First set you teach

[Chunyat]

[ginosifu]

[Frank Bolte]

[ironpalm]

[ginosifu]

[Yogicmotion]

You know I don't understand the issue about making money with Kung fu. So many of my friends who teach (both Yoga and martial arts) have this thing about if they make money that their art will suffer.

If you are good at what you do you SHOULD make a good living at it. Sifu's have to eat and pay the bills too. Why shouldn't a sifu make very good living off his trade?

Any of you who teach can attest that a large portion of beginners will quit after 3 or 4 months. I have found that it is because the curriculum is frankly boring and not designed for people be successful.

I also think that there should be a distinction between members and students. Members are the ones who are going to in the beginners classes, love the workout but maybe don't want to learn forms and the deeper aspects of the art.

Students are the ones who desire to learn sets, fighting and the stuff generally we all love about Kung fu.

What's the big deal about teaching a bunch people basics and making money off it? You can still bring the ones that want more to higher levels without ramming it down their throats.

[TenTigers]

Years ago, a well known SPM Sifu and I had this conversation:
"Rik, how many students do you have right now?"
"About fifty"
"Out of them, how many have been with you longer than two years?"
"umm..more than half, I suppose.."
"Ok, out of them, how many have been with you five years?"
"uhh..."
"Not so many, right?"
"Yeah."
"Out of them, how many have been with you since yuo started, stood by you through thick and thin, good times and bad?"
"hmmm, maybe four..?"
"If you have that many, consider yourself lucky. THOSE are the ones you teach to. Everyone else will come and go. They keep the lights on, and pay the rent, so the small handfull of dedicated students can learn what you have to offer."

If you think back to every school you've been in, traditional or commercial, there was really only a handfull of what we see as the "inner circle" it has always been this way, and it will always be. You can't fill an entire school up with superstars.
But, it's a numbers thing. The more students you have, the more bench strength you have to choose from. More potential for dedicated students.

I have a step by step curriculum. Each level is written down on sheets which the student gets when he signs up (one level sheet at a time)
Briefly:
Level One has basic stances, punches, kicks,attack sequences, front and back falls, four self-defense applications, and Siu Sup Ji Kuen -a baby form basically taken from the four direction gwa/ping section in GJFFK. I also teach a slightly modified Tan Tuie line one, two and three.
During class, they are introduced to many other techniques in the form of reaction drills, But these are for the most part, skill building seeds, and are not requirements that they will be tested on for that level.

Level Two builds on Level One, adding four more self-defense applications, intensified reaction drills, Saamjien, and another baby form, which builds on the first form, but adds a few more complex techniques. (this set is not really neccesary, but it gives the beginner student a nice set to compete with and demo)

Level Three introduces Moi Fa Kuen and fighting techniques derived from this set-many which they have previously drilled, but now have become familiar with them and the intensity increases. Again four more self-defense techniques, etc

Level Four introduces a basic staff set.Again, a nice beginner's set.Of course, the usual four self-defense apps and drills.
You might have noticed I have yet to teach them GJFFK. We actually use the first two sections in class as an exercise, but not as a requirement.
The first year and a half is foundation. Emphasis is on structure and basics, basics, basics. Students are not bored because they are sweating, and learning, and they are setting short term goals and accomplishing them. I don't believe in forms collecting, or teaching a long, complex set to a beginner who can't see any light at the end of the tunnel. Their fighting comes mostly from Moi-Fa, attack sequences, and drills.
GJFFK is taught in the next two levels, with the Dan Dao being the level after that.
In this way,they are really spending alot of time on GJFFK, before throwing FHSYK at them.
So far, I am very pleased with the results. Their forms look good and they can fight. No one feels they are being taught too slow, or overwhelmed either.

[ginosifu]

TT thank you for your incouraging words. Your assesment of the student loyalty is correct. I have only a couple of students who have stayed with me over 10 years. Most of the rest just come and go.
I have had good luck with my Northern Shaolin class. It is filled with good basics and lts of fun for the beginner students. There is always 15 - 20 students that come to every class.
My Sifu has told me over and over to get my head out of the 1500's China. I have always been too strict with my Hung Gar students and there is never more than 2-4 students active at any given time. I have decided to change the way I teach Hung Gar like the way that we changed the Northern Shaolin class.

Thanks everyone for your input.
ginosifu

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