A: Shao-Lin Do is a form of Shao-Lin Kung Fu under Grand Master Sin Kwang The'. We trace our lineage through Grand Master Sin, to Grand Master Ie Chang Ming, to Grand Master Su Kong Tai Jin who became Grand Master at the Fukien Shao-Lin Temple. However it is important to note that Martial History is generally an oral tradition and is therefore usually unprovable, there are some who question the history of Shao-Lin Do, but we at the Shao-Lin Do Center pay respect to our diverse history and our trust in our teachers but focus not on the history but rather on the diversity and quality of the training within Shao-Lin Do. History is important and teaches us many things, especially one with as many stories as Shao-Lin Do and many stories are told in class all with a lesson about the particular art form we are learning, but to be honest, I punch and kick... Sifu' Max is a 7th Generation Sifu, his Sifu' being Master Jamie Mooney(6th Generation) who's Sifu' is Master Jim Mooney(5th Generation), who's Sifu' is Elder Master Bill Leonard(4th Generation) who's Sifu' is Grand Master Sin Kwang The'(3rd Generation) who's Sifu' was Grand Master Ie Chang Ming (2nd Generation) who's Sifu' was Grand Master Su Kong Tai Jin(1st Generation) who was the first Grand Master of our system. So all the students under Sifu' Max are 8th Generation Students of Shao-Lin Do.
A: Shao-Lin Do is a form of Shao-Lin Kung Fu under Grand Master Sin Kwang The'. We trace our lineage through Grand Master Sin, to Grand Master Ie Chang Ming, to Grand Master Su Kong Tai Jin who became Grand Master at the Fukien Shao-Lin Temple. However it is important to note that Martial History is generally an oral tradition and is therefore usually unprovable, there are some who question the history of Shao-Lin Do, but we at the Shao-Lin Do Center pay respect to our diverse history and our trust in our teachers but focus not on the history but rather on the diversity and quality of the training within Shao-Lin Do. History is important and teaches us many things, especially one with as many stories as Shao-Lin Do and many stories are told in class all with a lesson about the particular art form we are learning, but to be honest, I punch and kick...
Sifu' Max is a 7th Generation Sifu, his Sifu' being Master Jamie Mooney(6th Generation) who's Sifu' is Master Jim Mooney(5th Generation), who's Sifu' is Elder Master Bill Leonard(4th Generation) who's Sifu' is Grand Master Sin Kwang The'(3rd Generation) who's Sifu' was Grand Master Ie Chang Ming (2nd Generation) who's Sifu' was Grand Master Su Kong Tai Jin(1st Generation) who was the first Grand Master of our system. So all the students under Sifu' Max are 8th Generation Students of Shao-Lin Do.
A: Absolutely nothing. A Martial Art by itself is a Martial Art, the people who train and teach the style is what makes a school. It's wether or not a Martial Art and the Martial Artists at the school suites you as an individual. Shao-Lin Do suites me because I love the diversity, it makes me a well rounded Martial Artist Externally and Internally, it's a lot of work, but that's what being a real Martial Artist is all about. If a little bit of hard work turns you away, then this school is not for you, we respect our limits, but only to the point that we don't destroy ourselves training, but we reach our limits and extend them as often as possible. Shao-Lin Do also gives me the flexibility of style from our diversity and allows me to focus in what suites me best while training my weak points with styles that don't suite me. For example I'm more oriented toward Tiger than I am Crane, Tiger just suites my power generating ability and my body type more than Crane does. But I train both, Crane gives me more lightness which is very important, it increases my speed, agility and my balance. Training both also gives me a wide choice of techniques should I ever have the need. Kung Fu, as are all things, is Dualistic, everything has it's opposite, when you train one you must train the other to be well balanced. As an analogy you wouldn't train your bicep doing curls all day long every day but never train your tricep at all, if you did your arm would have a great curling ability, but in life and in the martial arts it would be useless, and in a fight would be easily defeated by a much weaker but well balanced arm.
For example I'm more oriented toward Tiger than I am Crane, Tiger just suites my power generating ability and my body type more than Crane does. But I train both, Crane gives me more lightness which is very important, it increases my speed, agility and my balance. Training both also gives me a wide choice of techniques should I ever have the need. Kung Fu, as are all things, is Dualistic, everything has it's opposite, when you train one you must train the other to be well balanced. As an analogy you wouldn't train your bicep doing curls all day long every day but never train your tricep at all, if you did your arm would have a great curling ability, but in life and in the martial arts it would be useless, and in a fight would be easily defeated by a much weaker but well balanced arm.
