Marin Spivack interview

[MaartenSFS]

Wow... This thread is just overflowing with bullshit. I've met many, many masters in China. About half charged. One wanted 10.000RMB to Baishi. The rest taught for free. The amount charged was rarely an indication of the skill of the master. I never paid any of them a cent and have been studying full-time for over five years now. I'm talking about masters that teach in parks and don't have to pay for rent. The one famous Taijiquan master that I met was an utter disappointment. Just wanted a photo with the Laowai.. I walked out.

Also, I too was not impressed with Marin's stuff. It looks like a silly foreigner trying to imitate the power of Taijiquan rather than someone that really knows the art inside and out. Never seen anything resembling sparring or even Tuishou either.

It's much better to learn from a no-name badarse like my Master and save a lot of money and make a friend for life. He's helped me to get so far on my journey and asks for nothing but my hard work and dedication. Still, I hope to return the favour some day, some how..

[willie]

Wow... This thread is just overflowing with bullshit. I've met many, many masters in China. About half charged. One wanted 10.000RMB to Baishi. The rest taught for free. The amount charged was rarely an indication of the skill of the master. I never paid any of them a cent and have been studying full-time for over five years now. I'm talking about masters that teach in parks and don't have to pay for rent. The one famous Taijiquan master that I met was an utter disappointment. Just wanted a photo with the Laowai.. I walked out.

Also, I too was not impressed with Marin's stuff. It looks like a silly foreigner trying to imitate the power of Taijiquan rather than someone that really knows the art inside and out. Never seen anything resembling sparring or even Tuishou either.

It's much better to learn from a no-name badarse like my Master and save a lot of money and make a friend for life. He's helped me to get so far on my journey and asks for nothing but my hard work and dedication. Still, I hope to return the favour some day, some how..

Hi Martin, then you are the very lucky individual, because none of what I wrote is b.s. by the way I seen some of your videos online they are very interesting. Also, it doesn't matter what someone else can do with certain material. What does matter is what can you do with that same material. PS I don't remember actually seeing your Chen style tai chi in the videos?

[origami_itto]

Yes anyone paying the big bucks mentioned here is either a bit simple or got the wrong teacher

or they have the right one.

The teacher certainly has the right student, in any event.

[Trick]

Another example which is not Chen is from Wudang Style. There was a time when I wanted to learn the mysterious fist form. That form is the form of the Taoist god Xuan Wu. The authentic Wudang priest who actually has it and was teaching it wanted $120 per hour and people were paying it.

I don't know, maybe it's luck or fate, or one is just looking in the right places, I have had the fortune to almost stumble into good teachers. One of my taijiquan teachers in Dalian is well versed in the Wudang sword but I did not study that at the time I lived there but he and I on very few occasions did some sword "sparring" something as CMC's sword sparring, which my teacher showed to be quite skilled at, so when I move back there I'm going to take up the Wudang sword practice. Now my teacher don't ask or demand for any practice fee, but I occasionally ask him out for lunch or dinner after our practice and give gifts whenever it is appropriate to give gifts.

[Trick]

I personally don't like watching interviews, But this one is exceptional.
I think that I'm going to go meet this guy in the spring. Very inspiring!

The person that is the subject of this tread can expect good sum of money in his account this spring then

[willie]

I personally don't like watching interviews, But this one is exceptional.
I think that I'm going to go meet this guy in the spring. Very inspiring!

The person that is the subject of this tread can expect good sum of money in his account this spring then

I don't think that he charges a lot of money either. So yes I would like to see more of his material.

[MaartenSFS]

Wow... This thread is just overflowing with bullshit. I've met many, many masters in China. About half charged. One wanted 10.000RMB to Baishi. The rest taught for free. The amount charged was rarely an indication of the skill of the master. I never paid any of them a cent and have been studying full-time for over five years now. I'm talking about masters that teach in parks and don't have to pay for rent. The one famous Taijiquan master that I met was an utter disappointment. Just wanted a photo with the Laowai.. I walked out.

