# Looking for Kung Fu School around Orange County



## KungLE (Feb 11, 2008)

Hi, 

I'm currently a student attending UCI, and have been looking for a place to train since my sensei moved away.  I decided to look for a traditional Chinese school because I see a lot more of an emphasis on the integration of both hard and soft techniques.  I do not know very much about Chinese Martial Arts, I'm looking for a school that is practical but emphasizes theory and history as much  as application.  Any advice that anyone could give me would be great.  Some arts that I've found very interesting are Qinna and Shuai Jiao.  

Thanks


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 12, 2008)

From a CMA POV this is a pretty general question.

All TCMA has a mixture of Hard and soft to varying degrees depending on style

All CMA has some aspect of Qinna to varying degrees depending on style and/or lineage

Most CMA has Shuaijiao to varying degrees depending on style and/or lineage.

All CMA styles have a history but that is generally a combination of myth and fact and you need to really look into it to figure out fact from myth sometimes. 

As to practical application any Traditional CMA school will get into that but maybe not right away you will likely need to learn forms first.

Unless you go Sanda/Sanshou they will get into it quicker but it is not technically traditional and likely most Sanshou schools you will find will be sports sanshou (what Cung Le did before MMA). There is a Police/Military version but it is rare to find a real teacher of it. 

However there are also some Contemporary Wushu schools and they are much more into form than application. 

What are the schools in your area? That would make it easier to answer your questions.


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## KungLE (Feb 12, 2008)

Xue Sheng said:


> From a CMA POV this is a pretty general question.
> 
> All TCMA has a mixture of Hard and soft to varying degrees depending on style
> 
> ...



Well you see the thing is I've never done CMA and I'm having a really hard time finding schools around my area, or at least if I find them, I dont really have a good way of measuring how good they are.  I guess what I was looking for was so recommendations for schools in my area.  As of yet, I've been to the WingChunAssoc. in Lake forest and have contacted the OCfightcenter, but the wing chun school didnt really have the atmosphere I was looking for, and I'm not sure what to make of the OCfightcenter.  I really wasn't able to find that much else.  I would be willing to go a good distance away if it was for a good school.  

Concerning which martial art I would prefer, well I've traditionally been really interested in trapping arts and throwing arts, which is why I mentioned Qinna and Shuai Jiao.  I don't mind learning forms before application, in fact I would prefer it, in fact learning something internal such as Tai Chi Chuan seems like a lot of fun.  I guess really I'm trying to get my foot into the door of CMA and having a little bit tough of a time.  

Thanks a lot for the reply
Hopefully this will help clarify


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## 7starmarc (Feb 12, 2008)

Check my PM.


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## kidswarrior (Feb 12, 2008)

Tim Cartmell is in Garden Grove, I believe. Don't know how 'traditional' his school operation is, but he definitely has the traditional background and knowledge, as well as modern application. Know he teaches Bagua, as well as other arts.


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 12, 2008)

kidswarrior said:


> Tim Cartmell is in Garden Grove, I believe. Don't know how 'traditional' his school operation is, but he definitely has the traditional background and knowledge, as well as modern application. Know he teaches Bagua, as well as other arts.


 
I will second that

Not being form California I did not know he was there.


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## LanJie (Feb 12, 2008)

Dear KungLE:

Almost all traditional kung fu schools have instruction in chin na techniques but Shuai Jao is traditional Chinese Wrestling. 

I could not find any school teaching Shuai Jao in your area but most kung fu systems teach takedowns and throwing techniques as part of their regular training. Shuai Jao just concentrates on it.

Kung fu is usually divided between northern and southern systems.

The difference between northern and southern kung fu systems are in the areas of developmental training.

Developmental training are extreme forms of movements or exercises in the hand forms, weapon forms, and basics, that are used to increase physical strength, speed, and flexibility but are not used all that much in real combat

Most southern systems developmental training involves low stances and dynamic tension. 
Most northern systems developmental training involves high kicks, hopping, jumping, and leaping techniques.

I did a search for kung fu schools in your area near the University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA 92697.

Here is what I found.

Northern Kung Fu Schools in your area


Cheng's Shao-Lin Kung-Fu School Merchant verified (714) 736-9921 7691 Knott Ave, Buena Park, CA Get Directions www.chengskungfu.com/ 
This school may teach performance Wushu not traditional kung fu. _I would check this before you go any further with this school. Performance Wushu concentrates on looking good and not the ability to fight._

Shaolin Kung Fu School (949) 858-1784 29851 Aventura, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Get Directions yingjow.com/ 
This school is a Northern Eagle Claw school. It is a great system but has a lot of hand forms (24) and nine two person sets. It is very northern and if you like jumping kicks this is the style for you.

MZLH Kung Fu Club
Univ. of California
Irvine, CA Brian Tuan(Instructor) astrogrub@earthlink.net 
This style is Lost Track Kung Fu. It is another northern system. The system has a website.

Southern Kung Fu Schools in your area

Both of the southern schools in your area are Wing Chun Kuen. This type of kung fu is purely a utilitarian style of kung fu with only three hand forms, a few weapon sets, and a few wooden dummy sets. This style would probably take you three years to learn the entire system. It is a very good style of self defense but it is almost entirely defensive in nature.

Orange County Kung Fu (949) 939-4117 Aliso Viejo, CA www.ockungfu.com/ 
Orange County Wing Chun Association (949) 472-8642 23831 Barrett Dr, Lake Forest, CA Get Directions wingchunassoc.com/ 

I would also look to see if there are any Chinese New Year Celebrations still taking place in your area . Many traditional kung fu schools do free demonstrations during Chinese New Year and August Moon and you can check them out. You may even be able to see more than one school at the event if it is big enough.


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## KungLE (Feb 12, 2008)

Wow, thanks for all the information guys, I especially liked the differentiation that about Northern and Southern Styles.

I will look into these schools, and see what best suits me, if you guys have anything else to add please feel free to do so. 

Thanks


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## xiongnu_luohan (Feb 12, 2008)

I believe that some of these may have been mentioned above, no disrespect intended to anyone who already posted any of these schools.

northern shaolin whittier

shen wu martial arts( already mentioned )

shaolin school( already mentioned )

brea shao-lin kung fu school

shaolin lomita

yi tao boxing school of internal martial arts

I can't guarantee the quality of these schools as I live near boston, MA. I do think they are good though. If it were up to me I would definitely study MJLH/MZLH at the university of california in irvine. I love northern styles. Here is a partial list of MJLH/MZLH schools & instructors in CA. Here is a link to a MJLH school in seattle, WA. It's obviously too far but you might find some information about the style.


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## KungFu (Jan 12, 2009)

Wowwwww!!! Its amazing how little people are aware of what we have in OC. For those that don't know, and it seems like a lot of you out there, Sifu Adam Williss teaches kung fu right here in Orange County. 

His website is http://www.adamwilliss.com.


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## Nitedragon89 (Jan 13, 2009)

Yes there is a seven star praying mantis school in Irvine right near you at UCI the kung fu is traditional I attend the Ladera Ranch school but I do go down for the whole day on saturdays becuase of tai chi. Hope this helps


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