The other answer is Respect, it is said that when Grand Master Ie was forced to flee China well after the destruction of the Temple and after spending many years in the forests of China with Grand Master Su Kong Tai Jin, he went to India, where the Chinese Martial Arts were outlawed. This is when he adopted the Uniform, added the Do behind Shao-Lin (which is the Japanese way of saying Dao, the way, so our Style's Name Tranlated is "The Way of Shao-Lin") and he added the Belt system. Calling Shao-Lin Do a Japanese Martial Art allowed Grand Master Ie to teach and train in relative peace. Grand Master Sin kept these practices out of respect for his Sifu' and we keep them out of respect for our Grand Master.
A: For the same reason I do, self improvement, peace, health and confidence mentally, physically and spiritually. My final reason for training in the Martial Arts is just because you don't intend to hurt people, that does not mean that everyone else shares that view. Self defense for yourself and those you love and even those who just happen to be around you is a high goal.
The point of the Martial Arts is not the ability to hurt people, though that is a side effect, we train to become better, more controlled and healthier people. The point is to become a well rounded human being and that has nothing to do with pain, though again that is a side effect of training, you're bound to be sore, if not I'm not doing my job, but remember, "Pain is inevitable, Suffering is Optional"
Also my training has allowed me to help many people and not just through teaching(though I get the most satisfaction out of that), when you've got something heavy to be moved and you can't do it by yourself, call the guy that does a lot of I Chin Ching...
A: Without hesitation, always. Shao-Lin Do is a very well rounded Martial Art, but it's not perfect, nothing is. Early in the curriculum it is very light in Ground Technique for example. What a student does outside of the Kwoon (Kung Fu School, Chinese equivialant of Dojo) is not my business. My goal is to help my students to become better people through the Martial Arts, I have no problem with cross training I have even personally cross trained with Combat Jujitsu Grand Master Dale Brown, as does my teacher.
I even have less of a problem with a student cross training if they come in and show me the good tricks they pick up.
A: Well I'm in no way qualified to say with certainty, I'm not a physician, but I have had students with anger issues before. I had a student that before he really started training he would get into fights at the drop of a hat, he was a regular at bars and if he felt the opportunity he would gladly throw down. After training with us for a few months he and I were out at a park working out one day and he said to me how surprising it was, I asked what was surprising, and he told me a story of what happened two nights ago. A guy came up to him and accosted him verbally, at this point he would have stepped outside with him. Nothing about this situation was different than anyother time. Only this time he stopped and thought about it in a calm way and decided it wasn't worth it. I asked why he thought he did that and he said it was the training. He had more respect for people and more respect for the pain that could be caused in a fight. He said he was a calmer person from Kung Fu. He's not the only one to notice a more peaceful outlook, it is a fact that physical excercise can help with many mental problems like Anger Management or even Depression. I've seen it help many, especially the younger people, teen agers and the like. Giving a depressed teenager something to focus on and work torwards that they like and gives them physical excercise can be a tremendous help. Q: I'm thinking of trying Kung Fu, what should I do next? A: The next step after thinking of trying Kung Fu is to not hesitate. There is nothing to be lost, the first week is always free. We train in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, new students are never pressured into something they're not comfortable with, you're even welcome to come in and just watch, though I have to tell you, Kung Fu isn't much of a spectator sport. If you come in and hate it then all you've lost is an hour of your evening and, if I have anything to say about it, some sweat. It is common to be nervous when walking into an unknown atmosphere, but "Courage is Not the Absence of Fear, it is the Conquering of it". This is even easier when you realize there is no reason for being nervous, just give it a shot...
A: The next step after thinking of trying Kung Fu is to not hesitate. There is nothing to be lost, the first week is always free. We train in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, new students are never pressured into something they're not comfortable with, you're even welcome to come in and just watch, though I have to tell you, Kung Fu isn't much of a spectator sport.
If you come in and hate it then all you've lost is an hour of your evening and, if I have anything to say about it, some sweat. It is common to be nervous when walking into an unknown atmosphere, but "Courage is Not the Absence of Fear, it is the Conquering of it". This is even easier when you realize there is no reason for being nervous, just give it a shot...