Well ever since seeing all those Hong Kong Martial ARts films and Bruce Lee I had always wanted to do kung fu but I could not find anywhere. I bought books hoping i could teach myself then i was lucky enough to receive some instruction from a Brown belt in Lau Gar, a friend of my sister. After that i had to trian myself again reading mostly about Bruce Lee. I was taken to a Taekwondo class by a friend of my mum's but somehow i knew it wasn;t for me. I didn't like the structure and it didn't feel like a friendly atmostphere.
I felt like fake for many years because i was not even learning from anyone. I made friend who had studied a little Karate and was also training himself in Bruce Lee's fighting methods and had even had to use his skills one time. He always managed to win every sparring match which frustrated me and sometimes made me cry although I never showed it to him. That was when i was in my late teens and we both used to go to th gym together. Some years later i realised there was no way i coudl study from books the rest of my life but being shy it was hard to make that first initial step into a class because it was so intimidating. I had psyched myself up to go to an Aikido class but i felt panic and never even made it to the door, then i tried a Tang Soo do class as it was teh nearest i coudl find to Kung fu but again i chickened out. As I left i noticed a poster advertising a Kung fu class! My prayer had been heard and i became more determined not chicken out. I called the number and got the instructor's assistant and i called again to make sure i ahd the right directions. I turned up and i was the first one there. And from day one i really enjoyed it and have been studying Shaolin Long Fist for over 7 years now! I am due to take my black sash grading Next month. I have also been doing Wing Chun now for about 3 months and enjoying that too. Both differ alot but offer so much!
I felt like fake for many years because i was not even learning from anyone. I made friend who had studied a little Karate and was also training himself in Bruce Lee's fighting methods and had even had to use his skills one time. He always managed to win every sparring match which frustrated me and sometimes made me cry although I never showed it to him. That was when i was in my late teens and we both used to go to th gym together. Some years later i realised there was no way i coudl study from books the rest of my life but being shy it was hard to make that first initial step into a class because it was so intimidating. I had psyched myself up to go to an Aikido class but i felt panic and never even made it to the door, then i tried a Tang Soo do class as it was teh nearest i coudl find to Kung fu but again i chickened out. As I left i noticed a poster advertising a Kung fu class! My prayer had been heard and i became more determined not chicken out. I called the number and got the instructor's assistant and i called again to make sure i ahd the right directions. I turned up and i was the first one there. And from day one i really enjoyed it and have been studying Shaolin Long Fist for over 7 years now! I am due to take my black sash grading Next month. I have also been doing Wing Chun now for about 3 months and enjoying that too. Both differ alot but offer so much!
I've seen too much one-sided Aikido practise - tapping the foot and staring up to the ceiling while you "do your technique". 
