Pakua Question- Concerning Master Park

Nei Jia: the Qigong and Taijiquan Forum Taijiquan and the Internal Martial Arts
1

Is anybody here a student of Bok Nam Park? Is his style of Pakua even remotely similar to that taught at other schools? Does it resemble any of the two MAIN branches of Pakua seen in the West (Yin Fu or Cheng-ting Hua’s)?
I am going to live about two - three hours away from his school for at least a year (maybe longer, maybe permanently). Obviously I am concerned that since Master Park’s lineage is so unique, I would find a difficult time transferring to another Pakua school if work forced me to relocate. My life is kind of in flux career wise, and I can’t guarantee where I will end up down the line.
Are Master Park’s skills acknowledged by the majority of the Pakua community (I know he is famous, but do other pakua teachers agree they are on the same wave length so to speak)?

“Luminous beings are we.”

2

Stranger

Do your body and mind a favor,go and see for yourself.

What a fortunate man you are,to be near Master Park school,if I were you I will run there as soon as possible,see him in person,asks questions, watch a class and if you are lucky enough to be accepted,train and learn as hard as you can,because ,you are going to have to look long and hard, all over the world to find a teacher of Pa Kua with the skills and knowlwdge of Master Park.

I guarantee you whatever you learn there will be real Pa Kua skills and be worth in gold.

Also, he is a traditional teacher and(depending on your experience ),you will be learning Pa Kua fundamental skills for the first couple of years,wich you can apply in any MA.

Good luck to you.

                            VF
3

Over the years I have read a lot of the material put out by Park Laoshi. He was one of the first to describe post training, his lineage is honest and I think very respectable, and I think a lot of his training and forms lean more to the Yin Fu side.

I do not think anything contradicts what I have learned so far. If given the opportunity, I’d go for it with him. Besides you want a traditional teacher. They will go slow enough so you can judge their character and they can judge your character. After a couple of years, you’ll pretty much know if its a match or not. You also want someone who will keep you in the basics for a very long time. Learning advanced forms and techniques without the basics will waste your time over the long run

4

sifu park bok nam

Hi,

I’m a student of Sifu park in the Baltimore class.

He’s awesome. The real deal.

Most of the people who study with him have been in the martial arts for decades hopping from one style to the next trying to find a complete system. I know that i’ve always asked the question…“Why do we do the form this way but we fight like kick boxers.”

there is no questions like that to be asked. You see the form. You see the form in use in fighting.

there’s meditation and chi gong…and fighting and weapons and forms.

He trained the old style way…full time everyday ALL DAY.

his senior student in Va is OUT OF THIS WORLD too. He has a great wealth of information about martial arts and fighting also. He talks the talk and can WITH OUT A DOUBT Walks the walk as well.

Sifu has students though out the world and the US.

For the first few years you’ll be doing basics only. And where ever you move you’ll sure to be near a school or be able to visit some where for a weekend class. Some people drive from 3-4 states away to take class on weekends. During seminars people from Ohio and further come.

His class is all about your own initiative (sp?) If you want true ability you’ll have to put in true time and effort. 1 hour a day every day on the palm.

If you can’t use the art…there’s only yourself to blame. He has this saying of, “I’ll show you ‘1’ you show me ‘2’ and ‘3’.” That’s a TON of responsibilty and you gotta work hard to get the gold.

He’s the first person i’ve seen that’s able to use the internal arts to fight. I take that back…he’s the first person i’ve seen that’s able to use ANY form of KUNGFU in a fight. His power is what all the internal books have talked about. Abilty to send chi into the body.

As you can see..I have no doubts.

BUT time is the factor. Unless you can devote the TIME. I think Pa Kua is an extremely HARD and DIFFICULT art to use.

visit the web site…www.pa-kua.com…visit the school and talk with sifu. Get the book and video.

Best of luck and don’t take my word on it…visit and chat and see what I have seen.

When he talks you’ll say “THAT makes total sense…why hasn’t anyone else said it like that.” There’s no mystery to it. He doesn’t hold back knowledge…you just have to want to work hard!

I’ll stop here…but could go on for hours. I’ve been searching for over 15 years…for true kungfu.

5

do people know him?

one more thing…

The best way to answer your other question is for you to buy the complete set of Ba Gua Chang Journals. 30 plus issues about Ba Gua and ONLY Ba Gua written in the 90s.

ANYone who’s anyone in the field of Ba Gua is featured in this series. Talks about history philosphy and takes you all over the world. to China, to Tawain, around the US to the best masters of Ba Gua.

Sifu Park is one of them. Hope this gives you more info to your question.

http://www.plumflower.com (for journals)

6

Any students in Ohio?

(I seriously need a life.)™

7

ohio

check sifu’s web site…

www.pa-kua.com

8

If there is a school listing on that site I couldn’t find it. :frowning:

(I seriously need a life.)™

9

you can still do it!

To tell you the honest truth…if you really want to learn Pa Kua…you could do it.

There’s a 5 day summer camp held every year in June. That’s 5 full days to get practice material and corrections. Usually fills up fast with students getting first pick.

