From: thorick@sybase.com (Thorick Chow)
Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts
Subject: Re: Opinions wanted
Date: 9 Oct 92 16:38:28 GMT
Organization: Sybase, Inc.

In article <1992Sep30.223936.3827@rucs2.sunlab.cs.runet.edu> hylton@rucs2.sunlab.cs.runet.edu) (Core Dump ;) writes:
>Fellow Martial Artists,
>
>.....I have been trying to learn
>Martial Arts (preferably kung-fu and chi-kung) for about 8-9 years now.  I have
>taken instruction with a Shotokan instructor, a Judo Instructor, an Instructor
>here at RU, and a Choy Li Fut teacher.  The problem is I haven't had the time
>and/or money to learn, or they haven't had the time and/or money to teach.
>
>  I have been off and on with each instructor (and it's a very long story) and
>with stuff I made up on my own.  I made up my own with the intent to develop and teach
>my own TYPE of "kung fu".  I have been told that what I have "developed" so far
>ain't too shabby.  This came from a brown belt sparring partner I had a few years back.  I don't want to go into any further details unless I am asked otherwise.  Because the whole story IS very long.  Here is my problem now.
>
>  At the very end of last semester is when I found out about the Choy Li Fut teacher.  I only worked with him for about five 2 1/2 to 3 hour sessions.  Then I 
>I thought I would stop developing my style, and just learn his.  Well, I went home for summer break.  When I came back, I went to see my teacher, and he said due to circumstances he wasn't sure he could continue my training but he'd work on
>it and see.  I believe he has and probably still is trying to work it out, but
>it's been 2 weeks now, and I get the feeling I'm on my own again.
>
>  I just want to know what you think about my developing and teaching my own 
>"home grown" style.  I mean, afterall, somebody developed the style that you are
>currently taking and/or have mastered.  Will I be giving people bad self defense?
>

It's true that individuals developed or modified the style(s) that I now
practice.  But consider the difference between what you have stated about
yourself and the difference between the people who 'made' the established
styles.  The people who synthesized the established styles did so under 
very different circumstances.  Generally speaking, they devoted most
of (if not all of) their lives studying and developing the refinements,
and usually under conditions in which if they weren't really GOOD, they
weren't going to survive (either as a living being, or at least as a
recognized Martial Artist)..  Take Uyeshiba and Aikido..  from what
I've read he was CONSTANTLY putting himself 'to the test'...

I can tell you from personal experience that I've been involved in
Martial Arts for nearly decades...  because of other interests,
perhaps 15 of those years have not been spent in diligent pursuit
but more as a 'hobby' (and health) type of thing..  but still this meant 
a minimum of 10 hours a week.  Nowadays I value these things much more and
am a bit more dedicated, so it's a minimum of 20 hours a week
(I do have job and childcare responsibilities after all)..  even so
I don't consider myself 'advanced' enough to teach anyone,
especially in light of all the better people who are running around
who ARE teaching.

I certainly wouldn't even consider making up my own 'style' when
I've just barely begun to be able to grasp what those before
me have been able to accomplish...   I suppose I would if I 
could say, take a little trip to neighboring Oakland, intercede
between two warring drug dealers and say "I saw BOTH your
mommas standing on the street corner, and they wuz ooooglee"
and walk away from the ensuing pleasantries unscathed  :-)

On taking the word of a 'Brown Belt's evaluation of what you're doing,
consider that many people in the Karate world seem to regard the
first degree Black Belt level as 'beginning of Karate'. 

So IMHO, it's your call..  if you're really good and a bit of a genius
(like Bruce Lee was) it could work out OK (but remember how much 
Bruce Lee practiced)..  if you're NOT really good, and you display
your synthesized 'style'..  the people who ARE good will be laughing
at you..

my $0.02

-t.c.





--
"We must be careful not to discourage our 12-year-olds by making them   
 waste the best years of their lives on preparing for examinations.  If
 we do not stifle their interest in science, one of them has a chance to
 be the new Heisenberg..."              - Freeman Dyson
Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts