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Shao-Lin Do Kung Fu Adult Phase Class Offered Mondays and Wednesdays (see Schedule) The Adult Shao-Lin Classes at the Shao-Lin Center are organzied around Grand Master Sin The's Shao-Lin Do Curriculumn. Our classes are organized in Phases, White and Yellow Belts Together, Blue and Green Belts Together, all Brown Belts Together and Black Belts Together. In order to facilitate a better learning environment all students in the same class learn the same material at the same time, this is called a Rotating Curriculumn. For example, it is entirely possible to come in as a White Belt and begin learning a Yellow Belt Form to begin with. Usually our classes begin with Stretching then a Warmup and Strength Training. We'll usually either practice basic striking techniques on a bag focusing alternately on Power, Speed and Technique, or work Stance Work and Condition the Legs or Upper Body or any number of training techniques to build up the basic striking ability. Then any specific techniques that are to be taught that day are gone over, this is usually an opportunity to learn something not normally taught, such as Iron Shirt or Chin Na or Ground Work or anything else the Sifu currently feels like teaching. This is a chance for the students to learn something new and interesting and expand their horizons and also a chance for the Sifu to play around with techniques he usually doesn't get to train. Afterwards there is a review session of old material that is already known, during which Application is discussed and drilled. Then new material is taught and again Application is discussed and drilled more heavily. This is just a generalization of a normal class, every class is different, sometimes all of this is done or sometimes we'll cover a few of these possibilities and sometimes there is a focus. There have been half hour classes that focus entirely on Hip Strength, or Core Strength. There have also been classes that focus entirely on Self Defense, or Application and nothing but Application, or classes that focus more on Form and Repitition. All these training techniques are valid and are necessary to help make a well rounded martial artist. We use the Shao-Lin Do Belt System, which goes White, Yellow, Blue, Green, 3rd Brown, 2nd Brown, 1st Brown then 1st Black. We have two to three tests per year. Usually Master Jamie or Master Jim will come up to do the tests or we will travel to Sifu Jason's School in Parkersburg West Virginia, there are plans for Grand Master Sin to come up and do some of our testing, but the dates have yet to be decided. Students are never required to test, it's encouraged, but not necessary. The Belt isn't our focus point, the material and the knowledge along with the physical ability is what we focus on. Our teachers at the Columbus Martial Arts Center are Martial Artists, they aren't business men. Kung Fu is a part of their lives and who they are, not their monetary income. They train for self improvement and they try to instill that idea into each and every student. However the Belts are great goals to have, the idea of becoming a Black Belt is a tremendous amount of motivation, but the key is to not let your desire for a belt over-ride your desire for the training. Students don't test until they're actually ready. But even if you don't test we'll never let that slow you down, there's always more to learn even if you stay focused on your current material. The simplest of our forms holds the deepest of our techniques, if you're willing to look and dig them out. Remember 'Application is What you Make it.' For example, Book 1 of Tan Tuei or 1-10 Short Form, has Principles in it from Hsing I and Tai Chi to name two, the applications are deceptively simple, they can be as simple as a Block Punch, or a simple take down. But if you're willing to take the time to look, they hold some of the most powerful self defense moves. If you look hard enough, every application in Tan Tuei can be easily molded to follow the body's Pressure Points. That is just one example, and entire lifetime can be spent training a single one of our forms and that would certainly create a competent Martial Artist. But we believe in being well-rounded, in being adaptable and adaptability comes with knowledge. Specialization is for Insects... Our Martial Artists can attack with Tiger as skillfully as they can defend with Crane, they can apply Long Fist's Linear Techniques that focus initially on the ability to inflict large amounts of harm, just as well as they can use Tai Chi to defend themselves without harming anyone. They can use Shao-Lin Bird to either Control a Situation or End a Situation. They can use Sparring Techniques in the Sparring Ring and in Real Life, with Control, Speed and Power. The Style of Shao-Lin Do can't necessarily be called a Style, it's Simply a Way of Being a Well-Rounded Person... |
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