I guess I'm what you can call a realist. I've heard that you guys train kung fu realistically, and I was wondering what makes your training methods different from all the kung fu schools that I've seen out there? I always here about a "true" kung fu teacher who will teach you to fight, but every school that I end up checking out ends up being forms/2-man drill orientated and only spars once a week. This isn't a troll post. I'm sincerely curious as to what a Shen Wu student trains like. Thanks.

Mr. Ford

My suggestion is for you to check out the Shen Wu Virtual Academy link. I usually post some training and technique video clips in there. Or you can stop by the dojo. Tim holds has open mat sessions every Saturday afternoon for anyone wishing to spar or get some extra practice times. We don't leave until everybody has had enough. :-)

We do forms and conditioning for about a third of the class, technique practice for a third and spar for a third of the class (every class). Sparring practice may be sometimes only stand-up (kickboxing/wrestling), sometimes only standup wrestling and groundfighting, sometimes only groundfighting and sometimes anything goes. Obviously, beginners spend more time on techniques and drills, the more advanced guys spend more time on non-cooperative sparring and related drills. Most students will begin some non-cooperative sparring in the second or third week of training.
You only need two things to make any martial art practical for real fighting, techniques that work and an efficient method of practice (that must include non-cooperative sparring of various kinds, practiced on a regular basis).Having said that, properly practiced, two-man forms, "pushing hands" drills and other drills designed to improve sensitivity and control are very useful as well.

Ford,

I've had experience with other teachers -boxing,
San Soo and Tai Ji, I've watched
many classes(dropped by to watch various JKD,karate, kick boxing, Muy Tai and TKD classes.) I also have friends (my last Tai Ji teacher was a student of Shen Wu) who are scrappy martial artists (masters of several arts) who still e-mail me from their side of the globe to mention how well the concepts Tim teaches have helped them in fights against trained fighters... its pretty impressive.

I'd say several things differentiate Shen Wu from
'typical' martial art schools.

1. Tim's level of knowledge.
(unlike many other teachers I've seen, Tim is
constantly building his own knowledge.
He didn't stop at mastering San Soo and
then spend the rest of his life as a San Soo
instructor... he could have.. instead he
immersed himself deeper in the arts and is
currently moving towards mastering another
in a long list of well learned arts.)

2. Absence of attitude in the school.
(Unlike ALL the other schools I've observed
there is no better-than-you attitude. While
there are classmates who probably wouldn't
associate otherwise, everyone seems more
interested in absorbing as much as they can
than showing anyone up).

3. Tim's openness.
(Tim is open to sparring with anyone of his
students. Nearly every Saturday afternoon
for the last 9 months I've done
non-cooperative stand-up (trying to throw-
while trying not to be thrown) and grappling
with Tim. [while lots of teachers recommend
going non-cooperative, few teachers DO it
with you]. [side note: in 9 months I've
managed to off balance Tim maybe 3 or 4 times,
only to have him counter on the way to the mat
and wind up on top of me. I lost count of
how many times I've been thrown] And Tim is
always open to explaining how he countered or
how to correct something you did that allowed
him to counter.)


4. The respect Tim gets from fighters.
(a few weeks ago a fellow had his first
private lesson with Tim and then felt
compelled to stick around to basically lecture
that night's class
on how lucky we are to have Tim as a teacher.
Never mind what the guy does for a living,
but it is a line of work that keeps him
close to real life and death fighting, he
told the class that he's studied martial arts
all around the world and that Tim's teaching
is a culmination of the best of what all his
years of training had taught him.

lastly, In addition to being extremely intelligent, Tim is one of the funniest fuckers I know.

It's all up to the student really. Personally, I'm
not gearing myself up for a UFC or anything- I just like building on my martial knowledge and I
know enough to recognize that all the stuff I've
learned from Shen Wu is valuable.

Amen

To Ford Prefect,
I'm pretty much in agreement to what's been written above. Back when I worked at Phil Hall's Martial Arts Supplies store in Westminster, we pretty much knew most of the martial-arts instructors in the general area (most of Orange County & some of LA & other nearby counties). We also had a mental list of awesome practitioner-instructors; and when we figured out who was still in the area (as some had moved), we ended up with about two hand-fulls at best; when we figured out which were still teaching (at least openly) at the time we ended up with three. Tim was one of those three. Another of the three recently was inducted into the Martial-Arts Hall of Fame, but is no longer teaching as of this writting. The third instructor on the list likewise has stopped teaching. So Tim is probably the top-ranked instructor in this area presently. Note: known martial excellence, excellent teaching ability, & availability were the factors that were considered in compiling our list. I believe that Shen Wu is what Tim considers as some of the best of what he's learned/discovered.
Other schools do a fine job with teaching real fighting ability (Lama Kenpo for instance -- Mr. Thomas Martin's school which is just presently closed, at least for a time). Unfortunatey many good instructors have had to close their doors/stop teaching indefinetly for various reasons (usu. economic). It was interesting (while I was working at Phil's) to see (or hear) how some con men could get hundreds of students easily while the best of the best so to speak had trouble getting a dozen or so students. And you don't always get what you pay for (as a world-class judoka charged only $15/month & couldn't keep students -- until he doubled the rate, then a few stayed) -- go figure. {:o)

CORRECTION:
There were more than three (on the mental "list" of top instructors who can both teach & fight very well); for instance I forgot Ahti Kaend (sp? -- who presently teaches an Okinawan art which was known as Uechi Ryu for a time), & Blaise Loong (who teaches JKD, Silat, & a variety of weapon-crafts). To those who don't already know me, keep in mind that my memory isn't what I'd like it to be. Now that my little correction has ended, I hope that the good fighters aren't all offended. {:o/

I have come to hear about Thomas Martin through a friend and have heard many many things. I am not, repeat not, someone familiar with the martial arts. All I have to go on is heresay of one individual. Would anyone, please, email me more information about him? since i've moved to LA I've been burned too many times by phony stories and would simply like some more confirmation of who he is and what his experience is like. Thank you to all who read this and reply, I appreciate it.
-sean

Is this who you are inquiring about? Went to google and entered this statement.


"Thomas Martin martial arts "

At the top of the google list:

Martial arts schools' top brass charged with tax
fraud
The top figures in a nationwide chain of martial arts schools were charged Wednesday ... They are Thomas Martin Hnat, 38, of California; Thomas White, 39, ...
www.rickross.com/reference/chung/chung2.html - 6k - Cached - Similar pages