Training Update

[MaartenSFS]

So, it's been a while since I posted anything meaningful..

I'm currently living in a small city in Heilongjiang for my last year in China (just got here at the beginning of the week). Before I left Guilin I dedicated a lot of time to learning everything that I could from Zou Shifu, fighting, filming a documentary about the training and general photography about the region. Amazingly I was successful on all fronts.

During the last half year I spent six to seven days per week, four hours a day, training my balls off, fighting every day. Then filming/photographing in the afternoons. I wasn't working much, as my employer didn't pay our salaries and ran off to Beijing with all of our money! By the end I could barely lift up my fist! My master told me that I had learned all that I needed for now and that it was time to go learn from other masters and keep fighting, then return to him after several years. I was still learning from him on the morning (and car ride to the aeroport) of my flight!

So, here I am now, a stone's throw from the Russian border. Just found a Xingyiquan master in the Guo Yunshen tradition this morning and begin my new training at five o'clock tomorrow morning (no time zones in China so people get up super early and go to bed early). I talked with him and "experienced" his stuff for several hours and made a plan. I loved is XY/BG footwork around these northern trees - an area that I am lacking in. He's going to teach me many variations of the Wuxingquan, how to use them in every direction and the corresponding footwork. Sounds like just what I need!

But he's seventy years old and doesn't fight anymore, so I've asked him to find me people to spar with. Anyways, wish me luck!

[Finny]

Is that master number 6 or 7 over the past year or so?

just joking - good luck with the new training Maarten!

[chimerical tortoise]

Good luck on this next step in the journey, it sounds fantastic!

Are you still taking photographs by any chance?

[MaartenSFS]

I had my first day of training with him and started learning Piquan with stepping. He said that my XYLH training served me well. After two hours or so he introduced me to his disciple and we did a bit of light, glove-less Sanshou. I'm really excited for what's to come. I also really like it up here. I feel that the people are more civilised, it's more developed, the environment is better and the food is better. The climate is more conductive to training as well. The northern accent is going to take me some time to get used to, though.. Since there's not as many interesting places to go adventuring around here my sole focus will be on training (fine, I'll save a bit for work...).

I'm absolutely still taking photos. I have five more photos to edit and I'll be finished with everything from the South and upload them all. Since last year, that's a lot of new content..

Not sure if I'll do a lot of photography up here, though. The landscapes and buildings just aren't as interesting. But there will be lots of snow in winter. I'll be busy training as well and I don't have a motorbike here. We'll see..

[MaartenSFS]

Is that master number 6 or 7 over the past year or so?

just joking - good luck with the new training Maarten!

I studied with Zou Shifu for over two years, usually six days a week. I think that counts for something! I had to leave earlier than I wanted due to some annoying circumstances and so worked my balls off to finish building a solid system. I would say that I was largely successful. My goal was, of course, to create a system that could teach someone with zero ability how to fight using TCMA in as short a time as possible..

Now my next step is to either learn the system of Xingyiquan or incorporate it's foundations into my own system. I think that time will be the deciding factor..

[Ozguorui]

I lived in China for 5 years and just returned to Australia this year. I liken finding an excellent IMA teacher in China to finding a good tennis coach in Australia. It is not that hard if you know the language, have a network, and show some basic competency. Within a few weeks of asking around in Shanghai I found a brilliant teacher, and within a few weeks of coming back to Oz, my son was training with a former mens tour pro who had a pretty high doubles ranking, got to 150 in singles, played the majors (Wimbeldon twice, Aus Open 5 times etc)....not that hard.

[MaartenSFS]

It depends on what you are looking for. A master that can fight using their art and teach you how to is a lot rarer than one might think.

[dspyrido]

It depends on what you are looking for. A master that can fight using their art and teach you how to is a lot rarer than one might think.

How about shuai jiow? Chinas oldest and original internal martial would have to have some great people there. Have you had any luck with them? I would imagine the quality would have to be good for instructors who specialised in it and have decades of competitive experience.

[Bao]

It depends on what you are looking for. A master that can fight using their art and teach you how to is a lot rarer than one might think.

He jinbao and Chen Yu in Beijing, Qian Zhaohong in Shanghai. Just go through RSF or ask around here and you'll find at least twenty top notch masters around Mainland, HK and TW. They also know tons of other good teachers. Pretty easy IMHO.

How about shuai jiow? Chinas oldest and original internal martial would have to have some great people there. Have you had any luck with them? I would imagine the quality would have to be good for instructors who specialised in it and have decades of competitive experience.

In Beijing He Jinbao knows and usually recommend Shuaijiao teachers. Qian Zhaohong probably know the whole MA community in Shanghai. Or why not ask JW about recommendations?

[MaartenSFS]

It depends on what you are looking for. A master that can fight using their art and teach you how to is a lot rarer than one might think.

How about shuai jiow? Chinas oldest and original internal martial would have to have some great people there. Have you had any luck with them? I would imagine the quality would have to be good for instructors who specialised in it and have decades of competitive experience.

I haven't been to the local Wushu Association yet. I did go and "roll" with the Guilin Shuaijiao team when I was there. I may try it here as well, but this city is fairly small and obscure.

[MaartenSFS]

It depends on what you are looking for. A master that can fight using their art and teach you how to is a lot rarer than one might think.

He jinbao and Chen Yu in Beijing, Qian Zhaohong in Shanghai. Just go through RSF or ask around here and you'll find at least twenty top notch masters around Mainland, HK and TW. They also know tons of other good teachers. Pretty easy IMHO.

How about shuai jiow? Chinas oldest and original internal martial would have to have some great people there. Have you had any luck with them? I would imagine the quality would have to be good for instructors who specialised in it and have decades of competitive experience.

In Beijing He Jinbao knows and usually recommend Shuaijiao teachers. Qian Zhaohong probably know the whole MA community in Shanghai. Or why not ask JW about recommendations?

China has over 1.4 billion people. I'd say that qualifies as rare. I'm not interested in studying with famous people, either.

[Bao]

They don't live as hermits, they as well as their students know people, great teachers who dwell in the shadows.

[nicklinjm]

I agree with Maarten. For example, Shanghai is a city of 23 million people. I can count the number of masters who can fight with IMA on the fingers of two hands. By any standard of things that is rare.

[Trick]

A small and obscure city can be difficult to find a really skilled teacher and good sparring partners. Harbin sould be a good place to find what you are looking for. I guess tongbeiguan is widly practised in heilongjiang as it is down here in liaoning, and those tongbei guy's often like to spar. And as mentioned, shuaijiao is quite easy to find here in manchuria. And of course boxning,kick/thaiboxning,mma can now be found in most bigger cities around China. Good luck with your training, and prepare well for the winter, it get's very cold up here.

[MaartenSFS]

Thanks for the support. So far I'm really happy with Wu Shifu. He's got the goods and is very strict about the details, unlike Zou Shifu. I think that he's just what I need right now. I have high hopes that I can learn a lot from him in a year. Learning from different masters has advantages and disadvantages, but I am satisfied with my training progression. I'm picking things up fairly quick. I only care about learning the core of the art and how to fight with it - not all of the various forms and weapons forms (although they are cool!).