How to choose a good place to learn kung fu?

Question

Hi.

I am willing to learn Kung Fu. Since it's a long way, deals with conditioning and has do do with fighting (not only, but it does), then I am being very careful.

What should I look for? What should I avoid? What are the dangers?

For example, what does a good academy look like? How important the "lineage" is? What to expect from an academy that says they have sparring classes? What about those that don't? Also, how important and how dangerous is Chi Kung, as used in Kung Fu?

I live in Brazil (in São Paulo), and although I did look at some academies ehre, I feel like I just can't tell who's who, and which instructors are serious and which are not. There are even some who learn from one master, then change to another, and well, this is kind of confusing. I also see masters criticizing one another (even if in a subtle way), but I suppose this is "normal".

(See, I don't really care about the "style". I am mostly concerned with authenticity and safety.)

Regarging qi kung, I'm worried about the possible development of the psychosis mentioned here:
http://experts.about.com/e/q/qi/qigong.htm

Also, is that iron pal training a serious kung fu thing, or should I avoid people who claim to teach it?

Answer 1

china

Answer 2

Any Martial Art you study will have a degree of danger to it, the injury factor will always be there, especially if you don't perform the techniques you'll learn properly.

A good Martial Arts school should have a clean and friendly atmosphere. and instructors that want to help you to become the best Martial Artist you can be. and they shouldn't hassle you about contracts and such.

There isn't a "Best fit" type of Martial Art for people with a certain height, weight, body type, or personality, etc. Nor is there a such thing as a "best Martial Art" because they all have their own strengths and weaknesses

Any Martial Art you study is going to help you learn better balance, better coordination, speed in your technique, and power in your techniques; but these are attributes that are products of GOOD and PROPER training.

all you need to do dude is find out what schools are available to you, and choose at least three that interest you the most, watch a couple of their classes to see if you want to take up some trial classes (up to a weeks worth without being hassled to sign a contract).

If you like the school, then enroll in it. Any Martial Art is going to show you how to utilize your body by learning self defense.

You just need to find a Martial Arts School that will provide a safe environment for you and your parents agree on it. You are right about studying a particular discipline. because it DOESN'T MATTER because there is NO discipline that is better than another.

What matters is that you feel comfortable (and like the classes) in the classes and you feel comfortable that the instructor can properly teach you self defense and not have the "smoke and mirrors" aspect. and that the instructor likes to do it more for the teaching aspect rather than the "making money" which it is a business to make money but it should not be the only reason for teaching the discipline.

just watch out for school's that're a "McDojo's" or "belt factory" type of school.

these schools usually do a lot of boasting about how soon their students make their 1st degree black belts (like having several "young black belts" that're usually 9 or 10 yr old kids, which should be a rare thing to see unless the child started learning the discipline when they were 4 yrs old), and often boast about students making their black belts in about a year’s time (which it should be up to 5 years or better) which often means that they have a high student turnout rate.

They'll also often try to get you to commit to a contract, usually one that's 6 months long or more or try to get you to pay down a large sum of money for that kind of time period. which is a BIG red flag

These schools will also brag about how many tournaments their students have entered and placed in or won a trophy. While Tournaments are good to go to and test your own skills as a point sparring contestant, but competitions are the LEAST important aspect to concern yourself with in Martial Arts.

Long story short, these schools will basically "give" you your belt ranks every few months as long as you are paying the outrageous fees per month, and you won't really learn self defense.

there's always going to be schools that think their Martial Art is the best, but that's been going on for hundreds of years and it's no different today. Unfortunately it will continue, until these people realize the discipline they study isn't better than any other.

"lineage" shouldn't be a big concern unless the instructors can't tell you about the history of the discipline and who they learned it from or what affiliation the school has with a national organization.

Sparring should be a basic and integral part of your training, because it should help you with your timing and use of the techniques you learn.

Answer 3

Kung Fu, is a lifestyle for personnel fulfillment which includes a fighting art with it.It sounds like you are searching for that rather than a aggressive fighting art.Approach the sifus or masters with this in mind and be honest with them about it.Also the best of them will wish for students like this rather than ones that only take it to only learn to fight.Go with your own personal gut feelings in this respect.Also remember, that if you go to a major commercial establishment, that is what you will get, commercial mass produced results that may push you to fast to earn your various sashes thus keeping you happy and willing to spend your money.which could cause you unnecessary injuries in the long run.seek sifus or masters out that are off the beaten path and the very best ones I found seemed like that did not want me around even though I liked them.(they later told me that they had to make sure I was sincere and was determined to keep coming back and that I did earnestly until they eventually capitulated.Good luck with your endeavor and may the powers that be, shine on your path and show you the way.
PS. various forms of mental illnesses formed via martial arts(if it was true!) only happen to people that are unstable to begin with.
As for the Iron Palm training.To do it properly,will take you a little over a year to do safely, so you don't wind up with a paralyzed hand that looks like cow horn.Also it includes a handed down recipe for a liniment called DI DAT JOW, the spelling varies as well as the recipes from place to place but this fowl smelling stuff is necessary to prevent this damage and maintain your hands integrity.If they do not use this DO NOT use them! Plus Iron Palm is a supplement to a kung fu system,not a stand alone system.(such as Dim Mak).

Answer 4

After you have checked the authenticity or the art, If you are able, watch the seniors class (these are the ones that will probably teach you in the beginning.). The seniors set the tone of the school. The seniors should be able to answer any questions you have regarding the art or should have the humility to say "I don't know, let me find out the answer for you." If there is camaraderie in the senior class and the art represents the lineage you are looking for, then you might want to add this school to your good list.

Answer 5

I am a karate instructor of traditional chito ryu karate. If you are looking for a school here are some suggestions
Most good schools will let you watch a class and try one out befoe you decide to join
A good school is not measured by trphies but by the demeanor of its students and its instructors
A good school will not have you sparring(fighting) until you are well versed in the basics and moving into the intermediate levels
A good school has a diverse student base meaning that there all all different types of people there
Listen when the instructor teaches Does he seem full of himself
Do the students show a respect of learning not respect out of fear
I find that most schools that are tournament oriented have a different level of standard being that they are lower- I am sorry to have to say this and it is not true of all schools but if a school emphasizes on winning tournaments by point scoring the level of quality of what they learn seems to be lower

If you feel comfortable and welcome in the dojo it is probably a good choice for you but make sure you check out as many as you can before you decide

Answer 6

the most direct linage is good...those teachers should know a lot and be authentic...I'd say the best schools are the ones that haven't (or won't) tun into a buisness, the schools that won't force you to be under a contract. Try one out, and if you don't like it, then leave. Qigong is supposed to help your health (at least as used in Tai Chi). I am in both Kung Fu and Tai Chi and have swithched schools once. Don't be afraid to leave a school that doesn't fit you.

Answer 7

Be very interested in the style you will be studying. Identify which lineage it is from and read about it. If you do find this school has reference to the lineage, and you want to study, check out a class. Then talk to the Sifu. If you are sincere he may let you study with him. A good Sifu will not teach just anyone.

lr

the Qi Gung mental disorder myth is just a myth...


http://www.pacificwingchunassociation.com

Answer 8

At tiger Shaulmans karate school hi-ya!