Dear OMAS,
I was looking in the Yellow pages and I kept running into all of the Tae Kwon Do and Karate schools. How am I to know which one is better because of course if I contact them they are all going to say that they're the best or at least one of the best around.
And this leaves me wondering how to judge what a good school is compared to one that is just trying to make themselves sound better.
-Brent Fallencourt
Nixa, MO
Dear Mr. Fallencourt,
In our eyes a good school is not one that will go out and win all of the tournaments or that has the largest student complement. It is one that will direct the student to achieve what they are looking to achieve in their lives.
In our opinion, the Martial Arts were designed to create choice where it may have never existed before.
Oriental Martial Arts Society (OMAS) does not believe there is such a thing as the "perfect system." We believe that it actually depends on the needs and desires of the student.
It is our desire to assist those interested in the Martial Arts in finding an appropriate and beneficial place for them to study.
Dear OMAS,
I am writing to inquire about the Pu Ting Shih Kung Fu Academy. I stopped by there to see about classes and ask a few questions of the Instructor. He was teaching class at the time, and there was rock music playing in the background. I'm not an expert, but I doubt that Traditional Martial Arts schools played rock music during class.
I asked the Instructor what the school's name meant in Chinese. He said, "To Always Work Hard and Never Stop". This amused me because his appearance did not convey the fact that he worked hard at all. He looked soft and not at all what I had envisioned a Kung Fu instructor should be.
My question is, what do you know about his school and is he truly qualified?
-Amber Caudell
Springfield, MO
Dear Ms. Caudell,
Oriental Martial Arts Society (OMAS) has attempted to interview Sifu Greg Neil Butler on previous occasions to no avail.
The one time that we had a meeting with him, he provided us with no information about what he teaches or what he stands for at his school.
As to your question about physical appearance. Instructors come in all shapes and sizes. For instance, look at the adopted brothers Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. Should you judge Sammo Hung by his appearance? Some have made that mistake before.
Perhaps Sifu Butler will privy us with an interview in the future. Until that time, we will make no statements concerning this issue.
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