I was wondering if there is a good way to verify that an instructor has the credentials he says he has. I ask because after 16 months with a teacher, I'm noticing that the form movements differ from what I see other people performing in videos (for example). The general form is correct, but there are differences. Is it ok for there to be variations in forms, like Gong li quan or eyebrow staff....? Or Is there an authority we can check with to be sure we have a proper instructor?
Are they registered with a national governing body of some kind? Have you asked about the variations? I've only got very limited experience with Kung Fu, but my karate instructor will show something different from the textbook version and then say 'and this is why' we do it like that.
Ask the teacher his lineage. Different schools might have different interpretations of forms, even within a school you will sometimes have different versions of a form depending on what stage the student is at if they are in door or out door and so on. Chinese teachers are also known for changing forms slightly for demonstrations so if copied by someone those in the know will know the person doing the form isn't a real student of the teacher the form is from. So variations are abound for numerous reasons.
Yes - he explained his lineage on the first day. Showed me his credentials too. I was concerned about the differences in the forms more than anything.
No two people are exactly alike, therefore there will be differences. And looking to You Tube for guidance is not always the place to look. My Yang Taijiquan Shifu, Student of legitimate Tung Ying Chieh was a good friend of Tung Hu Ling, oldest son and a legitimate student of Tung Ying Chieh. My shifu form looks more like Tung Ying Chieh's, even Tung Hu Ling told him that. But Yet Tung Hu Ling's form looks a little more different than his fathers. And Tung Ying Chieh's Grandson sons,a lso legitimate student in the lineage and their forms look different. And then Tung Ying Cheih's Great Grandson, Alex Dong, also legit, but his form looks a bit different too. And so does mine. Now go to the Yang family, Yang Cheng Fu's great grandson's form, Yang Jun, his form is different from all of them. And then there is Alex Chu, also Yang style, but his form does not look exactly like anyone I listed You want to see two obviously different forms, look at Cheng Manching doing Taijiquan and then look at his student, William CC Chen do the form. Things can change, or evolve I have trained Hebei Xingyiquan with 3 teachers, talked to a few more and all of them have differences in what they do. Same goes for Bagua. CMA is not regimented, there is no template, other than what you learned from your teacher, and he, or she, has likely changed something somewhere along the way My Yang Shifu has been doing Yang style now for longer than his his teacher was alive and in the almost 30 years I have known and trained with him, I have seen a thing or two change. Don't know why some changed, but I am sure some changed came because a man in hos 80s cannot do the same thing as a man in his 30s. Heck, I can't do the same thing in my very late 50s that I cold do in my 30s
I agree pretty much what everyone said here. Variances in forms are common, for all the reasons others listed already. In Choy Li Fut, there are certain moves that are done differently in different lineages. Defining characteristics of particular lineages. My CLF school is descended from three different lineages. So, for example: Each lineage has a specific distinctly different way of doing a type of block known as a Poon Kiu. And on top of that, we don't learn some of those defining differences of lineages until advanced levels. So, an advanced student doing the same form in my school will do it a bit differently than a newer student. I wouldn't worry about the variances. As long as, like Hewho says, the Sifu can explain why they do moves the way they do. That is the important thing.
My opinion as a kung fu instructor. The single most important thing is that an instructor can dissect and diagnose the forms. That they can take any part of the form and demonstrate a simple practical application for it. And that they can pass on their understanding of how that application works and how to apply it to you. As for change in forms – well it happens. If you have been practicing the same form for 30 years. Your understanding of the movements and applications will change. Your body and your physical strength, and flexibility will change. it is inevitable your expression of the form will change. And yes even memory can be a problem. we are after all only human.
Yeah, not 1 school is alike. Even amongst team mates. I can probably demonstrate 2 or 3 different variations of the same form that I learnt.
My kungfu club has some distinct differences in the forms from the others, I'm pretty sure they are added in for the reason @icefield said about knowing which branch the student is from. Kungfu lineage can also be a minefield, with a lot undocumented and also various claims of false lineage or forgotten lineage. The best you can do is ask your teacher and do a bit of research in that style, and take all the lineage politics with a pinch of salt.
Maybe ask your teacher why there are any differences? That would be my first step, even before visiting any forums.
