# Kung Fu through fresh eyes



## SouthPaw (Apr 14, 2011)

First, I've never been much into martial arts movies. Like so many (as  I've gathered), that's how they get introduced. Sure I've watched them  but were never drawn to them. What REALLY got me into martial arts  branched from my love of Philosophy. I think I was studying religion,  and came across Shinto, and then Buddhism, and then Confucius, yin and  yang theory, taijiquan, and the rest is history.  Boxing was always what  I wanted to get into.

Fast forward a few years (never had the nerve to try boxing). Met some  people who trained in Kung Fu and recommended it, over boxing, cos I are  short, and they said a style with low center of gravity would be good. I  hadn't connected the dots yet on all of the internal behind kung fu  that I was already enthralled with and the stuff they were teaching me.  Horse stance. Hawk stance. Aggravating but surprisingly effective  forearm excersizes.

Fast forward few more years. Met a guy who's studied Jeet for 15 plus  years. Die hard Bruce Lee fan (what Jeet practitioner isn't?). This guy  sported the haircut for the majority of his youth-- pics to prove it.  Bruce Lee introduced me to the mechanics of martial arts-- the kinetic  movement. Took the philosophies and theories and what little physical  training I'd had to a whole new level. So the basic philosophy of kung  fu (repeat. check. repeat. adjust. repeat. hone. repeat. check. repeat)  was pretty much instilled into whatever art I could get into.

Few months later I walk into a Tae Kwon Do school and fall right into  the pitch. I learn stuff, but the school didn't pan out. We (the  boyfriend and I) shop around for more schools, and are amazed at the  heightened quality of the two other schools we visit. The unison of the  students, the commitment to the form, and the quality of instruction  were all there. Because of my decision to tour country, he's decided to  join a dojo again (trying to talk him into the message board). I found a  kung fu place, and we checked it out last night.

All I can say is, wow. Not that I had any type of solid archetype as to  what a dojo should be, but man did it feel right. No trophies lining the  walls, no primary-colored modular flooring... the atmosphere was not  meant to stimulate like tae kwon do, but it was relaxed. Almost like a  home.  But the instruction was what really got me. (Note: this is  definetly not a nod to the betters or worse's of tae kwon do over kung  fu, rather the depth of investment on the part of instructor).

This guy was just about as anal and meticulous as I'd have wanted my TKD  instructors to be with me. And hearing him count! He had such good  energy that the numbers just rang out from his throat and sang through  the room. ONE! twO! thrEE! I can hear it as I type and it's wonderful.  And he'd stop to instruct his students and walk through them and adjust  their hands and fingers and as he needed feedback he'd make this sound  that seemed to eminate straight from the diaphragm, somewhere within,  and quickly rise out, like "uUSH!", and they'd always respond in unison  "USH." Took his time, repeated every step as they drilled till every one  got it and then again. Slow, uniform, precise.

This was my very first experience witnessing a kung fu school after  having it be sort of put upon a pedestal reading of its histories, the  philosophies behind it, having a bias from my boyfriend's perspectives  and passions to it, and of course Bruce Lee's foundation in it also.  Seeing it firsthand and the nature of it being taught was fascinating. I  could go on and on.

 It was a great experience and that's the school we went with. I am  excited to see more of this form as I will be sitting in on a handful of  classes. (Hope I posted this in the right place)


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## Flying Crane (Apr 14, 2011)

care to share with us what the system is, who the instructor is?


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## SouthPaw (Apr 14, 2011)

The style is Pai Lum (or Pai Lu), and the instructor is Mike J. Rothermel (pai, Pono-Li)

and his wife who I have not yet met is Millie Ramos-Rothermel (Pai, Mana-Li)


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## Flying Crane (Apr 14, 2011)

SouthPaw said:


> The style is Pai Lum (or Pai Lu), and the instructor is Mike J. Rothermel (pai, Pono-Li)
> 
> and his wife who I have not yet met is Millie Ramos-Rothermel (Pai, Mana-Li)



Thanks, I don't know much about Pai Lum, do you have a web link with some more info?


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## geezer (Apr 14, 2011)

Pai Lum... as in _Pai Lum Pa_i the system promoted by the late Daniel K Pai? I studied that for a short while back in the mid 70s in New London, Ct. It was a complex kenpo-like system... had a lot of different styles rolled into it. When I moved back to Arizona I began Wing Chun and fell in love with it's simplicity and never looked back.


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## SouthPaw (Apr 15, 2011)

Can't give you details on the style, this is the first I've heard of it. Info can be found on the schools site--

www.hbgkungfu.com.


Q (boyfriend) takes his intro class tonight whihc I'll be sitting in on, I will post more info as i get it.


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 15, 2011)

geezer said:


> Pai Lum... as in _Pai Lum Pa_i the system promoted by the late Daniel K Pai? I studied that for a short while back in the mid 70s in New London, Ct. It was a complex kenpo-like system... had a lot of different styles rolled into it. When I moved back to Arizona I began Wing Chun and fell in love with it's simplicity and never looked back.


 
Apparently yes



> Pai Lum Kung Fu, also known as White Dragon Fist Style Kung Fu, is a traditional Chinese martial art that has been passed down through generations of the Pai family. The late Grandmaster Daniel K. Pai had devoted over 50 years to the development of the Chinese martial arts. His family's system of kicking, sweeping, punching, blocking, and joint locking techniques provides a means for development as a complete martial arts practitioner.


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## yak sao (Apr 15, 2011)

May you train for many years to come


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## Steve (Apr 15, 2011)

SouthPaw said:


> Can't give you details on the style, this is the first I've heard of it. Info can be found on the schools site--
> 
> www.hbgkungfu.com.
> 
> ...


Nice weight room in that place.


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## SouthPaw (Apr 15, 2011)

If I can tonight I will ask him some more questions-- he went over his art and how it is taught in our initial meeting... but he was mostly talkin with Q not myself, and I was taking in his office as he spoke. I was more interested in Pai Lum Tai Chi, as this art I am currently studying... I intend to train with Q from what he learns in this school. I can't commit to a dojo at this time nor would just to leave in four months. I am intirgued by the stuff on his web site so the more I find out the more I will post, --I'll probably have a blog on the experience of the intro class to document my perspective and how it may change over time. 

Thank you all for your responses!


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