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FAQ’S
Do you have to have any experience?
Nope, not at all! Anyone who is willing to train hard and put forth an effort with a positive attitude is welcome! You are as good as you want to be!At first it can be kind of difficult. But as you get stronger and better conditioned, it’s not all that bad. As a club, we keep each other encouraged and everyone helps everyone to the best of their ability. We’re a family!
Yes, we use the Kung Fu equivalent which are sashes. We do not consider ranking systems the be-all and end-all, but in order to measure progress and ensure a measurable level of skill has been attained, we will test students a couple times a year. Our ranks are the following from lowest to highest White, Yellow, Green, Purple, Blue, Red, and Black.
Yes! If you are a beginner, you must learn the basics and learn how to control your power before you are allowed to do any sort sparring. How can a beginner learn to truly spar if he has not practiced or mastered any technique? Generally, sparring doesn’t begin until close time for tournaments in which all are welcome and encouraged to participate.
Not much at all! It’s only $30 a semester, $60 a year. Really cheap compared to going to a local martial arts school. In places like that, your money (and you will pay a lot more, we promise) does not go back into you. In the club, your money goes towards getting Kung Fu shoes, club t-shirt, and other things that make practice easier for you!
Forms are the first part of sparring and self defense. You are probably wondering how? Many of the techniques in kung fu are inside the forms. Once you understand the forms then you understand the moves and how to apply them. This in turn allows you to spar and defend yourself with your kung fu effectively. Just sparring teaches you how to get beat up, not how to defend yourself. Like they say… “you must crawl before you can walk.”
What’s the purpose of conditioning?
We are here to make you strong! We condition you to toughen your bones so that they are able to withstand impact. We also do conditioning so that you can build up enough endurance to go through the forms, without getting too long-winded,to make it through heavy sparring, increase your physical fitness.Why can’t I just learn a weapon?
With everything, it’s a process! As said before, YOU MUST LEARN THE BASICS! Once you’ve shown that you are dedicated enough to do your forms and techniques you’ve learned and do them well, then we are more than happy to teach you weapons. The empty hand forms actually help learning the weapons forms. Many of the same techiniques and stances in the empty hand forms are used in weapons forms.What’s the difference between internal and external martial arts?
Think of it as hard vs. soft or fire and water. External styles are more explosive and a bit flashier like fire. Fire is hot and volatile but still controlled. It’s the stuff you see Jackie Chan or Jet Li do in the movies. Internal styles are a little more laid back, yet just as intense. Water is soft and fluid but can cause floods and tsunamis at the same time. Neither is better than the other nor is one more effective per se'. It all depends on the practitioner of the style and how proficient they are in their kung fu. Also, just as there are no absolutes with the Yin and Yang, there is an internal element (Yin) with external styles and an external element (Yang) with internal styles.That’s an internal style, and even though it may look pretty and slow, you’re doing more damage than you think. Remember the water example from earlier. Tai chi is practiced slow but in application, it is very fast and just as effective as any other martial art.Still, both are interconnected. You cannot have one without the other. Click here for more information on Tai Chi.
Anything comfortable to work out in. Sweat pants, t-shirt, a pair of good tennis shoes (or Kung Fu shoes if ya got ‘em).
What’s the difference between Karate and Kung Fu?
Karate is very mechanical and straight forward in its techniques. Karate requires more rigidity of movement than kung fu. Kung Fu is about making things flow and being fluid yet powerful. Think of Karate as a rock and kung fu as water. A Rock is hard. So in order to smash one rock against another rock, one rock has to be harder. This true of the karate student. The tougher and more skillful karate student usually will overcome a weaker opponent. This is just another philosophy to martial arts. This is karate. Water can be stepped on, smashed, and trampled on, but it will give with the impact and come back to its original shape and state. The water flows with whatever force comes it way. Water is as gentle as small puddle or as massive and dangerous as an ocean. Water gives life and also brings death. This is kung fu. Both have their strong points. But remember that karate came from kung fu…nuff said.Which style of kung fu should I do?
Do the style that best fits who you are and your personality. If you find it hard to hold low postures or do high kicks, then Shaolin or Meihuazhuang may not be the right styles for you unless you are willing to work at it! If walking in a circle and doing different hand techniques is boring, then Bagua is not for you unless you are willing to work at it! Do you see the key?! It depends on the work ethic of the person and not the body type. Even though body type may affect decisions, you can do whatever you put your mind too! Click here for more information on the different styles of kung fu.