I tried a class at the J.K. Wong Academy last Monday, and while I was the oldest person there at the time, a couple of the teachers are around my age, and age itself never was an issue. Plus, both the teachers and the students were very nice, and willing to help this noob out. So I went back last night (Wednesday) and signed up for three months. I'll see where the journey takes me, but so far, I'm liking it. Northern Shaolin has a lot of kicking, and starting out, a lot of time spent in the Horse stance. My legs aren't used to this, and they're sore in places I didn't even know had muscles. And I love it.
The style I'm studying is specifically called 'Chin Woo.'
There's a lot of good information on the style here, if you're interested. They started showing me the first section of 'Tan Tui', which means 'Springing Legs.' That name would explain why my legs feel like two Slinkys this morning. Here is a diagram of a few of the movements in the first section of Tan Tui, so you can kind of see what it looks like. Of course, this isn't exactly how I'm learning it, as all schools are a little different, but the diagram gives you an idea of what it looks like.
Anyway, enough with the shop-talk. I'm not trying to sell any of you on it. I'm just excited about beginning a new martial arts journey, and while it helps to start when you're young, you're never too old.
4 comments:
Dude, when you become a Jedi master of Chin Woo, I am so going to have you fight Chow Yun Fat and Jackie Chan and Jet Li all at the same time. And you will so kick their asses (unless Chow pulls out those guns he used in The Killer. You saw what happened to all those mothafuckas).
"... and they all want .45's, cuz all them niggas wanna be the Killer. But the .45 has a serious jamming problem. But no. The Killer had a .45, THEY want a .45."
Chin Woo is highly respected. You have found out the trademark of the style, though- extreme horse stance. I'm not talking new millenium "extreme", which is plastered on everything from my underarm deodorant to my fucking burrito. I'm talking Pai Mei, cane lashing extreme. You'll do good, though. You have the right build for kung fu. And a 3 month commitment : )
Ahhh, Pai Mei. I love Gordon Liu. Just watched 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin' again recently (also known in the States as Master Killer).
Sometimes being lanky has its advantages, and it seems to with this style. Whomever said that Northern Shaolin styles are all about the legs weren't kidding though. Must've been those Chinese mountains in the north.
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