Kung Fu in the Akron, Ohio area

[Arts_newb]

Greetings all, new to the forum....

Have been wanting to get started in Kung Fu (at least, this is what I think I want....) for years, but had excuse after excuse and just never got there. More serious about it now, and have started researching local options.

In the local area here, there seem to be 4 that I have been able to find.

http://www.bodymindharmony.com/index.php
http://www.akronkungfu.com/index.html
http://www.wutangcenter.com/wt/index.html
http://www.hingsingschool.com/

There may be more, but those are the ones I have found specifically for Kung Fu. There are others for Kwan Ying Do, etc, but I am still enough of a novice that I don't really follow a lot of what I've read, or quite how they differ from Kung Fu, etc.

For the four that I listed, there seems to be 2 basic backgrounds behind them, (primarily) Tony Yang, or Feeman Ong.

I know there isn't any "one greatest martial art" etc, and anything will be better than sitting in front of the tv eating chips.... but, I guess I'm looking for opinions or other options in the area? As I've said, I've been reading, and, not just kung fu, but karate, jkd, etc, and have run across numerous "reviews" of different schools that basically say, "for exercise, it's good, but worthless if you ever have to use it" etc.

I don't even know enough to be dangerous at this time, because everything I know is "book learning", none of my friends, relatives, neighbors, etc, that I know of, have ever been involved in anything like this, so I have little practical knowledge to help me decide.

Any input appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[clfsean]

Greetings all, new to the forum....

Have been wanting to get started in Kung Fu (at least, this is what I think I want....) for years, but had excuse after excuse and just never got there. More serious about it now, and have started researching local options.

In the local area here, there seem to be 4 that I have been able to find.

http://www.bodymindharmony.com/index.php
http://www.akronkungfu.com/index.html
http://www.wutangcenter.com/wt/index.html
http://www.hingsingschool.com/

There may be more, but those are the ones I have found specifically for Kung Fu. There are others for Kwan Ying Do, etc, but I am still enough of a novice that I don't really follow a lot of what I've read, or quite how they differ from Kung Fu, etc.

For the four that I listed, there seems to be 2 basic backgrounds behind them, (primarily) Tony Yang, or Feeman Ong.

I know there isn't any "one greatest martial art" etc, and anything will be better than sitting in front of the tv eating chips.... but, I guess I'm looking for opinions or other options in the area? As I've said, I've been reading, and, not just kung fu, but karate, jkd, etc, and have run across numerous "reviews" of different schools that basically say, "for exercise, it's good, but worthless if you ever have to use it" etc.

I don't even know enough to be dangerous at this time, because everything I know is "book learning", none of my friends, relatives, neighbors, etc, that I know of, have ever been involved in anything like this, so I have little practical knowledge to help me decide.

Any input appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave

My $.02 (or less depending on variables) ... #2 or #3.

#1 is a student of #3.

#4 doesn't feel right to me.

#2 & #3 are both well known, well respected teachers. You can't go wrong with either, just need to see which is the best fit.

#2 only teaches Praying Mantis.
#3 teaches several different arts but all are taught with an exceptional amount of skill & detail.

Either way, you can't go wrong.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Agree with clfsean about #3. Tony Yang... and he does Baji too.

As for #2, I don't know him but I do not doubt clfsean's opinion on that one so I guess from my perspective #3 and #2.

 

[blindsage]

If I could do Baji with Sifu Yang, I would be all over it. But I really want to learn some Baji.

 

[DaleDugas]

Shifu Mike Biggie owns and teaches 7 Star Mantis as well as Iron Palm at his school in Akron.

His Mantis is good.

I have known him for years.

Great guy.

I do not know the other people personally but have heard Shifu Yang has skill as well.

 

[DaleDugas]

The Hing Sing School is from the lineage of Feemon Ong Shifu who taught John Allen and Gene Chicoine.