What to do next

[Tony]

My Kung fu class is closing down and the last class is next week. My instructor sort of gave up teaching but he seems to control our website so I really don't know too much about what he is doing. The guy who has been taking the classes has mostly been running us through drills and forms and although he was doing a good job, we didn't do much self defence aspects or sparring. So I'm in a bit of a dilemna. I want to carry on doing kung fu or some kind of throwing art, maybe even aikido but it has to be effective. I have been studying kung fu for 9 years but still i get scared of conflict, the threat of violence. My friend has got his black belt in Taekwondo and although no where near as flexible as me, a little older than me I am scared of him because of his aggressive disposition. He has been banned from sparring many times. He doesn't see that martial arts are not just for fighting but becoming a better person. He woudl probably want me to do Taekwondo with him but I prefer Kung fu, wushu and any other art with weapons and throwing. I'm not the kind of person who will go with the flow. I like to do whats best for me. He was goaded into doign Taekwondo by a friend "oh mark you should do taekwondo". Hell and now he is a blac belt teaching kids which astonishes me because his kicks are not perfect, and when he spars he makes excessive contact. He doesn't see it as learning but proving he is good at fighting.

 

[tshadowchaser]

If you love what you are doing keep practicing om your own or with friends from the school your in, while looking for a new school/style to study. If yo like the throwing arts you shold look in that direction but do not give up on the art you have studied for so long.
You might consider asking your head instructor if there is anyone he might recommend

 

[MJS]

My Kung fu class is closing down and the last class is next week. My instructor sort of gave up teaching but he seems to control our website so I really don't know too much about what he is doing. The guy who has been taking the classes has mostly been running us through drills and forms and although he was doing a good job, we didn't do much self defence aspects or sparring. So I'm in a bit of a dilemna. I want to carry on doing kung fu or some kind of throwing art, maybe even aikido but it has to be effective. I have been studying kung fu for 9 years but still i get scared of conflict, the threat of violence. My friend has got his black belt in Taekwondo and although no where near as flexible as me, a little older than me I am scared of him because of his aggressive disposition. He has been banned from sparring many times. He doesn't see that martial arts are not just for fighting but becoming a better person. He woudl probably want me to do Taekwondo with him but I prefer Kung fu, wushu and any other art with weapons and throwing. I'm not the kind of person who will go with the flow. I like to do whats best for me. He was goaded into doign Taekwondo by a friend "oh mark you should do taekwondo". Hell and now he is a blac belt teaching kids which astonishes me because his kicks are not perfect, and when he spars he makes excessive contact. He doesn't see it as learning but proving he is good at fighting.

See what else is around your area. Check out the local schools and see if something catches your eye. Have you considered speaking to your instructor privately to see if, even though he is not running an official school, maybe you could take privates from him.

Good luck with everything.

Mike

 

[charyuop]

If you trained 9 years with the same Sifu he might consider teaching you privately. Even if he retires from teaching he will keep practicing his Art and he might consider teaching you and using you as sparring partner as well.
Just my 2 cents...

 

[Xue Sheng]

Use webfu - A Google search shows a couple other Kung fu schools in your area.

But if you are happy with your instructor maybe private lessons is the ay to go.

 

[bushidomartialarts]

where are you and what else is available in your area?

as you've been training for 9 years, you may have some trouble finding training a the level you'll be happy with...but unless you're out in the boonies someplace you'll find that there will be a few attractive options running around.

 

[Blindside]

I have been studying kung fu for 9 years but still i get scared of conflict, the threat of violence. My friend has got his black belt in Taekwondo and although no where near as flexible as me, a little older than me I am scared of him because of his aggressive disposition. He has been banned from sparring many times. He doesn't see that martial arts are not just for fighting but becoming a better person.

After 9 years of training you are scared of a fellow student because of his aggressive disposition and that in sparring he makes "excessive contact."

It sounds like you need aggressiveness training or more focus on your mental preps, or maybe just some regular time in a ring doing full contact. Whatever you have done so far hasn't prepared you for a real situation if you can't handle an aggressive classmate.