Also, I too was not impressed with Marin's stuff. It looks like a silly foreigner trying to imitate the power of Taijiquan rather than someone that really knows the art inside and out. Never seen anything resembling sparring or even Tuishou either.

It's much better to learn from a no-name badarse like my Master and save a lot of money and make a friend for life. He's helped me to get so far on my journey and asks for nothing but my hard work and dedication. Still, I hope to return the favour some day, some how..

Hi Martin, then you are the very lucky individual, because none of what I wrote is b.s. by the way I seen some of your videos online they are very interesting. Also, it doesn't matter what someone else can do with certain material. What does matter is what can you do with that same material. PS I don't remember actually seeing your Chen style tai chi in the videos?

Ja, I quit Taijiquan. I'm primarily a striker and I found that there are better, more efficient ways to train that (XYLHQ, TBQ, XYQ..), with less of the mysticism. The problem is that, if said person hasn't properly learnt the material, it is not the same material. If he can't fight, he should at least be able to exhibit some of Taiji's power, against a somewhat resistant, fairly strong opponent. Otherwise, he isn't worth your time. From what I've seen his Fajin appears to be of the empty variety. I could be wrong, though. Check it out if you must. I've got nothing wrong with the man, just don't see what the hype is about. Just training with a famous master in China does not a warrior make..

[willie]

Ja, I quit Taijiquan. I'm primarily a striker and I found that there are better, more efficient ways to train that (XYLHQ, TBQ, XYQ..), with less of the mysticism. The problem is that, if said person hasn't properly learnt the material, it is not the same material. If he can't fight, he should at least be able to exhibit some of Taiji's power, against a somewhat resistant, fairly strong opponent. Otherwise, he isn't worth your time. From what I've seen his Fajin appears to be of the empty variety. I could be wrong, though. Check it out if you must. I've got nothing wrong with the man, just don't see what the hype is about. Just training with a famous master in China does not a warrior make..

Hi Martin, I don't really care if he is a warrior or not. If he has good material then he has good material it's as simple as that. Martin I started the martial arts in the mid-1980s I could fight way back then. I was trained by people who were absolutely ruthless lol. I couldn't care less about fighting anymore. I just enjoy martial arts. I don't get obsessed with who is a badass and who is not a badass, I don't care. By the way I liked your videos I thought that they were pretty good

[johnwang]

One wanted 10.000RMB to Baishi.

That 10.000RMB is not that much. During my Baishi ceremony, I gave my teacher a gold piece that cost me about $2000. I had invited him to my house 3 times and 3 months each. I had to pay his round trip air fair (about $2000 per trip), room and board, and $2000 a month tuition. Without counting room and board, each visit would cost me $2000 + 3 x $2000 = $8000. All 3 trips cost me 3 x $8000 = $24,000 total. Old Chinese saying said, "CMA is for rich and scholar is for poor". I truly believe in that.

Before David C. K. Lin passed away, he charged $200 per hour for his private lesson. I don't charge much. Teaching for me is like someone pays me to be my training partner.

[edededed]

One wanted 10.000RMB to Baishi.

That 10.000RMB is not that much. During my Baishi ceremony, I gave my teacher a gold piece that cost me about $2000. I had invited him to my house 3 times and 3 months each. I had to pay his round trip air fair (about $2000 per trip), room and board, and $2000 a month tuition. Without counting room and board, each visit would cost me $2000 + 3 x $2000 = $8000. All 3 trips cost me 3 x $8000 = $24,000 total. Old Chinese saying said, "CMA is for rich and scholar is for poor". I truly believe in that.

Before David C. K. Lin passed away, he charged $200 per hour for his private lesson. I don't charge much. Teaching for me is like someone pays me to be my training partner.

Plus, you had to feed your teacher, too - and of course you cannot just give him peanut butter & jelly sandwiches + water daily.
(Many will bring their teachers to high-end gourmet, etc. to show them respect - and this of course costs money!)

