guy I've never heard of

[mixjourneyman]

http://www.martialartslondonontario.org/bagua.html

Anyone know this guy? He lives relatively close to me and I'm thinking of trying to meet him.
Just wanted to know if anyone knows him.

[Muad'dib]

I can tell I wouldn't go just by looking at the pictures, does that count?

[mixjourneyman]

Well even if he sucks (which he may or may not), he still might be fun to practice with.
I'm not thinking of learning with him (I've got too much from my current teacher already lol).

[JoseFreitas]

From the website:

"Josh is an accomplished instructor with 15 years experience in martial arts and 13 years experience teaching. Josh has been awarded instructor standing in (3) separate martial arts: Kung Fu, Cheng Sher Ba Gua Kung Fu, and Arnis. Josh has trained in Kung Fu styles such as Hungar, Wing Chun, Yin Fu Ba Gua, Cheng Sher Ba Gua, Ma Gui Ba Gua, and recently Jeet Kun Do. His main style of Kung Fu is Cheng Sher Ba Gua Zhan. He also specializes in Tai Chi (Yang Style / Ba Gua), Chi Gong, and meditation techniques.

Josh has also trained in numerous modern styles including Arnis / Escrima, Full Contact Stick Fighting, combat JuJitsu, Grappling, Boxing, Kick Boxing, and Canadian Military close quarter fighting techniques. His main modern style is Arnis / Full Contact Stick Fighting. Josh has also attended and helped deliver numerous seminars and special courses including self-defense, Arnis, and women's self-defense, and others.

Josh is a great instructor who makes complex and difficult martial arts training FUN. Contact Josh today for STRESS FREE TAI CHI or Arnis STICK training."

Josh seems like a real stand up fun guy, but Josh never even mentions one of his teachers, let alone the many he must have had to have such "wide" experience in the Martial Arts. We also do not know, and he does not tell, who awarded him "instructor ranking in three (3, count them, 3!) separate martial arts". In particular who it was who certified him in Kungfu, as opposed to, say, Bagua... and we never are told which of these "kungfu" styles he was certified in. For all I know he may be great, but many years ago I swore to myself (after a particularly bad experience) that I would never again, ever, even look at an instructor who is not able or willing to provide a minimum of info on his teachers or the organizations who certified him.

[mixjourneyman]

I talked to him via email today.
I think his teacher is a student of Yang Guotai in Vancouver.
He seems like a good guy and we are both happy to have another Cheng stylist within a couple hours of each other.
I'll go meet him in October.
I think it will be a good experience.

[GrahamB]

I'd send him a picture first Mix - you know, just so he's ready

[Plante]

He also specializes in Tai Chi (Yang Style / Ba Gua)

What the hell is that?

[Plante]

I'd send him a picture first Mix - you know, just so he's ready

Nice one Graham!

[LJN]

Going to a couple seminars is not equivalent to actual certification
He simply cannot be certified/authorized in YIN, Ma Gui And Cheng Bagua. Plus arnis and all that other stuff.
His fifteen years of experience is barely out of diapers.

[Muad'dib]

years of experience rarely equal skill. Don't get confused. I can tell he is most likely not good from his pictures, but that has nothing to do with time spent practicing and which also differs from the number of years which have passed since his first class.

[mixjourneyman]

Well, as I said, he may still be fun to practice with.
For sure if you look at his bagua postures there are a lot of mistakes, but that doesn't really matter to me, since I won't learn from him.

[LJN]

So quality has no relationship to time ? Years of experience in proper method usually equals some type of proficiency.
Given proper continued training and method. I am not sure your statement is valid.
I do not think his pictures are good examples of static postures.
Those are some very inclusive systems he claims to be authorized to teach.

[Darthwing Teorist]

Mix, meet him and make up your mind then as to what can he offer you. It is nice to be able to exchange with someone nearby, no matter how advanced or not they are, unless their ego gets in the way.

[mixjourneyman]

Mix, meet him and make up your mind then as to what can he offer you. It is nice to be able to exchange with someone nearby, no matter how advanced or not they are, unless their ego gets in the way.

Thats what I was trying to say.
I'll post my experience.

[Plante]

DT has systemapunched the truth.