 

[Adept]

It sounds like you need aggressiveness training or more focus on your mental preps, or maybe just some regular time in a ring doing full contact. Whatever you have done so far hasn't prepared you for a real situation if you can't handle an aggressive classmate.

Quoted for truth.

 

[still learning]

Hello, Try JUDO! You will be surprise how effective this martial art can be.

You will learn beside throws, ground work too...........Aloha

 

[terryl965]

9 years of kung fu you should be pretty effecient by now so start a group with some of the other students and meet once a week and train, maybe your instructor will get the niche to teach againa dnif not the group would just carry on.

 

[still learning]

Hello, Good idea here (above). BUT to open your world to other martial arts...will give you MORE growth on the knowledge of what is out there.

You may want to learn and explan you skills.(learning other styles or arts)

If you eat only chinese food....and never taste anything else....you will never know what you are missing.

Try different things....you will gain more than you think!

Today many of the top martial artist have train in several different martial art styles.

PS: If you limit yourself in training and learning....than your world will be small. Outer LImits....gotta go out side your area of comfort...Aloha

 

[searcher]

First, step back and take a breath.

Next, start a very detailed search while continuing to train on your own.

Then, go visit the shcools that catch your interest.

Last, make an informed decision on what YOU want and go for it. The worst that can happen is that you don't like what you are doing and you have to go on another search..

 

[Tez3]

Tony, you have PM.

 

[shrek]

First, step back and take a breath.

Next, start a very detailed search while continuing to train on your own.

Then, go visit the shcools that catch your interest.

Last, make an informed decision on what YOU want and go for it. The worst that can happen is that you don't like what you are doing and you have to go on another search..

Searcher is spot on. After 9 years you shoud have a solid ground in whatever style you have studied. It sounds to me that you prefer the spritual side of the martial arts to the physical...perhaps Tai Chi woud be more to your liking. Since you have the benefit of long-term training you should easily be able to pick this art up through Video if there are no schools/clubs near you.

I know a lot of people downplay the effectiveness of video but in rural areas where one has little choice...one learns where one can. I've adapted many things from personal training, class training, and videos over the years...and while one-on-one & group are preferable, video can bring one learning that one could not otherwise receive.

 

[Tony]

Thanks guys, you have all been a big help. I was considering another Kung fu style like Chow Gar or White Crane which is in my area as well as another Shaolin discipline in Oxford, England. I have always wanted to learn Aikido but I need to learn something that will address my timidness of fighting and handling aggressive people. I thought perhaps jujitsu as it is an allround Martial Art. My friend doesn't train in the same art as me jsut to let you all know and has never seen what I do and probably thinks that his training is the most hard core you can get. I once tried Taekwondo but it didn't feel right for me and when I started kung fu I knew I had found something I could enjoy. Its such a pity my class is ending because before my instructor stopped teaching we had san shou classes which had plenty of sparring so that helped my fighting abilities.
I have been searching on the internet for different styles to try, but I really don't want to have to travel too far or pay loads of money but with those limits I have still found some potential styles to try.

 

[Grenadier]

My friend has got his black belt in Taekwondo and although no where near as flexible as me, a little older than me I am scared of him because of his aggressive disposition. He has been banned from sparring many times.

That is usually not a good thing. Someone who has been banned from sparring usually exhibits poor control, and is more of a danger to his fellow students than to anyone else.

I prefer Kung fu, wushu and any other art with weapons and throwing. I'm not the kind of person who will go with the flow. I like to do whats best for me.

Take a look at other systems. You've already mentioned Jiu Jitsu and Aikido, and those have a lot of what you're looking for.

He was goaded into doign Taekwondo by a friend "oh mark you should do taekwondo". Hell and now he is a blac belt teaching kids which astonishes me because his kicks are not perfect, and when he spars he makes excessive contact. He doesn't see it as learning but proving he is good at fighting.

That's his choice, then. You don't need him influencing you on what you want to take. There's nothing wrong with Tae Kwon Do, if it's taught by a good teacher. In this case, it's simply a matter of the practitioner not being a sound one.

 

[Tony]

Thanks guys! you've all been really helpful! I think maybe the best thing to do would go for a trial at each class and see which one I like best but then again I have always wanted to do Aikido so could possibly cross train that with another style such as Kung fu.