Shaolin Do

**nautavac** · Posted On: 9/09/2011 11:07am

I honestly just started this Tuesday past in Shaolin-do. Here in town we have three choices, Tae Kwon Do and Karate (taught in the same dojo) and Shaolin do. I do not think tae kwon do is for me, and karate has so many variants that I just get confused thinking about it; not to mention the meeting with the guy in charge of that dojo was more concerned with my signing a contract and paying for my first set of classes and gi than answering my questions or offering any information to me about the school, I pretty much made my decision based on this that I wasn't going to join that school. However wanting to train in martial arts has always been a passion of mine and so I chose shaolin do and after my first interaction with the instructors it was an easy choice. The shaolin do instructors were very cooperative and accomodating as well as respectful to my own insecurities about training, and money wasn't mentioned until I brought it up after my first class. I hope to advance in knowledge and ability.

**nautavac** · Posted On: 9/09/2011 11:21am

"I'm confused. How is it after only one class can you assert:
what I do know is that these same moves made it possible for dad to come home to the kids more than once

Also, you (and your daughter as well?) sparred on your first class, for 30 mins?"
Because the same moves that I was taught in my first Shaolin do class were basically the same, although a little formalized due to the unexpected nature of assault, that I had already haphazardly pulled off in real life situations. During the class I was taught the context of the moves themselves then observed performing them. And my daughter and I spent about thirty minutes sparring with other classmates: blue and green belts. Of course we were introduced to sparring with very light contact because we had no pads or gear. Granted my daughter and I were on the losing end of things, and our opponents took it easy on us; but I must say that afterwards I was ready to sit down and my sides still hurt from the kicks that I took a while learning to block. My point is that there was no BS, we were shown what to do, how to do it correctly and then learned the application hands on, it was a really positive experience all the way around aside from feeling a little like a gazing stock as I am not used to formal sparring. I have no previous martial arts training, it was honestly my first class and I learned from that than I did in sixteen weeks at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's self-defense matt room.
My daugher is 12 years old and is strong for her age, she is a tough broad. The life we live, in the mountains, has helped us to stay fairly strong. The sparring helped us to put into practice the moves we had been taught. I am happy that I was able to get a few licks in though, although they may have seemed a bit rough, but hey I am learning.

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 9/09/2011 11:29am

I wish I could understand that statement. I see it all the time.

X has always been a passion of mine. I just started X yesterday.

Huh?

***Omega Supreme*** · Posted On: 9/09/2011 11:33am

Originally Posted by nautavac

I am sorry, wife was talking to me, why do you say "Oh god...." to what are you referring?

Use the search function and get back to me.

**CrackFox** · Posted On: 9/09/2011 11:36am

I'm not buying your story. Your 12 year old daughter spent 30 mins sparring adults on her first class. You've never studied martial arts, but you recognise the moves because you've done them before? If you're able to do these things without being taught, why do you need to go to classes?

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 9/09/2011 11:38am

Enter key is your friend, please use it.

Ok, i only ask because learning MA techniques takes time.
This is why it's a little unusual to spar on your first class.
It sounds like you are having fun and feel like you are getting other value from the class.
Too bad no Judo there.

**Permalost** · Posted On: 9/09/2011 11:41am

So were you sparring from the horse, bow, and cat stances?

**Sri Hanuman** · Posted On: 9/09/2011 11:42am

Anything that long-winded based on one class is utter crap.
What is your prior knowlege of CMA/Shaolin, that you can compare these movements?
You can hit the gym for 30 minutes, probably much cheaper, and still have your body feel just the way you describe, if not more exherted.

The only positive for Shalon Do, is their Taijiquan classes. Other than the crapdiculous emphasis on useless forms, they do sparring, which places them above your average bullshit Beijing 24 form curriculum filler that many Krotty/TKD schools use to lure in the soccer moms.

**Sri Hanuman** · Posted On: 9/09/2011 11:44am

Originally Posted by Permalost

So were you sparring from the horse, bow, and cat stances?

Old Brucey would be proud.
I wouldn't be surprised if he opens a franchise in Canada.

**nautavac** · Posted On: 9/09/2011 11:49am

Originally Posted by CrackFox

I'm not buying your story. Your 12 year old daughter spent 30 mins sparring adults on her first class. You've never studied martial arts, but you recognise the moves because you've done them before? If you're able to do these things without being taught, why do you need to go to classes?

The class is made up of several different ages of students. The students we were sparring with were sixteen and eighteen year olds. I need to go to the classes to learn more, at work we are only taught a few things; I want to learn the art form as well as more self defense that is both practical and useful. Our sparring partners were instructed to use light contact on us as well, so basically we were taught some blocks kicks and punches then we learned different ways these could be used while fighting through the sparring.
I do not understand the issue here. The whole point of the sparring was to fine tune the skills we had been taught, and (as the instructor put it) to get a feel for formal sparring. We were not placed in a pit with a gang of mad movie star ninjas and ninjetties dancing around us and expected to fight our way out or die in the process. This was hands on guided instruction. At times the instructor would see something that I was doing that was wrong, such as the failed blocking attempts, and come by; stop us, then show what I was doing wrong. Sparring for myself and my opponent then resumed until I demonstrated that I could do the move and then we would switch partners.