is learning from 2 Masters ok?

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by KungFuGrrrl, Dec 7, 2003.

  1. KungFuGrrrl

    KungFuGrrrl Valued Member

    What is your opinion?
    I have been at my school for going on 8 years and I love my school.

    However, I have the opportunity to train with a very respected Master who has been teaching Tai Chi for 40 years, a World Champion.

    I know Sifu would not be happy about it.

    I do not want to feel like I am *cheating* on my school.

    Ive always read and heard that you stick with your Sifu until you can no longer learn from him/her.....

    What are your thoughts?:confused:
     
  2. Andrew Green

    Andrew Green Member

    I have been shopping at Walmart for 8 years and love it.

    However I have the opportunity to shop at another large store.

    I know walmart wouldn't be happy about it.

    I do not want to feel like I am *cheating* on Walmart.

    :D

    Sounds a little silly doesnt it ;)
     
  3. totality

    totality New Member

    well...learning from 2 masters is alright, as long as one of them is me.

    or maybe it's just generally acceptable.
     
  4. Stiles

    Stiles New Member

    Never pass up a good thing.. I've always belived that the best way to thank your teacher is to surpass him and then repay him by teaching him somthing you know.

    Just a thought.
     
  5. YODA

    YODA The Woofing Admin Supporter

    It's an excellent idea! Go for it :D
     
  6. tkd ajumma

    tkd ajumma New Member

    I and some of my friends wanted to do some extra classes with a different master, and we also felt really bad about 'betraying' our master. We went along to the other classes, and found that our skills really improved, and that the teaching techniques of the two schools really complemented each other well. However, we still felt guilty about not staying loyal to our original master, and one of my friends said it felt like committing adultery. I'm not sure I feel quite that bad, but I certainly keep quiet about the other teacher when training with my original master.

    Another problem arose when it came to gradings - some students would suddenly appear at the new gym wearing a different colour belt, and the grading requirements were slightly different between the two schools.
     
  7. Ara

    Ara New Member

    The stance my instructor takes on it is that you train with one instructor and one only. It is for that reason exactly that you stick to one (confusion with gradings etc) That also and your instructors will both be confused as to how all of a sudden you've learnt new things that they ahvent shown you. I think out of respect you should ask the teacher you first started with if it would be ok to supplement your training with someextra training with the grandmaster. I also strongly believe that you should only grade at one school, not 2 and make sure both instructors know of the situation ;) it will make things easier i think when you get to much senior grades.
     
  8. Coyote

    Coyote New Member

    My soke has been fairly open-minded about the idea of students training with other masters. He asks that we never go behind his back, and that we always ask him about the prosepective new instructor. He also encourages us to bring back anything we learn for him to look at. In that way, he can check and make certain his students aren't just getting bilked by a clever charlatan.
     
  9. SoKKlab

    SoKKlab The Cwtch of Death!

    I'll train with anyone that I can learn something from that is relevant to what I am doing or that can embellish what I already know, be it Grand MasterFlash or Melle Mel.
     
  10. Aegis

    Aegis River Guardian Admin Supporter

    I've always felt that any instructor should have no problems with you learning elsewhere. If they're that concerned about it, why? Are they afraid you might find a better system or a better teacher? If so, maybe they should work on their own faults rather than force you to live with them. An instructor is there to instruct, not run your life.
     
  11. David

    David Mostly AFK, these days

    When I did some cross-training in taiji, I didn't feel obliged to ask my kung fu teacher but I did tell him. It was interesting to compare and contrast.

    The taiji teacher never seemed quite right with it, though, and I think he was wondering what I was doing there. It was like suspicion or something.

    At another time, I went and did some Wing Chun because I had only one mantis lesson a week and not enough to material. The WC teacher wanted me to cease mantis. He said that he'd very quickly get fed up of correcting me for doing mantis moves in his class, especially if I was still re-inforcing the mantis bytraining it!

    Physiologically, it may be harmful to train two styles because your neuromuscular pathways become mixed. You can find yourself trying to do both at once, or hesitating and the hesitation becomes ingrained. If you have 8 yrs in style #1 then I think this won't matter.

    Rgds,
    David
     
  12. KungFuGrrrl

    KungFuGrrrl Valued Member

    years ago I phoned the *other* Master to just inquire and she was very stern and ask *WHY you leave your Sifu*? I said I havent left him, I am just curious about your teachings.
    She had invited me to her house and I did not go....

    last year I asked my Sifu if he would mind if I trained with her and he was very upset....... and told me to leave the school..... I told him NO I WILL NOT! But he NO LONGER teaches Tai Chi and Ineed to continue to improve so that I am not stagnant as I have a non profit that I teach battered women Tai Chi Chuan........

    Now, I find this *Treasure from China* is teaching in a park the down the street from my house! she started learning in 1958 In Hong Kong......

    She learned from the Fu Zhong Wen, husband of Yang Cheng Fu's grand niece. Yang Cheng Fu’s teacher is Yang Jianhou, son of the Yang style’s creator, Yang Luchan.
    Wu Ying Hua, daughter of Wu style Taijiquan’s creator, Wu Jian Quan.

    Maybe I will talk to him again , if I learn a different style than he taught, and I can bring that to our school and teach --maybe he will go for it......... like Wu style and Chen.......
     
  13. KungFuGrrrl

    KungFuGrrrl Valued Member

    ps
    I am the Tai Chi Chuan teacher at my school! I even teach to the other instructors......
     
  14. zun

    zun New Member

     
  15. KungFuGrrrl

    KungFuGrrrl Valued Member

    Tai Chi Chuan for martial arts of course!

    health is added benefit.
     
  16. zun

    zun New Member

    So if you've got to the point where you can teach other instructors, you should be able to teach yourself.

    You shouldn't really need one single teacher.

    Why does your teacher insist you only learn from him?
     
  17. KungFuGrrrl

    KungFuGrrrl Valued Member

    Well, In Chinese Martial Arts it is a respect issue. Among most ...... for hundreds of years, you stick with your master until you can no longer learn from him/her........

    I disagree that I can teach myself a new style of Tai Chi Chuan! I would probably pick it up quick but I believe one needs a teacher in order to profficiently learn a style.

    I would have to look at videos and books and that is no comparison to a real live master of that art.

    Thank you for your ideas and opinions though!

    KFG
     
  18. zun

    zun New Member

    Is your teacher chinese?

    You mention:

    until you can no longer learn from him/her........

    I assumed your level of knowledge from your current teacher has somewhat plateau, in which your teacher should've let you go.

    Didn't mean teach yourself a new form. Just advance your current form.

    I'm lucky. My teachers are very open - and allow me to practise at different places. It makes me more aware exactly how good my current club is.

    That's what we here for - share and exchange ideas.
     
  19. KungFuGrrrl

    KungFuGrrrl Valued Member

    Yes, He is Chinese He was born in Hong Kong.

    He no longer teaches Tai Chi class at the school or I would be able to learn more from him. Also I would like to learn other styles.
    There are many styles in Tai Chi Chuan.

    I still have a ways to go learning other styles from him :
    Wing Chun ( Im 1/2 way through the system) , Shaolin Five Animal Style, Jeet Kune Do, and the school is a part of my life so I wouldnot want to let it go.
     
  20. KungFuGrrrl

    KungFuGrrrl Valued Member

    NOt only that, but the other Chinese Masters would not teach me if I did not have his blessing provided that I stick with the school which I intend to do.

    trust me Ive asked.
     

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