Here is a guide to finding kung fu schools in China. It is a general list of what to look for in a great kung fu school. First explore where in China you want to travel, live and train. Determine which style you want to practice and how it is trained. So how is the general atmosphere of the martial arts academy?

what region

There are kung fu schools located throughout China.

shaolin temple It is in the heart of China and martial arts. It is located in Henan province, which is a poorer part of China. Don’t expect to live in fancy hotels, it’s a harder life. Not everyone who travels here is satisfied with the learning experience, they feel it has been overly commercialized and some of the teachers who teach are ‘soft’. Still, many like to come here for different reasons: the history (monks have been training here for thousands of years), the atmosphere (watching hundreds and thousands of students train can be very exciting), the performance (some prefer modern to traditional wushu), meet a good master.

wudang mountain This place is mysterious and legendary. With the wispy clouds and the temples clinging to the cliffs, it is certainly a favorite of many. Styles taught primarily here are considered internal. Styles such as Tai Chi, Bagua, Baiji and Xingyi. They also practice Qigong, but it is not considered a Wudang style per se.

Chen Village it is also called Chenjiaogou and is all Tai Chi. For those who love Tai Chi, it doesn’t get any tougher than here. Although it is a small farming town with 3,000 inhabitants, 2,500 of them practice the art. Several legendary masters teach here like Wang Xi’an.

beijing it has many teachers who train and teach both in schools and in parks. Going to Temple of Heaven and Temple of Earth early in the morning, you will find many people exercising and training. Beijing Sports University trains many elite Wu Shu artists such as Jet Li.

Shandong Province it is known for Praying Mantis and there are several Shaolin Masters who teach there as well. There are several established schools for Westerners, as well as teachers who teach in the park.

The key Know that not all the teachers in the schools are going to be the best, some of the best are in hiding, training with a small group early in the morning. Explore your options.

Training Type:

kung fu training forms – All kung fu will include forms and exercises. Some schools of kung fu focus more on the performance side like in modern wu shu and some are more traditional where they teach the applications of the forms. Both are fine for studying, you just need to be clear about what you want to get out of the training. Some traditional kung fu are not as pretty, but they can be much more effective in self-defense and application of power.

Application of kung fu forms. – If you want to learn how to defend yourself and make kung fu effective, you should practice the applications regularly. This will include combat of some kind. Some masters have different theories about combat. Some say you have to wait until you reach a certain level before making full contact and will teach safer “one step” combat where one person attacks in a specific way and the other defends. This is useful to exercise the specific action in a more “live” way to develop muscle memory. Others will prefer students to start sparring immediately, even if they go lighter and with medium power. To really learn how to fight and defend yourself, there is no other way than to put on your gloves and hit, to see how you react to pressure and pain. This can happen much later in your workout if you don’t feel ready, and will likely backfire if you do it too early.

Teachers – The teacher you train with will make a difference in your experience. The first is that the teacher must be good and if he claims lineage, he can prove it. In addition to skill and teaching ability, a good teacher will have a positive attitude and be able to push students to higher levels. The teacher should have a similar attitude to the one you have towards training. Some practice it as a peaceful lifestyle, others learn it to compete, fight and get tough. Different styles will emphasize each area differently, for example Tai Chi is about harmony while Crazy Monk kung fu is about devastating attacks. Just make sure the teacher is someone you admire and respect.

the kung fu school

Kung Fu Schools: Schools vary quite a bit in China. Some are opened by locals and others by Westerners. However, in general, the key things to look for are:

1. Bedrooms – Will you share a room? What is the condition of the rooms? What is included? Internet? Litter? Table? Heating in winter: some places can be a bit cold.
2. food – What kind of food do they serve? Some places follow a special diet, so check if they are all vegetarian or not. If you have special requests, check if they can handle it for you. Ask if they can avoid monosodium glutamate (MSG) which is found in most Chinese foods, most places can avoid it.
3. showers and toilets – Is it a communal or personal shower/bathroom. Most likely it is communal.
4. Payments – What is the total fee to be paid in advance? Some schools split the cost between “tuition” and “living costs”, others lump it together as one price. What type of reimbursement will they provide (if any)? How is the school run in general? China has different ways of doing business and this has caused conflict in the past, so read about other students’ experiences to get a good idea of ​​the school.
5. training room – Do you provide combat gear? weight games? Indoor or outdoor training. How often will you train? Most schools will provide at least the basics of weapons and an indoor training room.
6. Atmosphere – How is the atmosphere of the school? Is he organized and disciplined? Do classes start on time? What are the attitudes of the students? The best way to find out is when you contact the school, do they respond quickly and answer your questions? Also see if you can contact previous students and email them. Ask what their typical day is like. What do you think of the teachers, the staff, the food, other students, how enthusiastic were the students about the training? How is the environment? Is it in the city or in the country? How far is it from the city? You can also search online in different forums and reviews that have been written. The more questions and research you do before you go, the better your experience will be.