Then you could visit VA a few times a year.

At least for the first few years it’s just repeat repeat repeat and drill drill drill.

If you get his book you’ll see the basic stances then the 48 month palm set. It will take lots of practice just doing those. 2 years right there…if you want to train the right way. To get and feel the beginnings of the power that books have talked about.

I have met one person who was learning from Ohio (he surprised me 2 years ago when i met him)…he drove from Ohio to Baltimore for a seminar. I was so shocked!! Some people are just hard core like that.

There’s many people in other countries who only see sifu but twice a year. I think they train harder then the folks who see him every month.

It’s all in how much you want it and maybe there’s someone closer who may suit your needs just as well?

Check out the Pa Kua Chang Journals from that site and read them. I re-read them all the time. Many issues are out of print already. Really gets you into the art and gets you into a master’s mind…and how they trained. I just read today about 320 circles before a position change!!! That’s nuts! But it’s what it takes to be as good as they were.

ALSO a personal note: Great masters are a rare breed these days. How many in modern society have the determination and the time to practice all day every day in the martial arts?

Soke every minute of it up that you can…I personally love Pa Kua. You may love Hsing Yi or other style. The thing i love about Pa Kua is the simplicty and the complexity of it…the sheer fact that you can practice it til very old age and still be powerful as hell and a good fighter. You attain great health too. In one Pa Kua chang journal it talks about iron palm and how many masters learned that the internal hits of pa kua were just as powerful as the use and development of the iron palm. This is serious stuff.

I’m learning slowly but I want the real transmission NOT the watered down stuff.

10

Yeah, I guess there are options. I have heard only good things about the man. Thanks!

(I seriously need a life.)™

11

you might try asking the black taoist or maoshan. Search for their posts and see their profiles. They know a whole lot about Pa Kua and have been practicing for a very long time. And I’ve heard their very good.
They might be able to tell you about Sifu park from a professional point of view.

12

blacktaoist

www.blacktaoist.com

13

kungfu cowboy

Just my humble opinion, but if you want to learn Pa Kua, either find a teacher near you, or move somewhere closer to a teacher. Pakua is no art to learn in seminars. It requires far too much personal attention from your instructor. If you visit a couple of times a year, you have six months to practice something incorrectly before your instructor even has an opportunity to fix it. I understand walkthecircle’s enthusiasm, as good internal instructors are so very rare. However, seeing an instructor once or twice a year is not the kind of compromise you want to make. I train in Pakua in Columbus from a very low-key instructor who knows his sh!t. If you’re interested(if that’s not too far to drive), e-mail me:

dwidrick_von_stratton@hotmail.com

The way of the samurai is in desperateness. Ten men or more cannot kill such a man. Common sense will not accomplish great things. Simply become insane and desperate. - Hagakure

14

stranger

people like you annoy me.

People that are so curious all the time will get all kinds of advice from the internet and never follow through at times. You may try to go one time to his school and never follow through again. its all about training hard with alot of wisdom… why waste my breath on you. I studied pakua with park and have told many a people to go study with park some have… and some havent. I only say this- read his article on the value of your art that park wrote recently. i know you study hsing yi isnt that enough right now?

15

I 2nd that

too many people collect styles like pairs of shoes. You end up not being able use any of it. Like what you see in tournament circles ALL over the country.

Get serious and stay the course. One style for a modern life style is plenty. AND will give you all the power and health and fighting ability you can handle.

Give kungfu back it’s good name!

strong and dedicated practice my brothers.

;

16

amen brothers

I know many of the types of people you’re talking about, and their dilettantism shows in their technique. Practicing a kung fu style is like taking care of a baby bird, it requires meticulous care and incredible patience, but if you stay the course, as it matures, you can see the grace and power that only this kind of care will create.

The way of the samurai is in desperateness. Ten men or more cannot kill such a man. Common sense will not accomplish great things. Simply become insane and desperate. - Hagakure

17

walkthecircle

I am glad to know that you train under Master Park.
Looks like you didn’t make it to camp,in Baltimore,this year,
Anyway,I see by the number of your posts that you have been training hard in the last two weeks(just kidding).

Keep it on.

                     VF
18

I have heard that Park Bok Nam was definately the real deal but held a lot back, even to senior students. Is this true? If so, has he begun to open up more?

Although there are many styles, they all depend on the strong beating the weak and the slow falling to the quick. These are not related to the power that must be learned – Taiji Classics

19

last thing

visit and learn and taste for yourself.

Look forward to meeting those of you who decide to learn Pa Kua chang.

Strong practice!

20

Like to if I can…

but I doubt it. I got too much training of my own to tackle without trying to do Bagua also. We use a couple drills from the system, but they are only to develop specific aspects of what we’re doing.

Still, much respect for Master Park and those that are studying under him. It’s good to hear that the last thing is going on. Only a few who bust there azz off for years will “get it” even if it becomes public knowledge. Of course, there may be many who steal the words, but “Flower Fists and Brocade Legs”

Although there are many styles, they all depend on the strong beating the weak and the slow falling to the quick. These are not related to the power that must be learned – Taiji Classics