Posted by: EpicHubris
Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 05/29/09 04:06 PM
Do any of you guys know of any legit teachers/schools in the Seattle/Redmond area of Washington for Snake Style Kung Fu or Shaolin Chin Na?
Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers
Posted by: IExcalibui2
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 05/29/09 04:15 PM
maybe look for a Shaolin school in the area?
Posted by: EpicHubris
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 05/29/09 08:06 PM
not much help, and what ones actually have websites are ones I would generally avoid. Does any one have EXPERIENCED suggestions...?
Posted by: ShikataGaNai
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 05/29/09 11:06 PM
All I know is stay far away from Temple Kung Fu, which I think is in the Redmond area. They're a friggin' intl. cult.
Other than that, you'll likely have to travel to Seattle for decent kung fu instruction.
I've never seen 'legit' snake style, so can't help you there. And chin na is usually a part of curriculum in certain schools of certain styles - not usually taught a la carte.
Other than that, you'll likely have to travel to Seattle for decent kung fu instruction.
I've never seen 'legit' snake style, so can't help you there. And chin na is usually a part of curriculum in certain schools of certain styles - not usually taught a la carte.
Posted by: Chin_Da01
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 05/30/09 09:29 AM
New to the site but not new to Chinese Martial Arts. Hello to everyone 
Snake style is very cool indeed. However, it's very rare and mysterious. I practice a Northern style of Long Fist that has some "Snake" influence.( like many CMA) Most of the snake applications I know "or have seen" are very vicious and not conducive to a sporting venue.
Although, very pratical stuff in a real situation
Snake style is very cool indeed. However, it's very rare and mysterious. I practice a Northern style of Long Fist that has some "Snake" influence.( like many CMA) Most of the snake applications I know "or have seen" are very vicious and not conducive to a sporting venue.
Although, very pratical stuff in a real situation
Posted by: EpicHubris
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 05/30/09 08:01 PM
legit was referring to the fact that there are styles of martial arts, such as white tiger, that the martial arts community looks down upon for being a sham. Honestly it's not so much kung fu I'm looking for but a martial arts style that has emphasis on cavity press/pressure points and both Snake and Chin Na are known for that. If you have other suggestions...
I've been researching on the internet for a while and it seems like Seattle is more focused on the flash of Wushu and other martial arts that are sports based. I'm looking for effective self defense.
I've been researching on the internet for a while and it seems like Seattle is more focused on the flash of Wushu and other martial arts that are sports based. I'm looking for effective self defense.
Posted by: IExcalibui2
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 05/31/09 12:16 AM
Quote:
not much help, and what ones actually have websites are ones I would generally avoid. Does any one have EXPERIENCED suggestions...?
well we're not exactly a yellow book...
you asked about Shaolin Chin Na, so I said look for a Shaolin Temple. As far as I know, there's usually a Shaolin temple in most Chinatowns, or cities that have a decent Chinese population.
And like mentioned above, there isnt an exact martial art out there called Chin Na. Its a part of fighting. Chinese MA break it down to (i'm going to mix the English and Chinese here) kick, punch, Chin = joint work, and Shuai = throws & grappling. So most CMA you find out there will have a Chin Na portion. Whether you get to learn it is a different story.
honestly speaking, if you can't find Snake fist (could be hard to find) then you should try and take up another CMA thats not wushu and sport like. I'm sure theres other CMA schools out there.
Posted by: EpicHubris
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 06/01/09 03:18 AM
I did not mean to use this forum as a yellow book, I just wanted to see if anybody knew of a school in my area that they or a friend attends/attended that they could recommend. Over here there are a lot of martial art schools that teach for the sporting idea, which is good for them but I would like to learn self defense which has an entirely different feel. I was interested in Chin Na because I take Aikido and it seemed like it would similar enough to make for a relatively easy transition and allow me to, hopefully, get on the path to learn some effect pressure point usage. I'm not interested so much in the flash of some CMA's or the power... whatever. I am interested in finding a CMA that focuses on good stance-work, finesse, maximizing the effectiveness of a blow (pressure points), and is a good compliment to Aikido.
I ask for experienced help because there are a lot of fakes/low quality sifus that run "belt-farms" and I don't want to end up wasting my time at such a school (and possibly even learning bad habits).
I ask for experienced help because there are a lot of fakes/low quality sifus that run "belt-farms" and I don't want to end up wasting my time at such a school (and possibly even learning bad habits).
Posted by: IExcalibui2
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 06/01/09 01:52 PM
I'm surprised that Seattle doesnt have more..
well here's a Hung Ga school I found off Google
http://www.seattlekungfuclub.com/
Hung Ga has a lot of focus on stance work, can't say the movements are smooth and flowing but if you actually get to learn about the techniques, then yes there attacks are directed towards pressure points and soft areas (something common to many CMA in my eyes).