CMA has a long (if spotty) tradition of being expensive - I think Dai Kui's first disciple gave Dai his house... Some people do learn for free (i.e. sons), others learn sort of for free by being part of a religious tradition (although you may give up things worth more than money!). Many were privileged to learn due to their rich parents making it possible, too.

[Trick]

I personally don't like watching interviews, But this one is exceptional.
I think that I'm going to go meet this guy in the spring. Very inspiring!

The person that is the subject of this tread can expect good sum of money in his account this spring then

I don't think that he charges a lot of money either. So yes I would like to see more of his material.

But the theory was, (only)teachers who charge big sums got the right stuff?

[Bhassler]

From what I've seen his Fajin appears to be of the empty variety. I could be wrong, though.

Yup, you're wrong about that.

[Trick]

Plus, you had to feed your teacher, too - and of course you cannot just give him peanut butter & jelly sandwiches + water daily.
(Many will bring their teachers to high-end gourmet, etc. to show them respect - and this of course costs money!)

CMA has a long (if spotty) tradition of being expensive - I think Dai Kui's first disciple gave Dai his house... Some people do learn for free (i.e. sons), others learn sort of for free by being part of a religious tradition (although you may give up things worth more than money!). Many were privileged to learn due to their rich parents making it possible, too.

Yes the culture is like this,taking the teacher out for dinners. But(at least in my case) it doesn't "have" to happen too often, those occasions kind of feels spontaneous and right, even sometimes two of my teachers on occasions ask me and my wife out to dine .....But yes I can understand that there are teachers who put this tradition in favour a little too much......Here in China I heard one theory why families with kids who want to do MA let their kids study TKD is because with this they do not have to follow the Chinese traditions as for example as "feeding" the teacher.

[MaartenSFS]

Ja, I quit Taijiquan. I'm primarily a striker and I found that there are better, more efficient ways to train that (XYLHQ, TBQ, XYQ..), with less of the mysticism. The problem is that, if said person hasn't properly learnt the material, it is not the same material. If he can't fight, he should at least be able to exhibit some of Taiji's power, against a somewhat resistant, fairly strong opponent. Otherwise, he isn't worth your time. From what I've seen his Fajin appears to be of the empty variety. I could be wrong, though. Check it out if you must. I've got nothing wrong with the man, just don't see what the hype is about. Just training with a famous master in China does not a warrior make..

Hi Martin, I don't really care if he is a warrior or not. If he has good material then he has good material it's as simple as that. Martin I started the martial arts in the mid-1980s I could fight way back then. I was trained by people who were absolutely ruthless lol. I couldn't care less about fighting anymore. I just enjoy martial arts. I don't get obsessed with who is a badass and who is not a badass, I don't care. By the way I liked your videos I thought that they were pretty good

Thank you. I made an attempt to show something different.

Well, I wish you the best of luck. Perhaps you are more into the spiritual side of things these days? I suppose that when you get older and don't care to roughhouse anymore that Tuishou and more spiritual training are a good way to keep healthy and sharp. You should try sword fighting. It requires a different sort of athleticism than unarmed fighting.

[MaartenSFS]

One wanted 10.000RMB to Baishi.

That 10.000RMB is not that much. During my Baishi ceremony, I gave my teacher a gold piece that cost me about $2000. I had invited him to my house 3 times and 3 months each. I had to pay his round trip air fair (about $2000 per trip), room and board, and $2000 a month tuition. Without counting room and board, each visit would cost me $2000 + 3 x $2000 = $8000. All 3 trips cost me 3 x $8000 = $24,000 total. Old Chinese saying said, "CMA is for rich and scholar is for poor". I truly believe in that.

Before David C. K. Lin passed away, he charged $200 per hour for his private lesson. I don't charge much. Teaching for me is like someone pays me to be my training partner.

Haha, it was too much since I've never had much more than that during the almost eleven years that I've been living in China..

Wow, you really treated your master well.. Did your family approve, or were you single at the time? Thank God my Master doesn't do it for the money...