From my own experience training in Hawaii, I know how important this process is. I wasted lots of time and money during my search for the right teacher, sometimes being cheated by unqualified instructors. Its not the amount of money spent, but the time that is precious. If you spend a long time with the wrong teacher, its like squandering your abilities, developing incorrect habits, getting only the "fools gold". This is a problem not only in Hawaii, but in some Asian countries and the rest of the United States. From this experience I have formulated some guidelines to help evaluate a teacher and school for each of the three categories.
The easiest category to evaluate is for those primarily interested in kung fu as a performing art. Since this area of concentration emphasizes the enjoyment and aesthetic value of the movements, the main guideline for choosing a style is personal taste. Upon finding an appealing style, join the class for a period of time to see if it is the right style and instructor for you.
It is not only necessary to assess the teacher's ability to teach, but also to consider whether you can do the particular kind of movement that attracts you. The beautiful movements from a kung fu form may look simple, but may take many years of dedicated practice to perfect. Many times what is appealing to the eyes may not suit the body type and temperament of the student. After a few months of practice a frank discussion with the teacher should help you assess the situation and decide if it's going to be possible to develop within that system.
Exercise is a major factor in practice of many martial arts. Some students may want to stress just this aspect of kung fu as performance art or a system of self-defense. As a guideline, the prospective student should find out if the instructor has any background in health-related fields, such as massage, acupuncture, Chinese herbology medicine, or physical education. While watching a class, observe how the other students perform. See if the instructor teaches anything that contradicts fundamental health principles. If you feel you are to inexperienced to judge, then try to find a more knowledgeable friend to assist in this process. Of course you can always try out a class (if possible), and if it proves to be unsuitable, look for another.
The most difficult category in choosing a teacher and style is the area of martial art. As I mentioned before, the lack of a centralized organization and common standards makes it difficult to obtain dependable information. Many times the qualified teachers are not professional kung fu instructors nor are they trying to acquire a reputation that is typical for kung fu.
It is most important to find both the right teacher and the right style. The teacher and style together can motivate the student to practice and improve. Even so, sometimes the style does not fit the body type and personality of the student. The student should be flexible in this respect, changing to another style or instructor if necessary, that may be more suitable.
In any aspect of kung fu, the teacher should make the development of his students his first priority and should not try to hold back information or deceive. And the student should respect the experience and tradition of the teacher. In this way the two can grow together, and achieve their respective goals.
- Sigung Vincent A. Cabais
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