metalhead

The fact that someone else was awarded any belt or rank has no affect on me. My rank or skill level is just that mine. I find it odd the way people obsess about someone elses belt level, but thats just me. If I thought my school was giving out belts without merit I would leave and find a school that would make me feel like I accomplished something. I do think that there should be a standard and that it should be upheld regardless of the person trying to achieve it, to do any different would rob that individual of their accomplishment. If you are physically or mentally unable to obtain a certain level than it wasn't meant to be. It doesn't mean that you didn't work hard or try like heck to achieve it. Thats my opinion and what I look for in a school.

Alot of good advice in this thread. Heres my two cents worth: Assuming that I cannot avoid the fight, I would take whatever target presented itself and I felt confident in hitting. My intent would be to end the threat to myself in the quickest most efficient manner possible. Many options are available: Throat Punch Eye Gouge Knee Kick Foot Stomp Instep Kick Groin Kick Etc, etc..... All followed by my departure at the earliest, safest moment. For Bon - My father always told me from a very young age "When given no choice but to fight, strike first and strike hard." We must be related - LOL

Thanks for the info - Kensai

Kensai, I have an interest in Ba Gua, it is taught at my school, what is the title of the book you mentioned?

WOW 3 years!!! Good luck with that, I hope you can make the best of it. As for the topic at hand, it appears to me that either your request for help was taken as a challenge or it was an ego thing. When proper etiquette is applied I believe any quality senior student would be more than happy to offer advice/instruction. Just my opinion as well as the way it works at my school.

I have one dog an Australian Shepherd named Doogan. He is a frisbee catching machine!!!

My Sifu teaches a combination of the styles as you have described them. We begin by learning Shaolin style (hard) to achieve the basics and improve fitness levels. When you have learned the punches, kicks, forms, stances, etc.. and can demonstrate this knowledge only then do you progress to the internal(soft) styles of Tai Chi, Hsing I and Pa Kua. I do not agree that soft styles require little muscle power. I believe that the power is just applied differently. Hard styles show their power where as the soft styles are more deceptive in approach. The "penetration" thing, as I understand it, comes from proper execution and focused strength. I hope this makes sense as we are taught this as one system/style and it is difficult to describe in terms of hard and soft. However, everything revolves around conditioning and the proper application of power/strength. I do not think that one out powers the other because we are taught both as compliments to one another (ie, sometimes you need to go with the flow and sometimes you need to stop the flow). Again I hope this makes sense and it is only my opinion.

Old Rookie said it best: "In my own opinion Ki is the ability to intensely focus your energy. I have seen demo's of MA's jabbing a single finger completely through a un-opened pepsi can in 1 stab;multiple tile,board,ice block breaks. Catching arrows from the air as they are shot from a longbow at the MA,ect....but nothing to convince me of any special "power" or field created outside the body, just many,many hours of practice, years of training & superior concentration. " This type of ki/chi I have seen and felt. My Sifu moves with effortless grace and yet he strikes with incredible speed and power. He performs incredible feats of strength and stamina, but he does not glow, make ki/chi balls, heal people or levitate around the kwoon. When he does I will believe otherwise.

ckd you are not alone, I like to cook and as an added bonus my wife does too. Great combo, makes for some amazing meals. Diamond, you surprised me with your narrow view. I have read some of your posts on other threads and thought you to be more open minded. Maybe you're just trolling......

Just for the sake of curiosity and only as an observer, I would like to go back to when the Shaolin Temples were active and see for myself what was really going on.

Every generation has its scape goat for the bad, immoral and/or illegal things that their children do. When I was young it was the music that made kids go bad, not lack of parenting. Nobody ever stands up and takes reponsibility for the actions of their children, its too easy to blame someone or something else and then sue for them for big $'s. I have listened to that "Evil Heavy Metal Music" my whole life and to date it has not caused me to kill, want to be killed, join a cult, become a drug addict or an alcoholic. My parents did not like the music, but they knew it was just music. They taught me the difference between right and wrong, fantasy and reality, good and evil, etc......... not society or my peer group. In my opinion Video Games are no different than music. In the end parenting is the key. I will climb off this soap box now and if you had not guessed I oppose any form of censorship.

Fraro Crfar Skn Mustang of Xenadrine

Thanks to all of you for the warm welcome. I just returned from vacation/holiday and read all the posts. This is by far the best, most polite and open minded forum I have encountered. Again, thank you all for the warm welcome.

To begin, I believe that marijuana, hash and the like are no different than alcohol and should be regulated the same way. I do not advocate using either I just don't see any real differences between them. As for gaining any wisdom from using drugs? -------------------Impossible----------------- The only wisdom to be gained from drug use will come from someone who has done it, managed to live through it and can relate the negative impact it had on them to others. Furthermore, having strong will power should prevent you from using drugs in the first place.

Sorry it has taken me so long to introduce myself. I came to this site looking for information about my Sifu and just got caught up in some of the forums. Anyway, a little about me - I am no spring chicken (37) just began learning Shaolin Kung Fu after a 30 year absence from any formal MA training and I am having the time of my life. Oh, and don't make to much out of the user name its just a reference to the music I like.

I just started training under Maing Yul Jung at his Webster, TX school. I have enjoyed it so far and fully intend to continue. He has a web site, but it has very little information (https://www.wushusifu.com). The phone numbers and addresses of his two Houston area schools are on the site. I would like to what scaramouche has to say about the training from his three years with Maing Yul Jung.