Touchdown Shi De Cheng Wushu Guan!

[Maestro]

even though i dont think i would need de cheng to teach me the apps or care really, i would be upset to if he wasnt there, id have to go when i was sure he would be there.

but regardless, your still at shaolin, u should do everything u can. alot of people like to be pushed, when in reality, u need to push yourself otherwise u become a yan ming lol

have fun

[Josh x]

Thankyou, that's just the kick in the arse I needed. I will be in touch soon.

[doc]

LOL.

Yes, but it is a beautiful hike, you have to admit.

I'm starting to miss the place already. Oh hell, time to go to the beach...

[LFJ]

Do some hikes up to Tai Shi Shan. Get your ass up to the top of the mountain one day. It's great exercise, and it's beautiful.

And smell the shit of Dengfeng.

you could have probably merged these two sentences.

its an especially grimy view from up there.

[dogchow108]

Sounds like the typical Shaolin experience.

You're learning gong fu, you're not learning how to kick someone's ass. This is not western mentality karate school type of thing. Don't try to confuse the two, and certainly, don't expect one from the other.


Get your basics down, and learn a few forms over the next month or two. That's what you're there for. The basics, and some forms to get you in the mode. Remember, the forms are important. Forget what everyone else tells you. The forms are important. They're a method to keep your health, a method to remember the basics, and an exercise to keep the basics flowing in your body and mind. It's also a great way to meditate. Once you get into the mode after doing it for a while, you'll feel it and you'll see what I mean.


Do some hikes up to Tai Shi Shan. Get your ass up to the top of the mountain one day. It's great exercise, and it's beautiful.

This is information that is all too rarely knowledge. Good points!

[doc]

The disappointment of reality not meeting my expectations has made me consider my goals and purpose for coming here.

Sounds like the typical Shaolin experience.

It's a shame Decheng is not there; I did not realize that he was going to be gone for so long. He usually is gone for the month of April, but this year he's taking more time traveling. It's the only way he can make money to support the school in China. From an economic point of view, many of these schools are suffering, and there are many reasons. For one, Yongxin is expanding the capture of the market, but, alas, also with unattained expectations on the part of the students. (Consider it a money thing). Two, many domestic Chinese don't have the money to pay for this sort of schooling, and if they do, they realize that the gong fu schools really don't offer their children a better life. Finally. They're getting smart.

You also have to realize that if you want to learn the combat applications, generally, that stuff is only taught after you've been with the master for a while. And that used to mean, disciple relationship, not "just walked in the door" type of thing. The applications are there, Decheng knows them well, I've learned them from him over the years, but, I didn't get it the first time out. In the beginning, it's basics, basics and basics, with some forms,and you start to wonder what it all means. Eventually, it falls into place. You're learning gong fu, you're not learning how to kick someone's ass. This is not western mentality karate school type of thing. Don't try to confuse the two, and certainly, don't expect one from the other.

I've always told people that one year is way too much, and I've written it many a time, and now you're seeing why. But all is not lost. Here's what I suggest.

Develop a relationship with the remaining coach. Remember, he's been taught by Decheng; he will teach mostly what Decheng has taught him.
Yong Hui will return eventually; as I remember he's not staying as long as Decheng overseas. But, the other guy is probably more than adequate.

Get your basics down, and learn a few forms over the next month or two. That's what you're there for. The basics, and some forms to get you in the mode. Remember, the forms are important. Forget what everyone else tells you. The forms are important. They're a method to keep your health, a method to remember the basics, and an exercise to keep the basics flowing in your body and mind. It's also a great way to meditate. Once you get into the mode after doing it for a while, you'll feel it and you'll see what I mean.

You can add sanda training there, just ask for it. But, sanda is not necessarily gong fu. If you want good fight training, you're better off coming down here to Thailand. Muay Thai and sanda are very similar, and that sort of training is better down here, unless you go to Beijing.

Stop this running in the morning shit. I never did that. Instead, i got up around six, did a fast hike, for five to seven miles, did breakfast, gong fu, lunch, gong fu, gong fu, another hike, dinner, wander the town, chase whores. Well, ok, not really, I had a girlfriend there, so, I chased her and treated her like a whore. Well, not really, I actually treated her pretty well, but, oh, you'll eventually figure out how to "chase whores". (semantics).

Do some hikes up to Tai Shi Shan. Get your ass up to the top of the mountain one day. It's great exercise, and it's beautiful.

Remember why you are there. You're there to learn gong fu. You're in a good school, you have a good coach, and you'll learn the more traditional stuff. I think if you head to another place, the "wushuization" of most of these schools will drive you absolutely nuts. You'll get further away from traditional and combat applications, and more towards performance and pretty. I think you'll be disappointed.

