Hello Mr. Cartmell,

My compliments on your website. IMHO, it's one of the best I've come across on the Chinese IMA's!

I have a few questions about your training and curriculum:

1. Do you crosstrain in any weapons-intensive martial arts (e.g. filipino kali/arnis/eskrima)?

2. If it's not too much trouble, could you describe your Shen Wu (combined) curriculum? The blurb on the class schedule page definitely peaked my curiousity.

3. Do you have a guideline for seminars? (content you are willing to cover, fee schedule, lead time you require, etc.) {Feel free to email me this privately if you prefer at ken4814@aol.com.}

TIA,

Ken Shafer

P.S. Thanks for the number for Mr. Black. I have found a Pa Kua study group right here under my nose in Geneva (Switz.). :-) (I had been hunting around for someone in vain for about 8 mos.!)

The San Soo I studied before I went to China as well as the Internal styles I studied in Taiwan and the Mainland included classical Chinese weapons training and the use of 'modern' weapons (the knife, short stick and staff). But all weapons training was secondary to the empty hands training. I have learned most of the useful weapons techniques I know from friends who were specialists in their use (primarily Filipino stylists), but I am not expert in weapons fighting. I would like to study more, but there's only so much time to train. My Shen Wu Mixed martial arts class is a combination of the Internal styles (Ba Gua Zhang, Xing Yi Quan, Tai Ji Quan and Jiu Jitsu) taught as a coherent system. Basic movement skills are taught first (methods of generating whole body power, footwork, rolling and falling skills...) along with drills and techniques. Contact sparring and ground grappling are introduced early on in the training. The Arts are united by a set of underlying principles, upon which all movements and techniques are based. Every class includes movement training, conditioning, stand up fighting (striking and wrestling) and ground fighting. The goal of the training is to teach students how to apply the principles of the Internal arts to real fighting situations, in all ranges and situations. As far as seminars are concerned, I have several 'themes' that I usually cover. Some groups want to learn formal styles (Xing Yi Quan, Ba Gua Zhang...), some want to work on specific areas of fighting (throwing, Chin Na...). My branch groups have me out on a regular basis and they follow the Shen Wu curriculum outlined above. I can usually arrange a seminar with a month's notice. The fee varies according to the amount of time I teach and the number of students. Please e mail me if you have any specific questions.

Tim, just out of curiosity, how does your Shen Wu compare to Sun-style Tai Chi? As I find out more, I'm starting to feel sorrier and sorrier that I live so far from your school. How far will you fly to do a seminar?

Kenneth,
The Shen Wu curriculum is summed up in the post above. Taijiquan techniques are included.

I'll fly anywhere to do a seminar.

Kenneth,

I would just like to say that if you have Tim for a seminar, the value far exceed's the dollars spent. Tim and I trained together as kids in San Soo. He was exceptional then, at the risk of sounding like a suck up, he is beyond outstanding in his knowledge and ability to impart the same. No matter what he shares, you cannot go wrong and you will not be dissapointed by his teaching. Yes, I am his friend, but I think anyone that has ever attended a class with Tim in all honesty could only agree. I can say that he has helped me more than words can express. I knew nothing of ground fighting. With only two seminars and of course practice, I gained the knowledge and skill to easily beat guys that could litterally spank me on the ground before. I recently grappled with a young man that wrestled varsity in high school and went to state. He was certainly faster than I, but I was able to beat him easily, almost effortlessly. As a matter of fact he ended up gassing so bad he had to puke. I broke a sweat, that was about it. I owe that to Tim's teaching, without it he would have smoked me on the ground for sure. His teaching on posture/alignment and relaxation has also improved my skills in both Wing Chun and San Soo. I will stop here, but believe me, this does not say enough!

Regards
Bob Shores

Kenneth,
I've brought Tim to New England for numerous seminars.

If you have a martial arts group and can do it, it is well worth your efforts.

I've stated this before, Tim Cartmell is the best Martial Arts instructor I've ever had. And I've trained with some very excellent instructors.

regards,
Joe

Oh BTW, the only reason why I'm using "Mr. Joseph Bellone" is because my password won't let me into the discussion board.

This was the only way I could post!

I apologize if it makes me sound pompous.

good training,
Joe

Bob, Joe, thank you for your input. When I first discoverd this board, I posted that Tim's non-mystical explanations blew away so much of the obfuscation associated with these arts. I started out looking for a half-way realistic sparring method, sparred a bit with a shootfighter but soon realized I wasn't just looking for technique. My sifu has been long gone, and I feel like I'm ready to move on. I've been getting some crazy ideas involving a pitbull lately, but I realize I'm still not ready for that kind of stuff even if I could find a moral and/or legal way (certainly not a safe way, LOL). I just wonder what forms a modern day Musha Shugyo might possibly take. Sorry for the rambling, but I will soon be moving to a place where such instruction will be even harder to come by than it already is. When I trained in Taijutsu, our group had no teacher per se, but went to seminars and practiced what we learned there in between. Am I right in my impression that Tim has such groups training under him?

I don't understand the pitbull thing.

MR.
You sound pretty pompas to me. You probalby work out with Shano and walk backward. It's amazing that you say those things on this board. I'm shocked. Looser.

SysOp- nANCY pANCY seems to only post angry drivel. For the first time in my posting history I politely suggest blocking his/her IP address.

Brian Downey- stay shocked.... stay angry.

('looser' isn't a word)

Kenneth Sohl,

From reading the various discussion threads over the years, I believe that there are indeed various groups abroad that have Tim teach an occassional seminar & that they most likely get together for the all-important review & practice between seminars. It's an excellent way to learn.

Yeah, Mike, I think when I get to Tennessee, I'm actually rather optimistic that I can round up enough interest. When I'm in Chattanooga, all I see are TKD, but I suspect that since it is a city after all, there must be others yearning for the kind of instruction that isn't readily available there.

Hi Tim,

Just a quick question. Do you have any "branch groups" in the Chicago area?

Hi Craig,
No, I don't have anyone in the Chicago area.

Thanks Tim

Craig, if you're interested in IMAs you can check out Wai Lun Choi in Chicago. He was quite the fighter in his youth, and is now an excellent teacher.

Craig,

Additionally, check the 'find a teacher' area on Emptyflower.com. It's a good site.

Chitown Terror, Shane,
Thanks for the info and advice.

Craig

Chitown Terror

If you train/trained with Wai Lun Choi, I was wondering if you could give me an idea as to how early on in the training he introduces non-cooperative sparring. Please fell free to e-mail me if you prefer.

Thanks in advance.

Craig

This is Wai Lun Choi's new website:
http://lineageholder.tripod.com/