Frustration

Discussion in 'Filipino Martial Arts' started by E-Rocker, Mar 14, 2013.

  1. E-Rocker

    E-Rocker Valued Member

    So the school where I've been training for the past five and a half years is probably closing. And as far as I've been able to determine, there's no one else teaching Inosanto-Lacoste Kali on the north side of Chicago, at least not publicly. If anyone knows differently, please speak up! I know there are some great instructors in the suburbs, but my work schedule (which is set in stone) does not allow me to make it to their classes.

    I'm aware of Mike Eugenio's Tandang Garimot school, and while I've taken some classes from Mike in the past and find him to be a very good instructor, I would really prefer to keep training Inosanto-Lacoste Kali, which I've already put ten years into learning.

    For the past several years, there's been part of me that wants to just take a break from the whole martial arts thing and focus on my other hobbies for a while. This might be the opportunity...
     
  2. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    What does your current teacher say? If there were someone else in that tight a geographic area teaching the same thing, I wager he'd already know about them I'm afraid.

    EDIT: Is your instructor Marcus Charles, by any chance? I just checked the Inosanto Academy's list of instructors. And it lists a 2008 listing for Marcus Charles. Has his contact information listed as well.
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2013
  3. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    Marcus teaches out of the South IIR
     
  4. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    South of Chicago? Or has he moved on? The Inosanto Academy website has him listed as Chicago, but also makes clear that this information is about 5 years old now.
     
  5. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    South Chicago
     
  6. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

  7. Ben Gash CLF

    Ben Gash CLF Valued Member

    If you've got 10 years training surely you could just start up your own group and use that to fund intensive instructor training?
     
  8. E-Rocker

    E-Rocker Valued Member

    Marcus Charles is one of the suburban cats I was referring to in my initial post. Great guy, high skill level, too far away for me to train with on a regular basis. Likewise Marc Halleck in Libertyville.

    Stuart, yeah, I'm 99% sure I would've already heard of anyone else teaching my style in Chicago, but I figure it never hurts to ask.

    Sifu Ben, yeah, I could start my own group. I've taught in the past. But right now I'm much more interested in being student than teacher. Still, it's worth considering. Thanks for the suggestion.
     
  9. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    No, it never does. Just sorry I couldn't have been more help, my friend.

    Mind you, I've done three different FMA styles at this point (not including day-long seminars and the like). And the amount of crossover between one and the other has basically always meant I wasn't starting over. I'd encourage you to go with the Garimot you mentioned.

    That said, I can also completely understand the impulse to take a break and concentrate on other things.
     
  10. tim_stl

    tim_stl Valued Member

    I'd second Stuart's encouragement, but I'm biased (I practice Garimot, and I'll be up in Chicago for the seminar in a couple weeks).

    That said, I trained Inosanto style for about six years before I started Garimot, and kept at it for another four or five before I dropped it and focused on Garimot. I'm pretty sure Mike had trained Inosanto style for a while, and I know he also trained Lameco for a while. (I think there are quite a few of us in Garimot who have gone that route, or through other arts first.) So if you do start training with Mike, he can definitely help you make use of your Inosanto training.


    Tim
     
  11. Kuma

    Kuma Lurking about

    How far does Marcus Charles live from you? If it's a reasonable drive to do once a week, start your own training group and train with him once a week would be my recommendation.
     
  12. shootodog

    shootodog restless native

    You could take a break and assess things and figure out your next move. You vould also take an instructor's course and have others in your group do the same.
     
  13. Freeform

    Freeform Fully operational War-Pig Supporter

    This sounds like on of the best plans. I assume if the school you're currently at is closing then some of your fellow students could be persuaded into starting an informal group.
     
  14. E-Rocker

    E-Rocker Valued Member

    Thank you all for the feedback.

    It may be moot now: the latest word is that my current school is not closing... it's just losing about 70% of its floorspace :( . Apparently we'll know for sure what's going on by the end of April
     
  15. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    Lots of punyo practice in your future. ;)
     
  16. shootodog

    shootodog restless native

    Any news eric?
     
  17. E-Rocker

    E-Rocker Valued Member

    No new news. The old news in more detail: We get to keep part of the ground floor area, specifically the medium-sized training floor. We're losing the entire second floor area: large training floor, small training floor, full-sized boxing ring, heavy bag area, small room with speed bags & wooden dummy, and men's locker room. We're also losing a good portion of the ground floor area: front office, women's locker room, weight room, and kitchen. Yeah, I know, an M.A. school doesn't really need a kitchen, but it's nice to have for special events.

    I'll be interested to see how our class schedule will change. Right now we have the three seperate training floors mentioned above, so we can easily have three different classes at the same time. That will probably prove more difficult when we're reduced to just the one medium-sized floor. I'll keep you informed re: what happens.
     
  18. E-Rocker

    E-Rocker Valued Member

    Interesting development: today Marcus Charles posted on his facebook page that he's going to be teaching in Chicago proper again. South side, which is not ideal for me, but it's probably more do-able than the 'burbs. I sent him a message for details. Depending on time/ location/ cost, I may have found a new place to train.
     

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