you mentioned you did some time with SD did you not find any value in your experience with SD? Just curious not attacking.
well, let me put it this way: I was in college at the time, was broke most of the time, and randomly met this guy training on campus whose wife was on the faculty. He would just come up to the athletic center to do his practice and I happened to bump into him. I was a Tracy kenpo shodan at the time, had no instructor since I had moved to college, and was interested in all things martial arts. He agreed to teach me his stuff and I was grateful for it, particularly since he never charged me a dime. I was broke, remember? I was fascinated with the Chinese arts, at least in concept, and this was my first exposure to such. So did I get something positive out of it? Yeah, I did. But in hindsight, after I had gained other experiences to give me perspective, I began to realize that it simply was not what it was presented as.
I believe Shaolin Do is a form of Kuntau. It's an Ethnically Chinese method that was brought over into Indonesia and took root there. It got mixed and influenced by other things, including perhaps some Indonesian methods, and sort of became its own thing. If that was how it had been presented to me, then I'd say there was nothing amiss. But it's the backstory of the Shaolin Temple, and Sifu The being THE grandmaster and such, and the notion that he has mastery of some 900 forms and dozens of systems, it's just not credible. I have a problem with how it is presented as being something more, and other than, what it really is. It seems that there's an attempt to keep cannibalizing stuff from other systems perhaps in order to support the big claims. But it's just kinda overmuch.
I believe there are probably SD people who can fight. Fighting really isn't all that hard and it's not difficult to hurt someone. You don't need perfect technique nor a superior method to do so. But I do not believe that what is being taught is an accurate reflection of what it is claimed to be.
I've found great value from my instructor personally. I mean I've always been of a mind that once you know how to throw a punch you can throw a punch.
see, I actually do not believe this. There are different ways to throw a punch, and in my opinion they are not all the same. Or rather, different systems have their own methodology for throwing their techniques, including their punches, and that methodology actually does differ from one system to another. The end result may be the same, but the process for developing the skill is different, and that's where it matters: sticking to a method that makes sense to you and works for you, and enables you to realize a high level of skill with your techniques. That's really what the difference between one system and another is: they are really just different approaches to training, which all [should] lead to the same result. But it's important to stick with a systematic methodology or else you just get kinda schitzophrenic with what you are doing.
I've studied boxing, karate, Tien Shan Pai, Tae Kwon Do, and so far my SD has been the best class to date.
that may well be, and if you are enjoying it, then keep on. I'm not telling you to not do it. But we are kinda trying to get you to see that there's more to the story, and more to what's out there, and more to a style or system than a collection of movements thrown into a jumble and called a "curriculum".
My Sifu, from my experience seems to have a firm understand of what he teaches, and I'm able to incorporate principles from the styles into what I consider my own personal fighting method. At the end of the day, the amount of forms I've been show hold no bearing as to the lessons I've adapted from applications. Some lessons such as utilizing my qi, and fajin and then tactics and applications have been invaluable to me personally.
could you give me some examples of the principles of the different style that you incorporate into what you do and how you practice? For example, what are the principles of Crane, or Tiger, or Bagua, that you've learned and can identify and explain how they work, and how you use them?
thanks
maybe more a Camaro engine at least.