Feel the qi. And smell the shit of Dengfeng. ****ing place always smells like shit, but, living there, and training, and experiencing it all, well, that's gong fu. You may dislike it now, but eventually, you'll look back on it with fond remembrances. Push yourself, learn as much as you can, dabble in Chinese, and find time to relax and enjoy your new bizarre surroundings. Eventually you'll tire of it, and when you really do, come down to Thailand and we'll teach you how to box.

Besides, Decheng wants to come back. One day, maybe you can train one on one with him here. Wouldn't that be ironic.

[Josh x]

Finally met the man himself today, Shi De Cheng came and stayed for the morning class today which was excellent. Even in that small two hour window I spent with him he was helpful, patient and had such a gentle demeanour despite the vigour and power behind his technique. It was a pleasure to have had at least that little time with him. Unfortunately, as you have mentioned Doc, De Cheng leaves today for a European tour for two plus months.

Over the last few days I have considered my position within the school and the training I am recieving currently. Now I will not have either access to Yong Hui or De Cheng I am considering a change of location. Yong Hui (DeCheng's coach) has been in and out finalising his travel documents and while he has been gone training has been lax. Coach 'D' (DeCheng's senior coach) is only here every other day, though he knows his stuff and his ability is exceptional.

The kids being kids would rather sleep in than run in the mornings, I don't blame them, but then again I didn't come here to sleep in, I can do that back home. Nothing is set in stone yet, I have paid my month and intend to see it out. By no stretch of the imagination am I not prepared to make this work, I am just exploring my options currently.

The disappointment of reality not meeting my expectations has made me consider my goals and purpose for coming here. It was, and still is my wish to journey here to better myself as a martial artist, so far I have learnt routines, whose applications have been explained and understood by me, yet without a practical component in utilising these skills on an opponent, they are effectively only theoretically useful to me.

To be fair, I have not approached the coaches or asked to have this privately taught to me. I will pursue this over the next few weeks. What then? I had considered Sanda, but for the most part I'm thinking out loud interested in some external input.

Look forward to your thoughts,
many thanks

[doc]

Dude, only special people can use my sponge.

(They're female, not more than twenty years of age, unconcerned with looks or personality, and cost less than thirty bucks).

Nice to see you back. How have you been?

[Maestro]

ss, wow, strange i was just thinking about u a couple days ago....

maybe chuang tzu was right

[shaolinstylee]

Enjoy your training there... be a sponge, just not one that Doc has used

[doc]

Sounds like the typical Shaolin experience to me....

Oh, and the girls all told me I had beautiful eyes too. Didn't get me very far. Dollar bills work better than eyes.

Decheng left yesterday morning. He should be there now. But he's only staying for three days, then he goes to France, Italy, etc, etc. With a possible return back to Thailand in July. Unfortunately you won't be seeing much of him the next few months.

But grab onto one of his better coaches, and learn away. The coaches tend to teach what he teaches. To some degree.

[Josh x]

Hey Doc, is Shi De Cheng still with you?
His coaches are telling me that sometime soon he's also going to France for a month or so.

Beginning of the second week today and it's becoming a strain to drag myself out for the 5.30 run, I am already feeling tired sleeping whenever I can get an hour or two here and there.

The weekends have been a lot of fun, no mabu stance and meditation but karaoke and drinking, not really the 'shaolin' experience I had planned for. The girls here are very shy, I'm told they think large eyes are attractive and I've had complimented. Luckily James is here to explain the cultural elements I am unaware of, we were at a restaurant and a Chinese friend's girlfriend is like 'you have beautiful eyes'. 'Um... thankyou'.

I'm having great difficulty working out my way around the town mainly because most of the buildings look the same and sell the same stuff, finding a landmark that distinguishes itself from everything else is not always easily visible.

When I'm out cruising the streets of Dengfeng, the kids are usually watching Chinese tv (they have this one show with this guy dressed in a monkey suit that's plain creepy) or they play cards. The older ones also spend a couple of hours at the pool hall down the road.

The location of the school is not the same as the one in the fight quest video but the new location is on the same road. I want to try to find the building but China blocked Youtube a week ago and I can't watch the video to find it.

Time to get back to afternoon training, zaijian
Josh

[dogchow108]

You're 8? I KNEW it!

[Maestro]

well if i had a camera i would take a picture of it for you, along we me getting a blowjob how bout that

my taxes are almost done to, just gotta pay them..after that ill be around 9 at the end of april or whenever i get it

[master splinter]

doc.."one day" next fall after my sister has her baby. by the end of this month i will have hit the 7gs mark

btw, u should give us updates on boris, hes a part of the family now

Monopoly money doesnt count maestro...