Pretty much agree. I’ve practiced Yang style Jian for over 30 years at this point (eep, gettin’ old, but it beats the alternative). The Chen style teacher you practiced with, in those pictures, demonstrates more ‘gong fu’ just standing there than does the ‘horse stance lady’ with her index finger beyond the guard of the Jian she is holding. I’ve also seen / talked with people who practice Yoga Mace/ Mallet/ Hammer, and it’s a bit puzzling, to say the least.
It’s cool that you’ve trained for so long. I started in 1998 - I walked into a school in Fort Worth, TX that had Wing Chun on Monday and Wednesdays, 7-Star Praying Mantis on Tuesday and Thursdays… I walked in on a Monday and the rest was history. I will say that being able to fight against other styles within your own school was great. Most people train in a vacuum - only fighting against people from their own lineage. It took me a long time to learn how to “squash those bugs” effectively. ;)
Over time I realized that there’s really no such thing as “hard” and “soft” styles, as they all end up morphing into one another after enough practice. That said, I’m craving something different after all of these years and have been considering finding a BaGua or XinYi teacher here in the Seattle area - I know both exist, but boy are the prices just insane.
I have to train, it keeps me alive, inside. I have a friend who does Wing Chun, from up in MI. lol, I’m just done training, did some jian, and some da dao. And some Hsing I line drills. Time to get some dinner.
Pretty much agree. I’ve practiced Yang style Jian for over 30 years at this point (eep, gettin’ old, but it beats the alternative). The Chen style teacher you practiced with, in those pictures, demonstrates more ‘gong fu’ just standing there than does the ‘horse stance lady’ with her index finger beyond the guard of the Jian she is holding. I’ve also seen / talked with people who practice Yoga Mace/ Mallet/ Hammer, and it’s a bit puzzling, to say the least.
It’s cool that you’ve trained for so long. I started in 1998 - I walked into a school in Fort Worth, TX that had Wing Chun on Monday and Wednesdays, 7-Star Praying Mantis on Tuesday and Thursdays… I walked in on a Monday and the rest was history. I will say that being able to fight against other styles within your own school was great. Most people train in a vacuum - only fighting against people from their own lineage. It took me a long time to learn how to “squash those bugs” effectively. ;)
Over time I realized that there’s really no such thing as “hard” and “soft” styles, as they all end up morphing into one another after enough practice. That said, I’m craving something different after all of these years and have been considering finding a BaGua or XinYi teacher here in the Seattle area - I know both exist, but boy are the prices just insane.
Keep training, friend. We practice dying arts.
I have to train, it keeps me alive, inside. I have a friend who does Wing Chun, from up in MI. lol, I’m just done training, did some jian, and some da dao. And some Hsing I line drills. Time to get some dinner.
-o)-