Fu but if thats all bullshit I wouldnt mind learning a different style.

It's a Shaolin thing

Nope, thats why I asked. Any ideas of what would be a good CMA to get into. Is all Kung Fu bull **** or just the whole Shaolin thing?

Just tell us what you want out of your training. Do you want a fun hobby? Do you want to learn self defense? Do want to learn a pure art passed down from generation to generation, for historical value?

As for info on shaolin... I haven't looked into it much. The impression I get from the threads i've come across here is that "real" shaolin kung fu dosen't exist. The original story passed off that shaolin came from India and spawned all martial arts is BS. In addition there may have been many shaolin temples and no specific single "The Shaolin" temple. Any modern martial artist claiming to practice shaolin kung fu originating from "The Shaolin" temple is naive. A simple search will give you much better information on SKF than I care to give. I tried. Search function newb!

Well like I said, I dont know much about Martial Arts. I would like to learn an effective art thats not BJJ TKD or Karate. Kung Fu looked like it would be fun and a lot of work. Most of what I find on the net involves Shaolin Kung Fu but if thats all bullshit I wouldnt mind learning a different style.

Judo or Muay Thai maybe? Those are answers many here will likely give you if you want an effective MA. I still think you need to be more specific on what you consider effective. Effective for what? Fighting? Self defense Weight loss/ conditioning?

Most likely you need to decide what you want in a martial art and see what's available in your area. I'd do sambo if it was available near me and fit my crazy ass schedule, but it's not an option. No point in spending time and energy debating about what art to choose when you don't know what are realistic options for you.

Hahaha ya being a newb sucks! Im thinking traditional kung fu would be fine. I would like to learn better self defense, get a good work out and learn a martial art that is rich in history. Im in pretty good shape. Been in the Army for 6 years now and work out daily.

I just looked up your IP? It seems like you don't have much choice. Really sucks to be you. Anything more you could give us?

I just looked up your IP? It seems like you don't have much choice. Really sucks to be you. Anything more you could give us?

Ya I am in Yuma, AZ now but I am moving to Colorado Springs next month. So is Kung Fu an effective MA or no?

Ya I am in Yuma, AZ now but I am moving to Colorado Springs next month. So is Kung Fu an effective MA or no?

I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you're not just trolling here.

This is kind of like asking if Chinese restaurants are good. There are examples of great Chinese restaurants and terrible ones. There are restaurants that serve Chinese food targeted at the American customer, and others targeted at Chinese customers. There's cheap Chinese food, expensive Chinese food, Pan-Asian cuisine, Chinese food from different regions of China, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc, all of which can be very different from the others. It's too much of a generalization to just talk about "Chinese food," and the same goes for Kung Fu.

It pretty much depends on the customer (you), and what you are looking for. Why are you hung up on learning a Chinese martial art? Not that there aren't any good ones, but it seems silly to limit yourself to just one type of martial art when in some areas it's hard enough to find any good school, even without setting arbitrary limitations like that.

Do you want this martial art to prepare you to be able to handle yourself in a real fight? Or do you just want to practice something for fun?

I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you're not just trolling here.

This is kind of like asking if Chinese restaurants are good. There are examples of great Chinese restaurants and terrible ones. There are restaurants that serve Chinese food targeted at the American customer, and others targeted at Chinese customers. There's cheap Chinese food, expensive Chinese food, Pan-Asian cuisine, Chinese food from different regions of China, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc, all of which can be very different from the others. It's too much of a generalization to just talk about "Chinese food," and the same goes for Kung Fu.

It pretty much depends on the customer (you), and what you are looking for. Why are you hung up on learning a Chinese martial art? Not that there aren't any good ones, but it seems silly to limit yourself to just one type of martial art when in some areas it's hard enough to find any good school, even without setting arbitrary limitations like that.

Do you want this martial art to prepare you to be able to handle yourself in a real fight? Or do you just want to practice something for fun?


Nope definantly not a troll. I think im more attracted to the tradition of Kung Fu. I did TKD as a kid and im def not interested in doing that again. I get ground training in the army and some stand up. Im really just looking for a MA that has a lot of history, Is effective in a real life stand up fight ( Yes I know most fights go to the ground) and isnt completely BS. Reading through the Forums and I think Hung Gar Kung Fu might be worth checking out.

Nope definantly not a troll. I think im more attracted to the tradition of Kung Fu. I did TKD as a kid and im def not interested in doing that again. I get ground training in the army and some stand up. Im really just looking for a MA that has a lot of history, Is effective in a real life stand up fight ( Yes I know most fights go to the ground) and isnt completely BS. Reading through the Forums and I think Hung Gar Kung Fu might be worth checking out.

Hung gar is good gong fu, with the right instructor.