This guy falls under the Wong Fei Hung branch of Hung Ga and from the looks of the website, the school looks alright. Go check it out in person if you're interested
well here's a Hung Ga school I found off Google
http://www.seattlekungfuclub.com/
Hung Ga has a lot of focus on stance work, can't say the movements are smooth and flowing but if you actually get to learn about the techniques, then yes there attacks are directed towards pressure points and soft areas (something common to many CMA in my eyes).
This guy falls under the Wong Fei Hung branch of Hung Ga and from the looks of the website, the school looks alright. Go check it out in person if you're interested
Posted by: Chin_Da01
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 06/01/09 08:11 PM
Hung Ga ( or gar...) That is a nice style. I always liked the flare and approach to many southern styles. About the only one I don't like is Wing Chun.
Hung Gar is serious stuff. It will also build a serious physic. Long time practitioners seem to be built like bull dogs..solid muscle.
Hung Gar is serious stuff. It will also build a serious physic. Long time practitioners seem to be built like bull dogs..solid muscle.
Posted by: MattJ
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 06/01/09 08:42 PM
What about Wing chun do you not like?
Posted by: ShikataGaNai
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 06/02/09 10:51 AM
Wing Chun doesn't have enough pressure point fighting and other low percentage techniques, so it isn't that good 
Posted by: Ames
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 06/02/09 02:25 PM
Quote:
I am interested in finding a CMA that focuses on good stance-work, finesse, maximizing the effectiveness of a blow (pressure points), and is a good compliment to Aikido.
Both Bagua or Xing Yi are excellent for all these things. Bagua is very, very similar in many respects to Aikido, has many strikes. Xing Yi is striking oriented, though it has throws and takedowns, the 'peng' hand position that you learn is very, very similar to the shomenuchi hand position you know from Aikido--however, imo, Xing Yi uses this position in a far more effective way. In terms of something that works well with Aikido, I would be learning more towards the internal arts, than the external myself. Not that there isn't a heck of a lot you (or I) could learn there, but just that the IMA seem more applicable to Aikido.
Quote:
I was interested in Chin Na because I take Aikido and it seemed like it would similar enough to make for a relatively easy transition and allow me to, hopefully, get on the path to learn some effect pressure point usage.
Yang Jwing Ming does teach a seperate 'chin na' curriculum, but my understanding is that this is uncommon. If there isn't one of his YMAA centres around, you might be out of luck. However, most legit kung fu styles do have a chin na component--but it isn't taught as a seperate system. Taiji, Bagua, Xing Yi also all have lots of chin na in them (and in many ways are better fits with Aikido). That being said, these guys might be right up you're alley:
http://www.wuji.com/
Note that, along with the CMA, they also teach Aikido, so they can help fit it all together. However, they do say that they are not interested in the either the performance or fighting aspect. But that could mean a lot of things, so I would contact them.
Also these guys have a good reputation, and the head instructor was trained under Tim Cartmell, which means that, aside from learning forms or applications, you will also, at some point, get to spar. Personally, if I was in Seatlle, these are the guys I would be training with:
http://www.threeharmonies.com/
Again, everything they offer there can only help. Especially the drilling of techniques in a live environment. This place would make a great addition to your Aikido.
Personally, I've been there and done that looking for specific styles to complement this or that. It took me awhile before I realized that style doesn't really matter as much as good no b.s. instruction. When you are looking for something to compliment Aikido, remember that what you are actually looking for is something to compliment what YOU have learned in Aikido. It's a subtle difference, but it isn't just semantics.
I spent some time learning Chin na, and, honestly, it wasn't that different from what I already learned in Aikido. Yes, some differences where there, such as posture and range. There was some discussion of pressure points. I didn't go far enough to really get into the cavity press stuff. It was interesting to see similar concepts from a different angle, but other than that, I ended up stopping because between Aikido and DR, I felt that I already had that (rather small) aspect of fighting covered. Personally, at this point I'm far more interested in the aspects that I can't find in Aikido (some which should be there, but generally aren't taught, some which were never there). This is why I suggest the IMA.
Good luck.
--Chris
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Posted by: Fisherman
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 06/02/09 03:17 PM
Nice Ames. I was going to recommend threeharmonies also. Jake Burroughs is an excellent no BS teacher!
Posted by: Chin_Da01
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 06/02/09 07:12 PM
Quote:
What about Wing chun do you not like?
We shouldn't high jack this thread. However, the same things I see in American Kenpo I see In Wing Chun. Both run counter to what I naturally gravitate to.
Posted by: fileboy2002
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 06/03/09 01:21 PM
Why would snakes need to study kung fu? They seem like they're pretty tough already.
Posted by: ShikataGaNai
Re: Legit Snake Style Kung Fu or Chin na teachers - 06/04/09 10:30 PM
Are you kidding? Haven't you ever seen what a mongoose can do to a cobra?