will certainly limit your choice, but do your best to match your goals and personal preferences with the style of school—and particularly the instructor—that you choose. This is an important first step toward satisfaction and progress in your studies.
Personal Goals
Begin by asking yourself why you want to study kungfu. What do you want to get out of it? What do you want to achieve? Five common reasons are described below with comments as to how this would influence your choice of a school.
First, and perhaps most obviously, people take up a martial art because they want to participate in a combat sport. They like to spar, as in wrestling or boxing; they want to learn theory and strategy as well as effective techniques. People with this goal in mind should be sure there is plenty of sparring at the school they choose and that the teacher (sifu) is well versed in the applications of the moves of the forms taught. In this case, a traditional kungfu school is likely to be more suitable than wushu (which is more focused on performance, see below).
A second reason for studying kungfu, closely related to the first, is self-defense. Again, some schools emphasize these aspects with many free-sparring sessions and careful demonstrations of the applications of the moves in the practice forms. Those concerned about self-defense should be sure the school they join can provide this training.
Third, many people take up a martial art for physical fitness. You may mainly want to “keep fit,” to lose weight, tone muscle, or simply stay healthy. If so, then consider carefully what “fitness” means to you, because different styles of martial arts exercise the body in different ways. Vigorous forms—with a lot of kicking and jumping—offer cardiovascular fitness and stress release, while the more quiet forms tone muscles and regulate body functions. Schools offering long sessions with vigorous activity will suit the person who is mainly out for exercise.
A fourth reason is performance. Some people just like the look of it (or, more accurately, like the look of what they’ve perhaps seen in “kungfu movies”). Modern wushu is largely for competition and performance, so the forms being created and taught by wushu/kungfu schools are designed to display grace, speed, and agility with dramatic acrobatic movements. As with gymnastics, people may study at these sorts of schools because they want to develop those qualities and/or to perform in tournaments and public displays.
Other people study kungfu for cultural reasons. They have interest in the traditional arts of China or in its philosophies and want to deepen their understanding through physical participation. (Even Confucius encouraged his followers to study both the literary and martial arts.) The martial arts have long been known to build strong character as well as strong bodies. Traditional schools and instructors will probably better suit students with these interests in mind.
Style of Kungfu
One aspect in the choice of school is the type of kungfu being taught. While there are many styles of kungfu in the world, there are only a handful being taught widely in the U.S., and the number being taught in your area could be very small. Fortunately, at the beginning stages the style of kungfu is not as important as the instructor and the quality of the school. Many of the techniques (stances, punches, kicks, and so on) are very similar in all styles. Once you have a firm foundation in any one style, you should easily be able to pick up another or others. Thus, you may start in a style that doesn’t quite attract you because you’ve found a good sifu or school nearby and feel confident that your time and effort will not be wasted. Indeed, this could be to your advantage, because, when you do have the chance to study the style of your choice, you will be able to make rapid progress from a well-laid foundation.
On the other hand, if it so happens that you do have a choice of styles, then by all means consider this factor in your choice. Chapter 3 includes descriptions of the most popular forms of kungfu currently being taught in the U.S.; you can undoubtedly get more information from the school itself—both from talking to the instructors and from watching the students at work.
Style of School
A third factor to consider is the style of school. Kungfu is an ancient art, handed down through generations, over centuries, and now across cultures, and thus, the style of its teaching has naturally evolved. In the past, political and social pressures influenced the status of the martial arts; today, economic conditions and cultural norms create new pressures, influencing how and to whom the art is taught. In China in the past, kungfu skills were traditionally taught individually, handed down from a master to selected students. Money was not an issue; often a good student paid no fees and was possibly supported by the master. In contrast, in the West today, public class teaching has become the norm, and kungfu tends to be taught more like other Western athletic disciplines and sports, in large schools supported by the tuition of students. The result is a range in school styles from traditional/Chinese to modern/Western, and any specific school will fall somewhere between the ends of that spectrum. A new student out to choose a school should be aware of this range in school styles and then choose what he or she finds most comfortable.
Traditional Schools
In the old days, a kungfu school was structured and run much like a family. There was mutual commitment between student and teacher in the context of shared historical and cultural traditions. The teacher accepted the student like a son or daughter with the responsibility to teach, guide, and support students in their studies and development. Likewise, the student accepted the teacher like a parent with the responsibility to respect and obey him or her, and to study with full devotion to the art and dedication to the school. And both teacher and student felt appreciation of and responsibility to the long line of teachers and students that went before them, because it was only these previous efforts that had preserved the art and made the present learning possible.
This means that, in a traditional school, there is a strong presence of Chinese cultural traditions. There is a hierarchy of respect and responsibility among students, and there are subtle obligations above and beyond the mere learning and teaching of fighting strategies and techniques. In these schools, learning kungfu is part of the greater education of mind and character. Older (that is, more advanced) students will often spend time with the teacher(s) after class; they will assume duties around the school (for example, cleaning); and social events will be organized for holidays and special occasions. They will also assume responsibilities for teaching the younger or newer students.
The teaching style in a strongly traditional school also differs. The teacher, or sifu, will often teach more individually, according to each student’s capabilities and much more in the context of long-term development than short-term gains. The teacher-student relationship tends to grow in depth and breadth over time. That is, in the beginning the sifu may be assessing the student’s commitment, discipline, and inner qualities, even more than his or her physical abilities. As the student shows sincerity, so the sifu will extend the teaching, matching the commitment of the student. Thus, learning in a traditional-style school could require much more self-discipline and be much more personally challenging.
Modern Schools
In contrast, a kungfu school leaning toward the modern end of the spectrum will be structured much more like classes in other Western athletic sports or disciplines. The responsibilities between teacher and student are much more limited in scope. Generally, classes are large; students line up for work-outs and follow the instructor as he or she goes through the routines. Then, typically, students break up into smaller groups to work on special
