Stories from the dojo...

[CTTKDKing]

this is gonna sound made up, but we actually had someone come in and tell us he was a ninja. He talked about how he trained, and how he was exceptionally good at climbing trees. He didn't participate in class, just showed up to run his mouth... He was wearing tabis when he came in.

That reminds me about a guy we had come in and tell us he was a shaolin master. I saw him in a championship and he's a yellow belt at a local kung fu school. He was also wasn't even good compared to the other people in his class at the championship. He came in and told everyone in my school how he challenged Grand Master Wu of the CT Wu Shu center to a fight and beat him up. My assistant instructor just looked at him and told him that if he wanted some bologna then he'd go to the grocery store, and to take his elsewhere.

[elbows_and_knees]

that reminds me. years ago, a guy was at a local tournament, demoing forms and trying to get students. The forms LOOKED good. sifu figured it was some sort of wushu. Upon talking to the guy, he said that he trained in "african wu" wtf? wu is a chinese name - african wu is obviously a made up name. After the tournament, we did some research on the guy. It turned out that he was a dance major in college and combined wushu looking moves with what he wsa able to teach himself of basics - he had no formal training at all.

[elbows_and_knees]

years ago, I was at the same kung fu school mentioned above. A school opened next door, teaching an eclectic mixed style that combined shotokan, ninjutsu and tkd. No problem. One day, we had a prospective student show up. He trained for the evening, but didn't come back. Another guy came a few days later and did the same thing. it happened a third time, only this time, one of our senior students recognized the guy. "Hey, I know him... we went to high school together - and he trains next door."

It turns out that these guys were sending people to our school and pose as prospective students, train with us for a night, then go next door teach what they learned from us! after we figured it out, they stopped, but it started again a few months later. Our sifu challenged their teacher to a fight, but he declined. After declining, he told people that he fought our sifu and beat him.

[bushido_man96]

Man, these are some crazy stories. When I lived back home, we had a new pastor come to our church. He was a tall guy, and pot bellied, but older, over 40 I'd guess. When meeting everyone, and finding out about us, I told him I was into martial arts. He said he was in karate, and had broken off to form his own style, and was a 10th dan!! He said he moved through the ranks rather quick, because of his fighting skill, and he tried to model his fighting moves after those of Joe Lewis.

He wanted to come down and work out together, so I said ok. Another friend of mine was there, and he was a 4th grade at the time. Well, this PastorMaster, as I will nickname him, was trying to show me all of these takedowns, joint locks, and things like this, trying to put me on the floor, but I fought it, and would not go down. He kept trying to kind of show off his stuff, but I was not impressed. Neither was my friend, with all of his 4 grades worth of experience.

I am not saying he was a total phony, he may have been a black belt at some level.....but starting his own organization, and being a 10th dan, I was somewhat leary. And this guy was my pastor, for crying out loud!!

[jaymac]

Years ago when I trained in Kung-fu, we would be frequented by many onlookers passing by our big glass windows. Many times the onlookers were drunks from the bars nearby. They would mimic us outside and yell HIYAA! We really got tired of it going on night after night. My instructor developed a plan for the next time it occurred. Well, we didn't have to wait long. They got into our doorway and began their regular antics and we all grabbed a weapon ( spear, crescent spear, broadswords, 3 section staff) and ran out chasing after them. They took off running like nothing I have ever seen. One guys pants fell down around his knees as he was fleeing ( beer belly bad). We were laughing so hard. After that night, we covered our windows so that people could no longer watch.

[cathal]

Our sifu challenged their teacher to a fight, but he declined. After declining, he told people that he fought our sifu and beat him.

Do you think that a fight between the two would have solved anything, at that point?

[aigaios]

Lol... This one isn't that great, but here goes:

I was teaching a group of kids their forms one lazy afternoon, and three middle-school aged kids come to the door of the school and stand in it, watching. After they had stood there for a while just watching and not coming in, I walked over and asked if I could help them with anything. We had a short little back and forth about class schedules and such, and then I said I could get Master Kang (Pronounced "Kong") to come and talk to them if they wanted to know more. Then one of the kids, who had been mostly silent up this point blurted out rather loudly, "master Kang?" in the most hilariously disbelieving way. I looked at him for a second, and then the kid who had been doing most of the talking excused himself and the other two and they took off. So random.

[IcemanSK]

years ago, I was at the same kung fu school mentioned above. A school opened next door, teaching an eclectic mixed style that combined shotokan, ninjutsu and tkd. No problem. One day, we had a prospective student show up. He trained for the evening, but didn't come back. Another guy came a few days later and did the same thing. it happened a third time, only this time, one of our senior students recognized the guy. "Hey, I know him... we went to high school together - and he trains next door."

It turns out that these guys were sending people to our school and pose as prospective students, train with us for a night, then go next door teach what they learned from us! after we figured it out, they stopped, but it started again a few months later. Our sifu challenged their teacher to a fight, but he declined. After declining, he told people that he fought our sifu and beat him.

I wish I could say, "Wow, that's storiy's so incredible, I don't beleve it" but I CAN believe it. In high school & college I trained w/ a bunch of guys who were all good friends, too. One guy started an MA school a few years later. He & another one of our tight group went to a seminar together. Our friend (the schhol owner) invited that friend to a seminar he was holding at his school. The schhol owner charged our friend $$ to attend this seminar. The topic was on the same material they'd learned the week before!!!!!!!! Most of our group became less close to the school owner after that.

[Abraham_lincoln]

I came in on halloween when I was about 9 or so. I was the only one in class that night. It was really strange, especially because there were 2 instructors and one student. It was actually a pretty good experience, because I could get more personal training. Still, I was pretty freaked out at first, because it was so different and I was only 9.

[elbows_and_knees]

Our sifu challenged their teacher to a fight, but he declined. After declining, he told people that he fought our sifu and beat him.

Do you think that a fight between the two would have solved anything, at that point?

probably. His students would likely have thought twice before hurrying to our kwoon.