To train again...

[Michael P]

Hi all,

So I'm in a position where I'm feeling the need to train again, but just don't know how to go about it. I started training Hsing-I and Tai-Chi back in 1995, and trained pretty solid for about 10 years. Due to school, I've moved around a lot. Fortunately I've had some really great teachers along the way that have given me a solid background. But nowadays, every time I check out a new school, they just all seem to suck. I trained on my own for two years, but eventually just got bored to tears. I'm in my second year of med school, and will be moving again most likely four times in the next four years. Ughh.

What the hell do I do? I'm tired of standing/doing forms, etc on my own. I've been working out regularly in the gym (probably much to my former teachers dismay), so I'm in decent shape. Advice?

[Chris Fleming]

Train kettlebells to go from decent shape to superior shape. Work on your goals, as to what you are actually training for. Work on your martial arts discipline, as training/standing on your own is a hallmark of any kind of martial art style, if this sort of thing is what you want to be doing. Find a teacher who teaches what you are looking for and who can help you get to where you want to go--that is, once you know where that is.

[Ben]

But nowadays, every time I check out a new school, they just all seem to suck.

I know how you feel. I'm in a similar situation right now. I agree with Chris, Figure out your goals, find some people to practice on, and find a teacher you can go to even if its only once a year and you have to do some traveling to get there.

I've been enjoying working solo but I do want some more people to practice with too.

[GrahamB]

Hi all,

So I'm in a position where I'm feeling the need to train again, but just don't know how to go about it. I started training Hsing-I and Tai-Chi back in 1995, and trained pretty solid for about 10 years. Due to school, I've moved around a lot. Fortunately I've had some really great teachers along the way that have given me a solid background. But nowadays, every time I check out a new school, they just all seem to suck. I trained on my own for two years, but eventually just got bored to tears. I'm in my second year of med school, and will be moving again most likely four times in the next four years. Ughh.

What the hell do I do? I'm tired of standing/doing forms, etc on my own. I've been working out regularly in the gym (probably much to my former teachers dismay), so I'm in decent shape. Advice?

Teach a friend for free and see what happens.

[Frank Bellemare]

Chris' advice is excellent. Figure out what you're looking to achieve with your training and choose a training path suited to those objectives. Of course if you're looking to learn a complete style or continue the Xingyi and Taiji your learned it's going to be a pain in the ass because you're going to have to relearn everything each time you move.

I'd say find the areas or skills you want to improve, such as throwing, punching, physical fitness and find a place that trains those things, whether it be a gym, a university judo club or a boxing school. If you keep an open mind you'll see there are training opportunities everywhere, and even though they don't necessarily correspond to our ideal of training style X under teacher Y, it still beats doing zero partner training.

[johnwang]

Advice?

Find yourself some sparring partners and spar as much as you can. Try to find something that you like to do during your sparring (find your favor moves) and then drill those moves to death by using heavy bag or other training equipment.

Teach a friend for free and see what happens.

That's an excellent advice. You may let him feel that you are teaching him but you are using him as your training dummy. 教学相長 (Jiao Xue Xiang Zhang) - when you teach someone, both teacher and student will be benefited.

[Wanderingdragon]

Where you movin to? If it's the windy city I'll train with you

[mrtoes]

I spent three years travelling, only doing scraps of training when I could. For one year I was settled and had a really great teacher, but I also had two years when I was backpacking and had to maintain my own practise - not easy when you've only been at it for a year or so.

The guys have already given great answers. And you're more experienced than me, but given I have some experience of traipsing around trying to find what I'm after, here's my tuppence anyway. When there's no teaching to be had, find the core of your practise, what really means the most to you, and keep at it. I spent two years mainly keeping it alive - it's difficult to really progress without a good teacher - but did make some headway, and learn some interesting things from odd people I met on the path. Other times, make the best you can with the resources you can. If you want to learn to fight, maybe now's a great time to check out the local boxing/mma/kickboxing/anything else gyms or try out grappling. If you're mainly after relaxation, then perhaps quality qi gong or meditation instruction might be more accessible.

I'll second the observation that the standard of any given tai-chi school is quite low. If you're not going to be around in one place for too long, maybe stay away from people who just want to teach you endless forms in something. I for one need a 128 move tai-chi form bolted onto my hsing i/bagua practise like I need a bullet in the head

[ashe]

教学相長 (Jiao Xue Xiang Zhang) - when you teach someone, both teacher and student will be benefited.

[Michael P]

Agreed that teaching is a great way to keep up. I taught for a year and profited immensely. I'll have to figure out a way I could pull it off, as I'll be moving all over the place for four years starting July. And I have no idea where I will be taken at this point in life. Just have to go with it.
I trained with several of Vince Black's senior students in tang shou tao hsing-I and with William Chen in Tai-Chi. I have tried to work on a few other things, but have found I'd rather stick to a few things and get really good at them. So I don't really want to wander too far from what I have learned thus far. I'd like to learn deeper, though. Thanks again for the great advice. Keep'em coming if you've got 'em.

Michael

[ashe]

I would look into which organizations are present in the cities in which you plan to live, and after you have your options pick the one that suits you best.
Most decent teachers have representitives in cities world wide.
By way of example, my own Sifu has students teaching in 15 or so cities in the US and in 15 or 20 countries, all of whom can be found through the directory on our website. The same should be true for most of the larger organizations.
That way you can stick with the same art, Sigong, and theoretically, the same or nearly the same material as you move from city to city.

[bigphatwong]

Well, it sounds like you lead a pretty active lifestyle. If I were you I'd take the few things you do practice and try to extrapolate as much as you can out of them. Everybody has plateaus in their training, but it's good to be like Jim Carrey in Liar Liar and kick your own ass every once in a while. Especially if you hope to achieve real skill in either of your arts. In other words, do them even though you find them boring. (insert John Wang joke here)

You need the standing, jibengong etc to iron out any contradictions in your body and mind that can occur as a result of the stresses of modern living. And when you're on the move a lot you'll probably find maintaining that functional, pliable core strength a lot more integral than dumbbell or kettlebell curls. Or one of those goddamn rowing machines with the fan built in. JMO of course.

Seems to me like you just need a different way of thinking about it.

[Bao]

You may let him feel that you are teaching him but you are using him as your training dummy.

Well said. But don't take it to literary. The first year teaching my new class, I lost half of my student because I throwed them around to much.

[GrahamB]

To train—perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub!
For in that sweat of training what dreams may come.

[mixjourneyman]

To train—perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub!
For in that sweat of training what dreams may come.

Slings? Check. Arrows? Check. Outrageous fortune? Check!