Kung Fu School Dilema

**MastaWannaB** · Posted On: 5/06/2003 9:13am

What Up Bullshido's, here's my dilemma:

I'm a student at a Kung Fu school. The teacher is very knowledgeable and smart but very distant. He almost never corrects me even when I know that I'm not doing it so well. On top of that, he has me lead the class! Does that seem a bit funny to you? I've also noticed that most people in our classes are doing things wrong but he never corrects them. He just let's everyone do their techniques and forms wrong. My biggest pet peeve is we have never sparred in class! Even after a few years of training I haven't seen anyone spar yet (and I'm a senior student). I already brought this up a while back but decided to stick it out to see where the "curriculum" would lead me. I'm not too sure anymore.

Well it's more of the same. Forms, and partner drills. Nothing too exciting but I have learned a lot of techniques. I know, big deal but I'm not trying to be the baddest fighter on the planet. Mainly this is a hobby for me but I do want to know how to protect myself. And I do put in at least 8 hours a week of training. I have no interest in competition or BJJ so please refrain from telling me to join a BJJ school. In my school there is nothing but wimpy geeks who never have had a fight in their pencil protector lives. I'm sure that most of them have been picked on their entire lives. Just doing simple drills, if I apply any pressure at all they practically fall over! I just laugh and tell them it's my CHI. By the way, I don't believe in CHI. I'm beginning to think I'm wasting my time but I'm not sure.

Sometimes I think to myself GET OUT, and other times I think well the teacher will bring me to the next level when the time is appropriate. I don't know. After three years I'm still doing basics. To tell you the truth I'm just too cool for most of these people. These are the kind of people I would have nothing to do with outside of our school. I know for a fact I could personally wipe out the whole school (except maybe 2 other guys) even with my few years of basic training. I have to spar with friends to get any realtime action in. I don't think this is right though?

Questions:
* Is this the normal situation in other Kung Fu schools?
* Are most Kung Fu schools filled with wimps, geeks, and girlie girls who have never had a fight in their lives?
* Do other Kung Fu schools NOT engage in sparring?
* Do other Kung Fu masters neglect their senior students (even when the class if filled with mostly senior people he will do simple basics becuase of one or two newbees)
* Should a student lead classes if he isn't that good himself?
* Do you have to kiss the masters ass to get any REAL training?
* Am I just totally F* up?

Thanks for reading my rant. I would appreciate some serious replies please.

Thank You.

**WTDude** · Posted On: 5/06/2003 9:34am

Well, I guess your experience won't be a total loss. At least when you are out looking for a new school you will have a point of comparison for everything you DON'T want in a training program.

You can't make a man by standing a sheep on its hindlegs but if you get a group of men together you can create a herd of sheep.

**The Wastrel** · Posted On: 5/06/2003 10:04am

* Is this the normal situation in other Kung Fu schools?

NO!! NOT THE REAL ONES!!

* Are most Kung Fu schools filled with wimps, geeks, and girlie girls who have never had a fight in their lives?

Yes. But see above.

* Do other Kung Fu schools NOT engage in sparring?

Many do not.

* Do other Kung Fu masters neglect their senior students (even when the class if filled with mostly senior people he will do simple basics becuase of one or two newbees)

Maybe. Your teacher does. That's what matters. The thing is, senior students should be able to get a lot out of working with each other even when the teacher is concentrating on beginners. It doesn't sound like you could do that.

* Should a student lead classes if he isn't that good himself?

Maybe. No. Maybe.

* Do you have to kiss the masters ass to get any REAL training?

NO.

* Am I just totally F* up?

No.

Have you ever seen "Amityville"?

Ghostly Whisper: *Get Out!*

Same old advice: You say you're not interested in competition. What then are your goals? Where do you live? What are your options? Have you visited other schools? Are you in a contract?

You say you've been doing this for a couple of years and you have so little confidence in your training? That's a clear sign that you need to move on.

Are you devoted to CMAs? If so, Omar, KFDW, and KCElbows could probably offer good specific advice.

"I'm devastating, looking for some refreshment!"

Courtesy of flubtitles.com

**JKDChick** · Posted On: 5/06/2003 10:33am

Are most Kung Fu schools filled with wimps, geeks, and girlie girls who have never had a fight in their lives?

The vast majority of martal arts schools, Kung Fu or otherwise, are in this position. The only ones that aren't are the "street" arts (like mine and the drop-out rate is FIERCE in JKD) and BJJ.

Since you don't want to do BJJ is there a Capoeria school near by? Perhaps that might suit you, since it's an athletic, graceful art that some people claim might actually be useful if you ever really need it. Though, obviously, I don't think the attitudes "this is just a hobby" and "I do want to know how to protect myself" go together.

So, yeah, like the Wastrel says *GET OUT* before the walls start bleeding and spectral figures demand you kill all the other students.

Plus, your sifu sounds like a dick.

"I'm willing to bet I could **** up an emu real good, if I got the drop on the bastard."
-- KC Elbows, my new hero.

**jkd_fighter** · Posted On: 5/06/2003 10:54am

if you want to stick with kung fu find a wushu school, you could lern sweet forms and do sanda at the same time.

**Deadpan Scientist** · Posted On: 5/06/2003 11:24am

Why not ask your instructor to make an advanced only class. Why not have people spar if you're leading the class? Why not make the wimps do pushups all during class? If you're really leading the class, you're also to blame.

**MastaWannaB** · Posted On: 5/06/2003 11:51am

Could it be that the master just doesn't think that people are ready to move onto the next phase? I think he is paranoid about showing people all his good stuff until he knows your there for the long run. Don't some other Kung Fu schools do it that way. Kinda inner door bullshit stuff?

**MastaWannaB** · Posted On: 5/06/2003 11:59am

I would like to at least spar around a bit. Although I don't know why, I'm sure I would soundly thrash the computer geeks except one or two. It may be time to move on I guess. I might give it another few months or so and in the meantime I'll look around. If anyone knows some good schools in the Boston area that also spar I'd be interested in hearing about them.

**JKDChick** · Posted On: 5/06/2003 12:03pm

Could it be that the master just doesn't think that people are ready to move onto the next phase?

Yeah, it's also called being a money-grubbing fraud.

Let's review that list:

-- cold (not giving the mental support you need)
-- sloppy (not giving the physical support you need)
-- un-professional (letting a student lead the classes without giving correction)
-- dishonest (claims to be a martial arts instructor, then DOESN'T INSTRUCT)
-- dangerous (claims to be teaching a martial art WITH NO SPARRING)

Please, do not be like a me and spend the next five years trying to justify staying (It will get better; I'll get the special training when "Master" over there thinks I'm ready) Here's a hint -- he's never going to think you're ready. In fact, I would suggest this guy's pretty insecure and paranoid about any of his students getting better then he is; why else would you fail to correct them, save that you want them to stay below you? I punch brick walls when I think about the amount of time I wasted on TKD and what I could have been doing instead; that's where you will be in a few years.

jkd_fighter's got a point, by the way. Maybe a good wushu school would be the best place for you. At least you'd get in great shape.

"I'm willing to bet I could **** up an emu real good, if I got the drop on the bastard."
-- KC Elbows, my new hero.

**Fighty McGee** · Posted On: 5/06/2003 12:23pm

http://www.ymaa.com/classsched.html
Yang Jwing Ming's school in Boston. He's got some great books, so maybe??

http://www.taichi.com/
They do San Shou as well as Tai Chi/Wushu

There are others, but these looked promising.