A few questions from a begginer.

[kingkong]

I used to watch this movie about this guy going to the Shaolin temple when I was little. So I was in the book store and saw the book "The Art of Shaolin Kung Fu" by Wong Kiew Kit. I bought it and im learning the first patterns, stance, hand forms, and punches. I've stopped reading and have just been practicing for a week or so and will continue for a month. Is this book good? How much will I learn from it? What should I do after I've finished reading it? If you tell me to find an instructor in my area, there aren't any. Any help?

[B-Rad]

I don't like what I've read from him or what I've seen from his students... I don't remember much about that book though. It's been years since I've seen it.

I think you're better off using some kind of book/video combination (from someone else :p) if you absolutely can't find a teacher at all. Another option would be figuring out who does regular seminars that you could travel too on occasion while finding a book/video series from that same teacher.

[B-Rad]

What area do you live in, by the way? Because at some point I think you will certainly HAVE to find a teacher if you're serious about learning.

[kingkong]

I live in a suburb of Detroit. The nearest place is 45 minute drive away and looks kind of .. fake? It just doesn't look like a serious martial arts place. And plus its not Shaolin I don't think.

[B-Rad]

Oh, what's it called? What makes you think it's fake? And what is and isn't "Shaolin" is kind of hard to pin down.

[kingkong]

http://www.easternmartialarts.com/contact.htm

Fake was the wrong word, I just don't like the look of it. And i don't have enough time in the day to drive 45 minutes, train then drive 45 minutes back.

[kingkong]

should i try something else besides kung fu? is it impossible?

[Ironpig]

You should explore doing something, rather than waiting for a specific school to appear near you.

Good friends of mine advised me that I would never find a woman to marry if I stayed in my room all the time. Amazingly, they were right. Nobody knocked on my door.

Find out what is within easy travel of where you are. There may be nothing that you are interested in there.

Try the following:

- Make a list of schools in the area you live which are within your travel distance.
- Find out more about the curriculum and the style/culture being offered.
- See if they allow trial classes or if you can watch a class.

Use your own sense of what you will be comfortable with. Try to get a sense of whether your imagination and passion can be captured by the school.

Then, when you have done all that, TRY SOMETHING.

The odds are that you will not be able to find a specific 'going to Shaolin to train' type of school. Many martial arts have great merit and virtue. Try to find something to become involved with to start out. Once you become involved with the 'martial world' more options will open up for you.

Best of luck.

P.S. dont join a cult ;)

[Chief Fox]

I've read that book. I thought it was decent, but there are other (probably better) ways to get your feet wet with Chinese martial arts.

Learning from video is probably best if you cant find a teacher.

I've got a few of Yang Jwing Ming's books and a couple of his DVDs as well. I'd recommend starting out with his long fist book and getting his Long fist fundamental training DVD.

Book: http://www.amazon.com/Shaolin-Ch%C3%ACAng-Ch%C3%ACUan-Unique-Literary/dp/0865680205/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-5983622-2088015?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173455875&sr=8-1

DVD: http://www.ymaa.com/publishing/dvd/kungfu_DVD/shaolin_kungfu_DVD

I believe that these materials will give you a good base that you could eventually take to any school.

[Shaolin Wookie]

In all reality, you can't learn anything from a MA book or DVD unless you have experience in a school. A horse stance is a horse stance, but there are a thousand ways to do a horse stance wrong, and you need an expert eye to show you what's wrong with your posture, how to lower it without spreading your feet, how to move between stances, etc.

Forms from books are useless. They're a good resource to pick up tips when you already have a style, form, or system, but are pretty friggin' useless otherwise.

Pick a school, any school. But the one you linked to (near where I used to live 10 years ago in Novi...sorry, don't know of any MA schools there, since it was sooo long ago) looks like a kid's school...but it's Detroit....there's got to be plenty. Broaden your search. Many good schools don't advertise in the yellow pages, if you know what I mean. Find one with more focus on adult classes. Kids classes are for paying bills, from what I gather.