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Twin Warriors Chan Wu Training Center: Montreal Canada

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  • #16
    Isn't simplicity just another road to the correct...

    sorry, i was just playing devils advocate or whatever... so you hated them, thought they were ghey... are you against a uniform per se, or just he robes?
    practice wu de

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    • #17
      lolo Thanks for the reminder Rich!
      In a way I'll always miss those days. I don't miss the unbearable heat.
      I remember opening the window and someone else closing it two seconds later. Amitabha nerds.

      I guess I hate both uniforms and monk costumes. Unless your doing a demo.

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      • #18
        Twin Warriors in large clear print right out front where every one can see it in English & Chinese--no French! I’m amazed the language police haven’t shut them down already.

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        • #19
          There's French on the sign above.

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          • #20
            I guess I hate both uniforms and monk costumes. Unless your doing a demo.
            Cool, I figured. Depends on what is going on, I think both have there place....
            practice wu de

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            • #21
              The whole uniform-thing which is used in the chanwu federation was actually the idea of a genuine shaolin monk. Besides, the uniforms are only worn when they do ceremonies or examinations or for pictures.
              Personally, I'm not really that much for uniforms, but I have accepted it as "something given to you by your teacher" and thus it is merely an object that you can show respect to, and thereby your teacher.

              I agree that it is kind of out of place to give uniforms to new students, even if it's only the first level. Also that look people can have in their eyes like you say.. looking really enlightened or totally above it all... that is bs. But nothing's perfect, and you gotta start somewhere. It's OK.
              Although honesty is always appreciative, just don't let it bother you. Really. Do your thing and let others do theirs.

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              • #22
                I'm against Xinghong's whole idea of uniforms. He tried to push it on me at my school, and I just totally disagreed with it. It's not how it's done in Shaolin. The concept behind it that I think is wrong, is the use of colors in the uniform to denote levels; much like the Japanese with their belt system. I think using such a schema goes against the humility that is supposed to be taught in this training. Sashes are used in combination with different color uniforms; three levels of uniforms with three levels of sashes.

                Next, Xinghong in gold pants with ten black bars on his bright red sash?
                Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

                "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

                (more comments in my User Profile)
                russbo.com


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                • #23
                  For a second I thought you were talking about MC Hammer and his parachute pants.

                  I like your uniform, doc. It made me stick out like a sore thumb wearing a white t-shirt at beige workout pants.
                  Becoming what I've dreamed about.

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                  • #24
                    There are many martial arts where the uniform is there for a good purpose. Judo comes to mind.

                    However, those monk outfits have no purpose whatsoever. I remember seeing foreigners coming to practice in those get-ups and always having trouble with the leggings falling down. If you're doing any sort of application work, all those nice chinese style uniforms won't hold up for ****.

                    Doc, what's going on with this Xinghong guy? I know you've mentioned him being kind of 'hard-line' with his way of doing things before. Will I have to worry about this guy spying on me from behind trees while I practice in the park? geez...
                    -Jesse Pasleytm
                    "How do I know? Because my sensei told me!"

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                    • #25
                      I like unis for demos, sometimes in class, the symmetry is nice..
                      Other than that, whatever.

                      I bought a monk robe for halloween a few years ago, I now use the pants to train in.. sometimes I wear a vest, sometimes a tshirt, sometimes a jacket.. depends on what we are doing, and what I feal like.. I like Doc's schools schpeil... seems to be nice, simple, and yet somewhat almost formal.
                      practice wu de

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                      • #26
                        I train usually in a t shirt and pants that look like khakis but have this elastic band which makes em workout pants, I guess. But now I have thse sweatpants, and since it's been getting cold, I have been using those thick Timberland sweats.
                        Becoming what I've dreamed about.

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                        • #27
                          Hello,

                          I am new here and from Montreal.

                          I recently started my Shaolin Gong Fu training in Shifu Abel Da Silva Guan under Shi Hung Joe Zappavigna supervision. I was looking for a traditional Gong Fu school with some genuine background. There are so many wannabee shifus around & BS schools its really hard to figure out for a newbe like me.

                          That school was founded by Shi Xing Hong following the Monks tour during the late 90s & used to be a lot bigger but there was personnal conflicts and a schism followed.
                          The Chanwu school mentionned in that very thread was the result. Neither do I know the exact story nor is it of my business anyway so I won't comment it. What is important is the original school still remains and I am happy to train with them. Being trained by good, friendly & respectful people is as important as what is being teached.

                          To get back to that thread, at my school we don't wear anything special but a pair of black Gong Fu pants & a T-Shirt (school labelled or not). However, I don't think wearing a Shaolin monk uniform is absolutely bad unless its purpose is to "look" more genuine. Almost all American / Canadian martial arts schools have their "official" uniforms.
                          Most martial arts could be practiced wearing a jogging or track suit. Besides the Shaolin wrap socks it's not really different than lets say a karate gi. Uniforms are more a way for schools to distinguish their style/school from one another.

