Freestyle

**ps09844** · Posted On: 3/19/2012 7:36pm

Hi,

I have read a few posts and one in particular with regards to Martial Artists starting their own style and schools. Which is what I have done.

I have studied a few different styles of Martial Arts over my 42yrs of existence and settled down a few years back with Wing Chun, as I was getting older and other arts were beginning to hurt more. After studying WC and getting to brown sash, Biu Jee, I started to realise that alot of what I had learned was not very practical in everday life. With this, I began to develop my own style, which I now call Freestyle Kung Fu, a bit like what Bruce Lee did, scrapping what he thought was not very practicle and adding what he thought was, thus calling it JKD.

My point is, I read others saying it is wrong starting your own style and calling what you like, without being a master or winning competitions or being some famous person in the Martial Arts circuit.

I haven't won anything, nor am I famous in the field, however, I know what I teach works for me and those I teach. How do I know it works, because I work in a profession whereby, I am confronted everyday with aggression and violence and use what I preach and it works.

I don't call myself a Sifu, I am a black sash and will always remain a black sash in my own field. I obtained this by standing infront of a panel of 5 3rd Degrees and above and showed them my style for 2 and a half hours, which they then agreed to.

I cannot see the problem with somebody interested in Martial Arts creating their own style and passing the experience on. Every style of Martial Arts had to start from somewhere.

***JohnnyCache*** · Posted On: 3/19/2012 7:59pm

Nobody here really cares until you sell it. Ultimately everyone who has ever trained in more than one class will use some synthesis of all their instruction.

What field are you in?

**Resonance10** · Posted On: 3/19/2012 8:22pm

Hello,
You should probably post this in Newbietown. Introduce yourself with a bit of background on your training ( beyond/prior the abandoned chun ) and maybe include something of what your 'style' is composed of.

Or just leave it here and give more info..brace yourself tho.. ;)

A few questions just for starters re clarifying your post:

1: What was it in the Chun that made you think it unsuitable for 'everyday life' ?
2: What do you mean by 'your own field'. 3rd Degrees what? Freemasons?
3: What did you demo for 2+ hours? Forms? Sparring? Applications? Teaching ability?
4: Did you reach a teachers level in any of the stuff you have trained?
5: What is your profession?

Regards

**ps09844** · Posted On: 3/20/2012 12:24am

Hi.

Not all Wing Chun was unsuitable for me, alot of it I have kept, just certain elements of it that I tested out during sparring sessions with friends, realising that it just had no useful purpose.

Black sash in my own field meaning my freestyle syllabus, which was displayed infront of 3rd Dans and above. I basically went through my syllabus, Yellow to black to show I knew what I was preaching.

I didn't achieve black in WC, nor was I teaching it during the WC class, however, when I went solo with a fellow WC'r, I was practicing my own syllabus until I thought it was good enough. I had no intentions of teaching it to anybody else, thought I would do it for myself. I completed an instructors course and it was only then when I was in a gym going over it with my son and nephew that a parent of a child, who I now teach, saw me doing it and asked if his son could join in. From then, more joined when the gym owner asked me to take a class.

***JohnnyCache*** · Posted On: 3/20/2012 1:16am

Originally Posted by ps09844

Hi.

Not all Wing Chun was unsuitable for me, alot of it I have kept, just certain elements of it that I tested out during sparring sessions with friends, realising that it just had no useful purpose.

Black sash in my own field meaning my freestyle syllabus, which was displayed infront of 3rd Dans and above. I basically went through my syllabus, Yellow to black to show I knew what I was preaching.

I didn't achieve black in WC, nor was I teaching it during the WC class, however, when I went solo with a fellow WC'r, I was practicing my own syllabus until I thought it was good enough. I had no intentions of teaching it to anybody else, thought I would do it for myself. I completed an instructors course and it was only then when I was in a gym going over it with my son and nephew that a parent of a child, who I now teach, saw me doing it and asked if his son could join in. From then, more joined when the gym owner asked me to take a class.

when you start operating on a commercial level, you're obligated to provide a working product. Ethically, that is - legally not so much, sadly.

Sports are certainly a way to demonstrate this. You can argue your product - your new blend - works because it ancedotally works for you, but sooner or later you're going to age and die, or your school is going to hit a certain size where your own good word just becomes something people - for good reason - should no longer accept.

So how will your style meet that challenge? You can say for the short term that you don't need that validation, but you actually sort of owe it to your students to provide it some how - so they aren't put in the uncomfortable position of constantly defending you on faith.

**Resonance10** · Posted On: 3/20/2012 1:45pm

Originally Posted by ps09844

I didn't achieve black in WC, nor was I teaching it during the WC class, however, when I went solo with a fellow WC'r, I was practicing my own syllabus until I thought it was good enough. I had no intentions of teaching it to anybody else, thought I would do it for myself. I completed an instructors course and it was only then when I was in a gym going over it with my son and nephew that a parent of a child, who I now teach, saw me doing it and asked if his son could join in. From then, more joined when the gym owner asked me to take a class.

OK, I'm not really sure why you're posting, it's like you want some validation or opinion on what you're doing, is that it? If so it would help if you were clear about what exactly it is you're doing.

I see from your profile you have Kickboxing and Wing Chun as your MA...so is that what your 'freestyle' style is? A mix of Wing Chun and KB?
If so your competence as a teacher of both those needs to be established. You mention a 'brown belt' in WC, so you didn't complete the WC syllabus..what is your 'grade' in Kickboxing ( if applicable ) ?

When you say:

"Black sash in my own field meaning my freestyle syllabus, which was displayed infront of 3rd Dans and above. I basically went through my syllabus, Yellow to black to show I knew what I was preaching"

What arts did these 3rd Dans study?

Forgive me if I seem confused, I've read your post a few times and it doesn't get clearer to me..maybe to much coffee...

Essentially: What claims do you make for your style? What is it composed of?

**Permalost** · Posted On: 3/20/2012 2:26pm

Originally Posted by ps09844

I don't call myself a Sifu, I am a black sash and will always remain a black sash in my own field. I obtained this by standing infront of a panel of 5 3rd Degrees and above and showed them my style for 2 and a half hours, which they then agreed to.

Was this with the World Sokeship Head of Family Council or whatever?

**Mor Sao** · Posted On: 3/20/2012 5:16pm

Sounds like someone wants to be a master of the martial arts rather than master the martial arts.

**Resonance10** · Posted On: 3/21/2012 5:37am

Also, what was the instructors course you completed?

**bigstu31s** · Posted On: 3/21/2012 6:44am

You say you already have a syllabus from yellow to black belt. Would you care to share the requirements to gain yellow belt/sash in your new style.
Thanks