We had the grand opening last weekend in Westmont. These monks are quality teachers, are experts, and are very nice. I’ve been going to the Chicago Shaolin Temple for about 14 months now and have found it exhilarating. Our head shifu, Shi Yan Ju, just took 12 of us to the Henan Shaolin Temple last month where we trained, ate, and chanted with the temple monks. We also met Shi Yong Xin.
I’d be happy to answer any questions you have. The Chicago monks and a few of us students will actually be in Westmont tomorrow for a Halloween performance around 1 pm. Some of us Chinatown students might go out to the Westmont school on the weekends to take advantage of the big new space too, so it’d be cool to see some of you there.
Welcome to our brothers and sisters in Chicago. RD you brought back memories of my first class. I had already trained in kung fu for five years and considered myself to be in peak shape when I went to try out my masters school, but after that class I could barely walk the next day or two I was so sore.
One of the interesting things, despite how much the modern MMA types diss forms, I have yet to find a better cardio workout.
I went down there yesterday as well to see the demo and hang out a bit after. That too was a lot of fun. Although I was once again reminded that I have forgotten most of my forms.
Right now my real focus is on the Tai Tzu 32 (I actually butchered that one when I showed it), and the Lao Hong set though, so I really don’t have any room for any more, or review of old forgotten sets.
So are you hooked?? I am glad you are having fun. I haven’t found another martial arts school that push you as hard as the monks. Hope you stick with it and it’s just the beginning.
I just mentioned Shi Yanju in an article that’s going to press. According to Shi Yanran, Yanju was the monk who took the shot to the groin during Leland Yee’s inauguration. Yee has been a notable Shaolin supporter and had a Shaolin demo staged at the State Capitol. On his school wall, is there a pic of him getting kicked in the ghoulies by some dude in a suit?
I love that photo! It was on our State Capitol website for a spell. I almost went up for that, but it’s a few hour ride from here to Sacto, and I wasn’t sure I could get in once I was there.
The shaolin curriculum is unique to shaolin. It is not the compulsory stuff that is the nationalized sport of china if that’s what you mean.
while some of it is regarded as gymnastic type martial arts with little in the way of martial applicability, that is not true of the greater body of material.
Maybe you’ll be going back then?