                          Buddhism cannot be totally ignored when one practice traditionnal Shaolin Gong Fu or something is clearly missing. If you say Amitabha before and after a form or do the praying hands during the class its not like you are trying to be a buddhist but only to emphasize a certain discipline and show a respect for the art roots. IMHO those uniforms and protocols are a way to keep traditions into MA nothing more. Shaolin school should also introduce internal practice like QiGong while many people don't buy that Shi thing...does it invalidate any honest attempt to teach that?

                          Image of the wrapped legs uniform shaved head monks is what pop up in people's mind when they think of Shaolin martial arts. Today instant gratification is the major selling point for anything; even more in America. You have to meet their expectations; so that uniform is a way to answer that. It doesn't make the school more or less genuine and I understand the point behind it. Its like trying to sell Ninjutsu school to people without wearing the black Gi and tabis...

                          regards
                          JS

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                          • #28
                            Selling uniforms is an easy way to make money.

                            At my school the "uniform" is black, meaning it is recomended to wear any black pants and any black tshirt you want. But you can buy a black 15euro tshirt, which has the name of the school on it. You are free to buy it or not. You can come and train in comfortable clothes of any other color as well.

                            But those who buy the tshirt (usually after some weeks or 2 or 3 months) just show they feel they found a school they want to be part of and are the people who are more likely to stay for a long time. Students have to ask to buy the tshirt, they are not told to buy it. And the whole uniform (a tshirt) cost is 15 euros.

                            Black because it is neutral and doesn't distract, no underlying deep principle.

                            This is the opposite of a lot of schools where when you sign up the teacher sells you the whole outfit: shoes, pants, shirt, staff,.....and it costs a hell of a lot of money.

                            Well that's just good economic thinking: comes in a new client and you sign him up and make money on selling a uniform. If the students quits after a short while and doesn't pay tuition fees anymore you allready made a considerable amount of money by selling him your products.

                            I once went to a place where you could not start the training before buying the whole uniform which cost well over 100 euro (1euro = 1,25 USdollar). Nothing wrong with selling uniforms because maybe it's helping to pay the school's rent. But prices should be reasonable. Everyone has the right to ask a lot of money for a uniform, and everyone has the right to buy it or not. I choose not to because I thought that this showed more emphasis on economics than on training and never went back. Later I heard a lot of awful stories about the school from students and ex-students.

                            It would say from economic point of view the more expensive a uniform is the less time the school expects you to stay and provide income.

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                            • #29
                              Hi, I'm a direct student of DeYang and XingHong in Italy.

                              Don't confuse what some teachers of his federation do from what Xing Hong does.

                              As far as Xing Hong is concerned training is done in plain pants, t-shirt and feyiues, nothing more. Uniforms are to be worn only for demos, exams, comps, and other "official" moments.

                              The levels/colors difference is again something done for formal gatherings only (much like at the Temple, where the elders wear different robes from the wuseng in such occasions): the rest of the time, and certainly in daily practice, everyone should just wear plain pants, t-shirt and feyiues.

                              However ... some teachers get all caught up in the "self-importance spiral" and enforce wearing uniforms for class, with colors and belts and the works, but this has nothing to do with Xing Hong and all to do with the teachers themselves ...

                              On a related matter I've personally seen him address with annoyiance a teacher who kept on following him around in prayer position uttering amituofo at every sentance: often people get way too caught up in their need for self-importance and/or hero-worship, and I can assure you it really bothers Xing Hong.

                              By the way I've met the canadian guys once in Hungary and they seemed friendly and casual guys with good kungfu too, so I think clasped hands and uniforms were for photo purposes only

                              A healthy dose of discipline, uniformity, composure and formality is necessary in a traditional martial arts school, but a teacher should always avoid letting himself and his school slip in sect-like cult behaviour, self-importance, hero-worship, and other general silliness and/or nerdiness
                              More focus on hard training and sound learning, less focus on superficial rituals, clothing and accessories.

                              SWGI
                              Last edited by SWGI; 03-20-2007, 03:11 PM.

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                              • #30
                                I agree with the, wear whatever you feel comfortable praticing in, thing. At my old school in the U.S. I had to purchase an outfit. It wasn't too expensive, but if you came to class in something else you'd get reemed and have to stay in the back of class jumping up and down until you were told to stop. However I always felt the uniform did make me feel more "kungfu'y".

                                Anyway, I do practice at a Shaolin school here in CHina now, and I could practice in a buisness suit if I wanted. All the students, myself included, wear a jogging suit with the school logo on it in the winter, and the standard Shaolin orange pants in the summer. Yes, we do purchase them from the school, but we don't have to. I practiced in a pair of black gong fu pants I had brought from the States for the first couple months and was never asked to buy anything else. I did because I wanted to conform ! It was bad enough being the only foreigner there, but to have a blue shirt and black pants when everyone else rocked a red shirt and orange pants was just too much.

                                As for my two shifu, they wear brown pants and a black shirt with logo. Or whatever shirt they want.

                                I still like that the shifu retain a seperation from the students. However, I also like that there is no seperation between the kickass students and me ! Except that they kick ass and, well, I Suck ! But they all think I rock,,, for a white guy
                                "Winners turn to losers, losers are forgotten..." - A Tribe Called Quest

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