From: doug@eng.umd.edu (Douglas N. Cohen)
Subject: Re: Query: Gung fu in New York City
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 92 15:03:09 GMT
Organization: College of Engineering, University of MD, College Park
Summary: 	-=-=-< an opinion >-=-=-
Followup-To: 	send it to me....
Keywords: 	-=-=-< my recomendations >-=-=-
Cc: toman@darkwing.uoregon.edu

In article <1992Sep2.150758.21353@panix.com> fnord@panix.com (Cliff Heller) writes:

>In <1992Sep1.225953.21248@nntp.uoregon.edu> toman@darkwing.uoregon.edu (Joseph Toman) writes:
>
>>What gung fu schools are there in Manhattan ? My brother-in-law used to
>>practice some sort of Chinese style and wishes to start again. The
>>phrases that came up were 'Shaolin','Northern',and 'longfist' or some 
>>combination thereof. I have a perfect ignorance of Chinese styles, so I
>>hope this makes sense. Any help or recomendations would be appreciated.
>
>There's lots of schools in Manhattan.
>
>I'll just plug mine:
>
>Wai Hong's Fu-Jow Pai Kung-FU
>
>at Canal st. just east of Bowery  (2nd floor).

	i, on the other hand, would suggest several other schools over the
fu-jow pai of wai hong.  
	1st, it is good kung fu, but i know of several styles *i* think are 
much much better, and the schools are much friendlier, classes smaller, kung
fu much more effective and the teacher is supurb.
	i would chose Sifu Ken Lo's Wu Mei Kung Fu as one of the best in new
york, second to none!  (i just came from the usnkfc tournament in orlando,
and while i have known them for years, they really shown brightly.... a
relative newcommer, daisy taylor, swept the categories with 4 or 5 golds and
a silver.  if she had competed in one other weapon, she would have also had
the women's souther external all around grand champion.  and she has only
been practicing for about 5 1/2 - 6 years.)  they are a traditional southern
external and internal style, and are the progenitors of the wing chun styles.
(i will be posting an article on this style in the near future, and i'm sure
there will be some wing chun/ving tsun and bruce lee fans that will hit the 
ceiling!)  one of the best things about this systems is the teacher and the 
way he runs his schools.  and they are much against the politics and 'in-
fighting' that is so much a part of the new york kung fu scene, and is so
prevalent in the fu jow pai influences.  Sifu Ken Lo refuses to get involved
in it, and it makes a difference in the flavour of the school.  they are 
friendly and competent.  i highly recomend this school.
	i would reccomend Sifu Chan Tai-San's kung fu school.  it is a 
difficult and arduous style, with lots of Ch'i Kung, and long, difficult, but
highly effective forms.  you would have to learn cantonese just to understand 
him, but that is part of the training.  he taught and trained the army special
forces unit of canton, and was the former coach of the Fat Son County Canton
Wu Shu Team.  he is known for his incredible had Ch'i Kung and breaking
ability, and his internal abilities, as well as his external kung fu.  he is
also one who stands outside the political games, and runs a very tight and
small traditional school.  his demonstrations at the NACMAF, ICMAF, and USNKFC
tournaments are major highlights, and, like Sifu Lo, he is well know and very
highly respect in the chinese martial arts community throught the *world*!
	i could also recomend Sifu Chih-Young Lin, master of the Shao-Lin
Chang Chuan, Pa-Chi, Sun Ping, Tung-Pei, Hsing-I, T'ai Chi, Pa-Kua, Shuai Chiao
and San Da.  he is national advisor of the chinese martial arts division of
the aau, and the director in the u.s. chinese kuosho federation in charge of 
pa-kua and Shuai-Chiao.
	i could recomend, also, Sifu Nan Lu, who is not only a traditional
chinese martial arts, but Qi Gong and traditional internal martial arts as well
as traditional medicine.  he was the 1977all south china wu shu championships
gold medalist.
	there are some others, but i think you can get a taste from this....
i do *NOT* recomend fu jow pai.  there is nothing wrong with their style.  it
is good, and moderately effective, but it is an empire and fraught with 
politics.  and there are so many better styles {*IN*MY*OPINION*!*}.  give
them a try.  at least look them over and check out the quality of the schools!
	hope this has helped, at least a little....
	another opinion, worth what you paid for it!
	and, as always, i am/at:

	     doug:  <doug@eng.umd.edu> : <doug@lpf.umd.edu>

	-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-< a ghost in the machine >-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

	"presidential elections are planned distractions
	 to divert attention from the actions behind the scenes....
	 like a game of chess when the house is a mess, or
	 a petty money squabble when your marriage is in trouble,
	 or a football game when there's rioting in the street!

	 it's just another movie.....  another song and dance.....
	 another poor sucker who never had a chance!
	 it's just another captain goin' down with his ship.....
	 it's just another jerk, taking pride in his work!

				       greetings from timbuck three!

Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts
From: nigel@ietech.demon.co.uk ("Nigel G. Backhurst")