bo law kung fu

**alumeta** · Posted On: 2/15/2007 12:03pm

Hi guys, I'm a noob here, so might've missed the topic being discussed elsewhere on this site. Here the story: I train mainly in sambo/judo/bjj/greco(mostly sambo, though) and in recent months added a day per week dedicated to various striking (muay thai/karate/mma). I'm usually openminded when it comes to non-mainstream martial arts, especially the ones I don't know jack **** about, so decided to research kung fu, maybe try it and see if they have anything useful to offer.
First few coaches that I encountered seemed full of **** and then I noticed a sign actually across the street from my place! It was http://www.bolawkungfu.com/
I called and talked to a representative. First, he made a big deal about coming in to at least see how their practice conducted and then among other things he told me that they as a rule do not let people who practice other MA train with them!! What does that supposed to mean? Is that an insecurity of that particular school, or is it a common practice for kung fu?

**Goju - Joe** · Posted On: 2/15/2007 12:10pm

A picture is worth a 1000 words

**Goju - Joe** · Posted On: 2/15/2007 12:13pm

Althoug mayber they spar

"Two-man training emphasizes practical application of many of the techniques learned from the traditional form practice. Students will participate in special two-man exercises, traditional sparring sets, as well as free-form application of techniques, in a controlled environment to develop self-control and the confidence required to apply these techniques in a confrontational situation. Doing two-man training enables the student to learn distance, timing and sensitivity, and develop an in-depth understanding of how to apply a range of techniques"

**Beaton Yu** · Posted On: 2/15/2007 12:21pm

Originally Posted by alumeta

he told me that they as a rule do not let people who practice other MA train with them!! What does that supposed to mean? Is that an insecurity of that particular school, or is it a common practice for kung fu?

It is not a common practice of Kung Fu. It is a common practice of **** schools.

I checked out that website and it looks like a school that is focused on forms and the "spiritual" aspects of Kung Fu. I doubt that's what you're looking for. To be perfectly honest the vast majority of Kung Fu schools in this country are like that. There are very good, fighting oriented schools, but they are few and far between.

**Beaton Yu** · Posted On: 2/15/2007 12:22pm

Originally Posted by GoJu - Joe

Althoug mayber they spar

"Two-man training emphasizes practical application of many of the techniques learned from the traditional form practice. Students will participate in special two-man exercises, traditional sparring sets, as well as free-form application of techniques, in a controlled environment to develop self-control and the confidence required to apply these techniques in a confrontational situation. Doing two-man training enables the student to learn distance, timing and sensitivity, and develop an in-depth understanding of how to apply a range of techniques"

That is not the kind of sparring you think it is. It is light contact at best.

**Mr. Mantis** · Posted On: 2/15/2007 12:23pm

Originally Posted by alumeta

...he told me that they as a rule do not let people who practice other MA train with them!! What does that supposed to mean? Is that an insecurity of that particular school, or is it a common practice for kung fu?

It's a common practice. If you are learning kung fu, you don't have time for anything else anyway.

I don't know anything about this school and can not intelligently comment further.

**Ronin.74** · Posted On: 2/15/2007 12:41pm

Originally Posted by GoJu - Joe

Althoug mayber they spar

"Two-man training emphasizes practical application of many of the techniques learned from the traditional form practice. Students will participate in special two-man exercises, traditional sparring sets, as well as free-form application of techniques, in a controlled environment to develop self-control and the confidence required to apply these techniques in a confrontational situation. Doing two-man training enables the student to learn distance, timing and sensitivity, and develop an in-depth understanding of how to apply a range of techniques"

I would view this as not sparring at all. They are probably two man sets that are based on advanced forms. Many Kung Fu systems have two mans sets, it's basically like doing forms with a partner, 1 person acts as attacker in the set, the other acts as defender.

If that is what he is talking about then there is little to 0 real contact being made, does not = sparring

**Goju - Joe** · Posted On: 2/15/2007 12:59pm

Originally Posted by Mr_Mantis

It's a common practice. If you are learning kung fu, you don't have time for anything else anyway.

That's an interesting statement. Why do you feel that way? Theoretically you can say that about any martial art.

**alumeta** · Posted On: 2/15/2007 1:12pm

Originally Posted by Mr_Mantis

If you are learning kung fu, you don't have time for anything else anyway.

This is not a valid argument. Just checked the schedule of that particular school and their classes are 45 min. long, one after the other. For the argument's sake, say I do 2 classes in a row, that's only 1 1/2 hour practice. An average good sambo or mma practice for me is about 2 hours (which includes sparring on the ground and standing) and seems more physically demanding than the kung fu in discussion. A good week is 3 sambo/bjj/greco practices, 1 mma striking, and 2 physical workouts (body weight+some lifting). If there was anything worthy in kung fu, I'd easily be able to substitute a couple of my practices for 4 1/2 hours (3 double classes) of kung fu a week.

**MoooveZiiig** · Posted On: 2/15/2007 1:39pm

The ONLY reason a Sifu (or master or teacher, of any art) would want to avoid his students sparring and fighting with practitionners of other arts is that he's afraid that they'll lose miserably and leave him. If a student says he trained another art, comes in, and in sparring totally annihilate everybody else... that's bad for image if you keep spamming that your art is Ultimate/Traditional/T3h D34d1y and no other art stand a chance.

Which might be the case here. Kung Fu teachers are notorious for this. I've seen one (in tens) Kung Fu teacher that encouraged his students to spar with people of different styles, because he knew they could learn more about that in sparring than in class. He taught anti grappling techniques proper to Kung Fu (longfist Shaolin Kung Fu if I remember well) and wanted them to practice them against real grapplers with extensive training. What happened was that a BJJ school, my school (Shotokan) and his school would mix it up about once every 2 months.

If all teachers did that, trust me, Kung Fu practitionners would no longer have that stigma that they cannot face any grappling art. This is something that must be put on the shoulders of bad, and often times full of ****, Sifus.

A good teacher will instead encourage his students to spar with students of different arts so that they can see where their flaws are, and learn from them. Why? Because he/she wants to see them get better, not only their monthly check.

So, in short, if that teacher wants to avoid students of other arts, run. And if he's SELLING DVDs, it's reeking of moneygrubbage.

Stay away. Anyway, you're practicing other arts, so he doesn't want you showing up to his students. Showing up a few of his students would be a good idea though, to help them smell the roses and leave that place.

Originally Posted by Mr_Mantis

If you are learning kung fu, you don't have time for anything else anyway.

I hope that's sarcasm. Hard to say on the internets. If yes then :cool:. If not, well, :bduh:.